वेदों की प्राचीनता एवं काल-निर्णय / ओरायन (लोकमान्य बाल गंगाधर तिलक - खगोलीय वैदिक शोध)

MONTHS AND SEASONS. 179 taking it to denote 'a conjunction,' observes as follows, "The phases of the moon being so readily observable, it is pro- bable that, as suggested by Professor Weber, the idea of a period of time known as a yuga and depending upon a conjunc- tion of certain heavenly bodies, was originally derived from a knowledge of these phases. The Professor (Weber) further strengthens his supposition by referring to a passage cited in the Shaḍviṁsha Brâhmaṇa (IV, 6)* wherein the four yugas are still designated by their more ancient names, and are con- nected with the four lunar phases to which they evidently owe their origin." Mr. Rangâchârya then refers to darsha, the ancient name for the conjunction of the sun and moon, and con- cludes, "There is also old mythological or other evidence which leads us to conclude that our forefathers observed many other kinds of interesting celestial conjunctions; and in all pro- bability the earliest conception of a yuga meant the period from new moon to new moon," that is, one lunar month. The passage stating that it was the first dawn that set the cycle of mânushâ yuga in motion is already quoted above; and if we compare this statement with Ṛig. X, 138, 6, where Indra after killing Vṛitra and producing the dawn and the sun, is said "to have set the ordering of the months in the sky," it will be further evident that the cycle of time which began with the first dawn was a cycle of months. We may, therefore, safely conclude that mânushâ yugâ represented, in early days, a cycle of months during which the sun was above the horizon, or rather that period of sunshine and action when the ances- tors of the Aryan race held their sacrificial sessions or performed other religious and social ceremonies. There are many other passages in the Ṛig-Veda which support the same view. But mânushâ yugâ being everywhere

• पुष्ये (कलौ) चानुमतिर्ज्ञेया सिनीवालीति द्वापरे। शार्वायां (त्रेतायां) तु भवेद्राका कृतपर्वे कुहुर्भवेत् ॥