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

xviii . CONTENTS. . PAG troduction to the annual Sattras—Marked the close of the long night and the beginning of the period of sunshine—Sattra, Ati- rātra, night-sacrifices and Ati-rātra again thus formed the yearly round of sacrifices in ancient times—Clearly indicate the existence of a long darkness of 100 nights in the ancient year—Ancient sacrificial system thus corresponded with the ancient year—Adap- tation of both to the new home effected by the Brâhmaṇas, like Numa's reform in the old Roman Calendar—The importance of the results of sacrificial evidence. . . . . 188 CHAPTER IX. VEDIC MYTHS—THE CAPTIVE WATERS. Direct evidence for the Arctic theory summed up—Different nature of the Mythological evidence—Schools of Mythological interpreta- tion—The naturalistic or the Nairukta school—Its theories—The Dawn theory and the myths explained by it—The Storm theory, Indra and Vṛitra—The Vernal theory, the Ashvins' exploits—Vṛi- tra's legend usually explained by the Storm theory—Simultaneous effects of Indra's conquest over Vṛitra—The release of waters, the release of cows, the recovery of the dawn and the production of the sun—Vedic authorities in support of their simultaneous char- acter—Passages relating to the place and time of the conflict —The simultaneous nature left unexplained by the Dawn or the Storm theory—Battle not fought in the atmosphere above, as im- plied by the Storm theory—Nor in the rainy season—Misinter- pretation of words like parvata, giri, adri, &c.—The Storm theory inadequate in every respect—New explanation necessary—The real nature of waters explained—They are aerial or celestial waters, and not the waters of rain—Vedic bards knew of a region 'below the three earths'—The contrary view of Wallis refuted —The real meaning of rajas, Nir-riti, ardhau and samudram ex- plained—Cosmic circulation of aerial waters—Nether world, the home of aerial waters—Avestic passages describing the circula- tion of waters cited and explained—Sarasvatî and Ardvi Sûra Anâhita are celestial rivers—The source of all plants and rain —The real nature of Vṛitra's fight—Simultaneous release of waters and light is intelligible, if both have the same source—Both stopped by Vṛitra's encompassing the waters in the lower world— The closing of the apertures in the mountains (parvatas) on the horizon—The movement of the waters and the sun co-related