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

xxii CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER XII. COMPARATIVE MYTHOLOGY. The value of Comparative Mythology as corroborative evidence—Its use in the present case—The ancient calendars of the European Aryan races—The plurality of Dawns in the Lettish, the Greek and the Celtic mythology—The ancient Roman year of ten months and Numa's reform thereof—Plutarch's view—Improba- bility of Lignana's theory pointed out—The ancient Celtic year —Closed with the last day of October and marked the commence- ment of winter and darkness—The winter feast celebrated on the day—The mid-summer feast of Lugnassad on the first of August—The commencement of summer on the first of May —The date of the battle of Moytura—Similar duration of the old Norse year—Comparison with the ancient Greek calendar—All indicate six months' light and six months' darkness—Corrobora- tion derived from comparative philology—Two divisions of the year in primeval times—The Maid of Nine Forms in the Celtic mythology—The Nine paces of Thor in the Norse legend—Com- pared with the Vedic Navagvas and Vifra Navaza in the Avesta —Balder's home in the heavens—Indicates the long Arctic day —The Slavonic story of Ivan and his two brothers—Continuous night in Ivan's home—Comparison with the Vedic legend of Trita —The Slavonic winter demon—The story of Dawn and Gloaming in the Finnish mythology—Indicates a long day of four weeks —Celtic and Teutonic legends representing the Sun-god's annual struggle with darkness—Baldur and Hodur, Cuchulainn and Fo- mori—Temporary sickness and indisposition of gods and heroes —Prof. Rhys' views thereon—The affliction indicates winter darkness—Celtic and Teutonic myths indicating long continuous day and night—All point to a primeval home in the Arctic region —Recent ethnological researches in favour of European home re- ferred to—Indicate northern Germany or Scandinavia—The ne- cessity of going still farther North—Prof. Rhys suggests Finland or White Sea—Not inconsistent with the theory which seeks to make the North Pole the home of the whole human race—Prof. Rhys' method and conclusion—Primeval Arctic home established alike by the traditions of the eastern and western Aryas—Its rela- tion with the general theory about the cradle of the human race . at the North Pole explained. . : . . . . 391