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

110 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. there was mild and genial, might be somewhat shorter than what we may expect it to be at present when the climate is severely cold. It is more probable, however, that the dawn described in the Ṛig-Veda is not exactly such a dawn as may be seen by an observer stationed precisely at the North Pole. As observed pre- viously, the North Pole is a point, and if men lived near the Pole in early days, they must have lived somewhat to the south of this point. Within this tract it is quite possible to have 30 day-long dawns revolving like a wheel, after the long Arctic night of four or five months; and, so far as astronomy is concerned, there is, therefore, nothing improbable in the description of the dawn found in the Vedic literature. We must also bear in mind that the Vedic Dawn often tarried longer on the horizon, and the worshippers asked her not to delay lest the sun might scorch her like an enemy (V, 79, 9). This shows that though 30 days was the usual duration of the Dawn it was sometimes exceeded, and people grew impatient to see the light of the sun. It was in cases like these, that Indra, the God who created the dawns and was their friend, was obliged to break the car of the dawn and bring the sun above the horizon (II, 15, 6; X, 73, 6).* There are other places in which the same legend is referred to (IV, 30, 8), and the obscuration of the Dawn by a thunderstorm is, at present, supposed to be the basis of this myth. But the explanation, like others of its kind, is on the face of it unsatisfactory. That a thunderstorm should occur just at the time of the dawn would be a mere accident, and it is improbable that it could have been made the basis of a legend. Again, it is not the obscuration, but the delaying of the Dawn,

• Ṛig. II, 15, 6,—वज्रेणान उषसः सं पिपेष । Ṛig. IV, 30, 8,— एतद् घेदुत वीर्य॑मिंद्र चकर्थ पौंस्यम् । स्त्रियं यद्दुह॑णायुवं वधीर्दु हितरं दिवः॥

THE VEDIC DAWNS. III or its tarrying longer on the horizon than usual, that is referred to in the legend, and we can better account for it on the Polar theory, because the duration of dawn, though usually of 30 days, might have varied at different places according to latitude and climatic conditions, and Indra's bolt was thus needed to check these freaks of the Dawn and make way for the rising sun. There are other legends connected with the Dawn and the matutinal deities on which the Polar theory throws quite a new light; but these will be taken up in the chapter on Vedic myths, after the whole direct evidence in support of the theory is examined. But if the Vedic dawn is Polar in origin, the ancestors of the Vedic bards must have witnessed it, not in the Post-Glacial, but in the Pre-Glacial era; and it may be finally asked why a reference to this early age is not found in the hymns before us ? Fortuately the hymns do preserve a few indications of the time when these long dawns appeared. Thus, in I, 113, 13, we are told that the Goddess Dawn shone perpetually in former days (purâ) and here the word purâ does not mean the foregone days of this kalpa, but rather refers to a by-gone age, or purâ kalpa as in the passage from the Taittirîya Saṁhita (I, 5, 7, 5), quoted and discussed in the next chapter. The word prathamâ, in the Taittirîya Saṁhitâ, IV, 3, 11, 1 and the Taittirîya Brâhmaṇa, II, 5, 6, 5, does not again mean simply ‘first in order,’ but refers to ‘ancient times,’ as when Indra’s ‘first’ or ‘oldest’ exploits are mentioned in I, 32, 1, or when certain practices are said to be ‘first’ or ‘old’ in X, 90, 16. It is probable that it was this import of the word prathamâ that led Sâyaṇa to propose that the first dawn, mentioned in the Tait- tirîya, Saṁhita IV, 3, 11, represented the dawn at the beginning of the creation. The Vedic poets could not but have been conscious

112 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. that the Mantras they used to lay down the dawn-bricks were inapplicable to the dawn as they saw it, and the Taittirîya Saṁhitâ (V, 3, 4, 7), which explains the Mantras, clearly states that this story or the description of the dawns is a tradition of old times when the Gods perceived the thirty dawns. It is not, therefore, correct to say that there are no references in the Vedic hymns to the time when these long dawns were visible. We shall revert to the point later on, when further evidence on the subject will be noticed and discussed. The object of the present chapter was to examine the duration of the Vedic dawn, the Goddess of the morning, the subject of so many beautiful hymns in the Rig-Veda, and to show that the deity is invested with Polar characteristics. The evidence in support of this view has been fully discussed; and we shall, therefore, now take up the other Polar and Circum-Polar tests previously mentioned, and see whether we can find out further evidence from the Ṛig-Veda to strengthen our conclusions.

The provided image is completely blank and contains no text to transcribe.

This image is a blank page containing no text.

THE VEDIC DAWNS. VEDIC DAWNS The sun is about 16° below the horizon ; and the morning lights will go round and round the horizon (one round being completed in 24 hours) in the direction of the arrow-heads, until the sun appears above the horizontal plane.

The image appears to be completely blank and contains no readable text to transcribe.

Appendix to Chapter V. THE THIRTY DAWNS. The following are the passages from the Taittirîya Samhitâ referred to on page 98:— TAITTIRÎYA SAMHITÂ, KÂṆḌA IV, PRAPÂTHAKA 3, ANUVÂKA, 11. इयमे॒व सा या प्र॑थ॒मा व्यौच्छ॒दन्त॒रस्यां च॑रति॒ प्रवि॑ष्टा । व॒धूर्जजान नव॒गज्जनि॑त्री॒ त्रय॑ एनां महि॒मान॑: सचन्ते ॥ १ ॥ छन्द॑स्वती उ॒षसा॒ पेपि॑शाने समा॒नं योनि॒मनु॑ सञ्चर॑न्ती । सूर्य॑पत्नी वि च॑रतः प्रजा॒नती के॒तुं कृ॑ण्वाने अ॒जरे॒ भूरि॑-रेतसा ॥ २ ॥ ऋ॒तस्य॒ पन्था॒मनु॑ ति॒स्र आगु॒स्त्रयो॑ घ॒र्मासो॒ अनु॒ ज्योति॑षाऽगुः । प्र॒जामेका॒ रक्ष॒त्यूर्ज॒मेका॑ व्र॒तमेका॑ रक्षति दे॒वयू॒नाम् ॥ ३ ॥ च॒तु॒ष्टो॒मो अ॑भव॒द्या तुरी॑या य॒ज्ञस्य॑ पक्षा॒वृष॑यो॒ भव॑न्ती । गाय॒त्रीं त्रि॒ष्टुभं॒ जग॑तीमनु॒ष्टुभं॑ बृ॒हदर्के॒ युञ्जा॑नाः सुव॒राभ॑र॒न्निदम् ॥ ४ ॥ प॒ञ्चभि॑र्धा॒ता विद॑धावि॒दं यत्तासां॒ᳵ स्वसॄ॑रजनयत् पञ्च॑पञ्च । तासा॑मृ॒ यन्ति॒ प्रय॑वेण पञ्च॒ नाना॑ रू॒पाणि॒ क्रत॑वो वसा॑नाः ॥ ५ ॥ Verse 1,—This verse, with slight modifications, occurs twice in the Atharva-Veda Samhitâ (III, 10, 4; VIII, 9, 11). It runs thus:— इ॒यमे॒व सा या प्र॑थ॒मा व्यौच्छ॒दास्व॑न्त॒रासु॑ चरति॒ प्रवि॑ष्टा । म॒हान्तो॑ अस्यां महि॒मानो॑ अ॒न्तर्व॒धूर्जि॑गाय नव॒गज्जनि॑त्री ॥ Verses 2, 3, and 4,—The Atharva-Veda reading (VIII, 9, 12—14) is slightly different:— छन्द॑:पक्षे उ॒षसा॒ पेपि॑शाने समा॒नं योनि॒मनु॒ सं च॑रेते । सूर्य॑पत्नी॒ सं च॑रतः प्रजा॒नती के॒तुम॑ती' अ॒जरे॒ भूरि॑-रेतसा ॥ ऋ॒तस्य॒ पन्था॒मनु॑ ति॒स्र आगु॒स्त्रयो॑ घ॒र्मा अनु॒ रेत॒ आगु॑: । प्र॒जामेका॒ जिन्व॒त्यूर्ज॒मेका॑ रा॒ष्ट्रमेका॑ रक्षति दे॒वयू॒नाम् ॥ अ॒ग्निष्टोमोऽव॑दद्यु॒र्या तुरीयासी॑द्य॒ज्ञस्य॑ पक्षा॒वृष॑यः क॒ल्पय॑न्तः । गाय॒त्रीं त्रि॒ष्टुभं॒ जग॑तीमनु॒ष्टुभं॑ बृ॒हदर्के॒ यज॑मानाय॒ स्व॑राभ॒रन्तीम् ॥ 8

114 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. त्रि॒ꣳ­शत्स्वसा॑र॒ उप॑ यन्ति॒ निष्कृ॒तꣳ समा॒नं के॒तुं प्र॑तिमुञ्च॑मानाः । ऋ॒तूंस्त॑न्वते क॒वय॑: प्रजान॒तीर्मध्ये॑छन्दसः॒ परि॑ यन्ति भास्व॑तीः ॥ ६ ॥ ज्योति॑ष्मती॒ प्रति॑ मुञ्चते॒ नभो॒ रात्री॑ दे॒वी सूर्य॑स्य व्र॒तानि॑ । वि प॑श्यन्ति प॒शवो॒ जाय॑माना॒ नाना॑रूपा मा॒तुरस्या उपस्थे॑ ॥ ७ ॥ एका॑ष्टका तप॑सा तप्य॑माना ज॒ज्ञान॒ गर्भं॑ महि॒मान॒मिन्द्र॑म् । तेन॒ दस्यू॒न् व्य॑सहन्त दे॒वा हन्ताऽसु॑राणामभवच्छची॑भिः ॥ ८ ॥ अना॑नुजामनु॒जां माम॑कर्त स॒त्यं वद॒न्त्यन्वि॑च्छ ए॒तत् । भू॒यासं॑मस्य सु॒मतौ यथा॑ यू॒यमन्या वो॑ अ॒न्यामति॒ मा प्र युं॑क्त ॥ ९ ॥ अभू॒न्मम॑ सु॒मतौ वि॒श्ववे॑दा॒ आष्ट॒ प्रति॑ष्ठामवि॒दद्धि गा॒धम् । भू॒यासं॑मस्य सु॒मतौ यथा॑ यू॒यमन्या वो॑ अ॒न्यामति॒ मा प्र युं॑क्त ॥ १० ॥ पञ्च॒ व्यु॑ष्टी॒रनु॒ पञ्च॒ दोहा॒ गां प॑ञ्चना॒म्नीमृतवो॒ऽनु पञ्च॑ । पञ्च॒ दिश॑: पञ्चद॒शेन॑ कॢ॒प्ताः समा॒नमू॒र्ध्नीर॒भि लो॒कमेक॑म् ॥ ११ ॥ ऋ॒तस्य॒ गर्भ॑: प्रथ॒मा व्यु॑षु॒ष्यपामेका॑ महि॒मानं॑ बिभर्ति । सूर्य॑स्यैका॒ चर॑ति॒ निष्कृ॒तेषु॑ घ॒र्मस्यैका॑ सवि॒तैकां नि य॑च्छति ॥ १२ ॥ या प्र॑थ॒मा व्यौच्छ॒त् सा धे॒नुर॑भवद्य॒मे सा न॑: पय॑स्वती धुक्ष्वोत्त॑रामुत्त॒राꣳ समा॑म् ॥ १३ ॥ शु॒क्रर्ष॑भा॒ नभ॑सा॒ ज्योति॑षा॒ऽऽगा॒द् विश्व॑रूपा श॒बली॑र॒ग्निके॑तुः । समा॒नमर्थं॑ स्वप॒स्यमा॑ना बिभ्र॑ती ज॒राम॑जर उ॒ष आगा॑: ॥ १४ ॥ VERSE 8.—This verse is also found in the Atharva. Veda (III, 10 12); but the reading of the second half is as follows:— तेन॑ दे॒वा व्य॑षहन्त॒ शत्रू॒न् हन्ता दस्यू॑नामभवच्छची॒पति॑: । VERSE 11,—Compare A. V. VIII. 9,15. For समा॒नमू॒र्ध्नी: A. V. reads ता एकमूर्ध्नी: । The rest is the same in both. VERSE 13,—Compare A. V. III, 10, 1. For या प्रथमा व्यौच्छत् A. V. reads प्रथमा ह व्युवास । And for धुक्ष्व A. V. has दुहाम् । Com- pare also Ṛig. IV, 57, 7, where the second line is found as in A. V.

APP. TO CHAP. V—THE THIRTY DAWNS. 115 ऋ॒तूनां पत्नी॑ प्रथ॒मेयमागा॒दह्नां॑ ने॒त्री ज॑नि॒त्री प्र॒जाना॑म् । एका॑ स॒ती ब॒हुधोषो॒ व्यु॑च्छ॒स्यजी॑र्णा त्वं ज॑रयसि॒ सर्व॑म॒न्यत् ॥ १५ ॥ TAITTÎRIYA SAMHITÂ KÂNDA V, PRAPÂTHAKA 3, ANUVÂKA 4, SECTION 7. न वा इदं दिवा॑ न नक्त॑मासीदव्यावृ॑त्तं ते दे॒वा ए॒ता व्यु॑ष्टीरपश्य॒न् ता उपा॑दधत॒ ततो॒ वा इदं व्यौ॑च्छ॒द्यस्यै॒ता उप॑धीय॒न्ते व्ये॑वास्मा॑ उच्छ॒त्यथो॒ तम॑ ए॒वाप॑ हते । TRANSLATION AND NOTES. Taitt. Samhitâ IV. 3, 11

1. This, verily, is She that dawned first; (she) moves entered into her (i. e. above the horizon). The bride, the new-come mother, is born. The three great ones follow her.
2. She that dawned first: evidently meaning the first of a series of thirty dawns, mentioned in the following verses. In verse 13 we are told that it is the dawn which commences the year. The thirty dawns are, therefore, the dawns at the begininng of the year, and the first of them is mentioned in the first verse. Sâyaṇa, however, says— आदिसृष्टिकाले प्रथमो यः प्रभातकालस्तद्रूपेयम्, meaning that the dawn at the beginning of the creation is her intended. But the explanation does not suit the context, and Sâyaṇa has himself given different explanations afterwards. Entered into her; according to Sâyaṇa asyâm ( into her ) means "into the earth;" compare Ṛig. III, 61, 7, where the sun, the speeder of the dawns, is said to have 'entered into the mighty earth and heaven.' According to A. V. reading the meaning would be 'en- tered into the other (dawns)," shewing that the first dawn is a member of a larger group. The three great ones: Sûrya, Vâyu and Agni according to Sâyaṇa. The three typical deities or Devatâs mentioned by Yâska (VII, 5) are Agni, Vâyu or Indra, and Sûrya. In Ṛig VII, 33, 7, the three Ghar- mas (fires) are said to attend the dawn, (trayo Gharmâsa ushasam sachante); and in VII, 78, 3, the dawns are said to have created Sûrya, Yajña (Sacrifice) and Agni. Also compare A. V. IX, 1, 8, and Bloom- field's note thereon in S. B. E. Series, Vol. XLII, p. 590. Though the three may be variously named, the reference is evidently to the rise of the sun and the commencement of sacrifices or the kindling of sacrificial fires after the first dawn, (Cf. Ṛig. I, 113, 9).

116 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. 2. Possessed of songs, decorating ( themselves ), and mov- ing together in a common abode, the Two Dawns, the ( two ) wives of the sun, unwasting, rich in seed, move about displaying their banner and knowing well (their way). 3. The Three Maidens have come along the path of Ṛita ; the three fires ( Gharmas ) with light, have followed. One (of these Maidens) protects the progeny, one the vigour, and one the ordinance of the pious. 4. That, which (was) the Fourth, acting as Ṛiṣhis, the 2. Posseessed of songs : Sâyaṇa thus interprets chchandas-vati ; but the Pet. Lex. translates the word by ' lovely.' I have followed Sâyaṇa because the A. V. reading chchandas-pakshe, 'having chchandas for the two wings,' supports Sâyaṇa's meaning. That the morning atmosphere resounded with the recitation of hymns and songs may be seen, amongst others, from Ṛig. III, 61, 1 and 6. The phrase madye- chchandasaḥ, in verse 6 below, denotes the same idea. But the word chchandas may perhaps be understood to mean ' shine ' in all these places ; Cf. Ṛig. VIII, 7, 36, where the phrase, chchando na sûro archishâ is translated by Max Muller to mean " like the shine by the splendour of the sun," (See S. B. E. Series, Vol. XXXII, pp. 393, 399.) Decorating, moving together in the same place, wives of the sun, un-wasting &c : These and others are the usual epithets of the Dawn found in the Ṛig-Veda, Cf. Ṛig I, 92, 4 ; VII, 76, 5 ; IV, 5, 13 ; I, 113, 13. The Two Dawns : Ushasâ does not here mean Ushâsâ-naktâ or ' Day and Night,' as supposed by Mr. Griffith, but denotes two dawns as such, the third, the fourth &c. being mentioned in the following verses. Sâyaṇa says द्वे उषसौ, एका सृष्टिकालीना ' प्रथमा' इतिपूर्वमंत्रोक्ता, अपरा प्रतिदिनसंचारिणी, meaning that the first dawn is the dawn which appeared at the beginning of the creation and the second the diurnal one, as we see it. But Sâyaṇa had to abandon this explanation later on. The couple of Dawns obviously includes the first Dawn mentioned in the first verse, which, with its successor, now forms a couple. Since groups of two, three, five or thirty dawns are mentioned as moving together, they cannot be the dawns of consecutive days, that is, separated by sunlight, as with us in the tropical or the temperate zone. 3. The Three Maidens : the number of Dawns is now increased to three ; but Sâyaṇa gives no explanation of the number. 4. The Fourth : Sâyaṇa now says यद्यप्येकैव उषा तथापि जगद्रक्षणाय यौगैश्वर्यादनेकशरीरस्वीकारे सति बहव उषसो भवन्ति, meaning that the single Deity of Dawn appears as many different dawns through yogic powers !

APP. TO CHAP. V—THE THIRTY DAWNS. 117 two wings of the sacrifice, has become the four-fold Stoma (Chatu-shṭoma). Using Gâyatrî, Trishṭup, Jagatî, Anushṭup the great song, they brought this light. 5. The creator did it with the Five, that he created five-and-five sisters to them (each). Their five courses (kratavaḥ), assuming various forms, move on in combination (prayaveṇa). 6. The Thirty Sisters, bearing the same banner, move on to the appointed place (nish-kṛitam). They, the wise, create the seasons. Refulgent, knowing (their way), they go round (pari yanti) amidst songs (madye-chchandasaḥ). Acting as Ṛishis...four-fold Stoma: The group of four Dawns appears to be here compared to the Chatu-shṭoma or the four-fold song. (For a description of the four-fold Stoma see Ait. Br. III, 42, Haug’s Trans. p. 237). Gâyatrî &c. are the metres used. The light brought on by the Dawns is the reward of this Stoma. Sâyaṇa inter- prets suvas to mean ‘heaven,’ but compare Ṛig. III, 61, 4, where the adjective, svar janantî, ‘creating light,’ is applied to the Dawn. 5. Did it with the Five: after the number of Dawns was in- creased to five, the creation proceeded by fives; compare verse 11 below. Their five courses: I construe tâsâṁ pañcha kratavaḥ prayaveṇa yanti. Sâyaṇa understands kratavaḥ to mean sacrificial rites perform- ed on the appearance of the dawn; but compare Ṛig. I, 123, 8, which says “The blameless Dawns (plu.) go round thirty yojanas, each her own kratu (destined course),” (supra p. 103). Kratavaḥ in the pre- sent verse must be similarly interpreted. In combination: We have thirty Dawns divided into five groups of six each; compare Taitt. Br. II, 5, 6, 5, quoted above (p. 100), which says tâ devyaḥ kurvate pañcha rûpâ, “the Goddesses (Dawns) make five forms.” Five groups of thirty Dawns, each group having its own destined course, are here described; but as each group is made of six Dawns, the five courses are again said to assume different forms, meaning that the members of each group have again their own courses within the larger course chalked out for the group. 6. Thirty Sisters: Sâyaṇa, in his commentary on the preceding verse says पञ्चसंख्याका ज्येष्ठा उषसः तासां स्वसारः पञ्चविंशतिसंख्याका इत्ये- कस्मिन् मासि प्रतिपदादिरूपास्त्रिंशदुषसः संपद्यन्ते, meaning that the thirty Dawns mentioned are the thirty dawns of a month. But Sâyaṇa does not ex- plain why one month out of twelve, or only 30 out of 360 dawns should be thus selected. The explanation is again unsuited to the context,.

118 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. 7. Through the sky, the illumined Goddess of Night accepts the ordinances of the sun. The cattle, of various forms, (begin to) look up as they rise on the lap of the mother. 8. The Ekâshṭakâ, glowing with holy fervour (tapas), gave birth to a child, the great Indra. Through him the (See supra p. 101, and T. S. V, 3, 4, 7, quoted below.) The Dawns are called sisters also in the Ṛig-veda, (Cf. I, 124, 8 and 9). Appointed place: nish-kṛitam, (Nir. XII, 7), used in reference to the course of the Dawns also in Ṛig. I, 123, 9. It is appropriate only if the Dawns returned to the same point in their daily rounds, (See supra p. 106). Go round amidst-songs: pari yanti, 'go round' is also the phrase used in Ṛig. I, 123, 8. Madye-chchandasaḥ is interpreted by Sâyaṇa to mean "about the sun, which is always surrounded by songs." But we need not go so far, for madye-chchandasaḥ may be more simply taken to mean 'amidst-songs,' that are usually sung at the dawn, (Ṛig. VII, 80, 1). 7. Through the sky: I take nabhas as an accusative of space. Sâyaṇa appears to take it as an adjective equivalent to nabhasthasya and qualifying sûryasya. In either case the meaning is the same, viz., that the night was gradually changing into day-light. The cattle: morning rays or splendours usually spoken of as cows. In Ṛig. I, 92, 12, the Dawn is described as spreading cattle (pashûn) before her; and in I, 124, 5, we are told that she fills the lap of both parents, heaven and earth. I construe, with Sâyaṇa, nânâ-rûpa pashavaḥ vi pashyanti, taking vi pashyanti intransitively, and nânâ- rûpa as an adjective. The same phrase is found used in reference to a woman's children in the Atharva-Veda, XIV, 2, 25. For the intran- sitive use of vi pashyanti, See Ṛig. X, 125, 4. 8. The Ekâshṭakâ: The birth of Indra is evidently the birth of the sun after the expiry of thirty dawns. Sâyaṇa, quoting Âpastamba Gṛihya Sûtra (VIII, 21, 10), interprets Ekâshṭakâ to mean the 8th day of the dark half of the month of Mâgha (January-February); and in the Taittirîya Saṁhitâ, VII, 4, 8, quoted and explained by me in Chap- ter III of Orion, it seems to have same meaning, (See Orion p. 44 ff; Ekâshṭakâ was the first day, or the consort, of the Year, when the sun turned towards the north from the winter solstice; and the commencement of all annual sattras is, therefore, directed to be made on the Ekâshṭakâ day. This meaning was, however, settled when the vernal equinox had receded from the asterism of Mṛiga (Orion) to that of the Kṛittikâs (Pleiades). But in earlier days Ekâshṭakâ seems to have meant the last of the dawns which preceded the rise of the sun after the long darkness, and

APP. TO CHAP. V—THE THIRTY DAWNS. 119 Gods have subdued their enemies; by his powers (he) has become the slayer of the Asuras. 9. You have made a companion (lit. the after-born) for me, who was (before) without a companion. Truth-teller (as thou art), I desire this, that I may have his good will, just as you do not transgress each the other. 10. The All-knowing has my good will, has got-a hold (on it), has secured a place (therein). May I have his good will just as you do not transgress each the other. 11. Five milkings answer to the five dawns; the five seasons to the five-named cow. The five sky-regions, made by thus commenced the year, which began with the period of sunshine. he word eka in Ekâshṭakâ perhaps denotes the first month, the lastdawn probably falling on the 8th day of the first lunar month of the year. A companion for me : that is, Indra or the sun, whose birth is mentioned in the previous verse ; and the poet now prays that his new friend, the after-born follower or companion, should be favourable to him. It should be noted that the birth of the sun is described after the lapse of thirty dawns, during which the poet had no companion. Truth-teller: Sâyaṇa seems to take satyam vadanti as a vocative plural; but it is not in strict accordance with grammar. In the pada text, it is evidently a feminine form of nom. sing., and I have translated accord- ingly, though not without some difficulty. In Ṛig. III, 61, 2, the dawn is called sûnṛitâ îrayantî which expresses the same idea. Just as you do not trangress each the other: compare the Ṛig-Veda VII, 76, 5, where we are told that the Dawns, though collected in the same place, do not strive against or quarrel with each other. 10. The All-knowing : Sâyaṇa takes vishva-vedâh to mean the Dawn; but it obviously refers to the companion (anujâm) mentioned in the preceding verse. The worshipper asks for a reciprocity of good will. The All-knowing (Indra) has his good will; let him, he prays, have now the All-knowing's good will. The adjective vishva-vedâh is applied in the Ṛig-Veda to Indra or Agni several times, Cf. Ṛig. VI, 47, 12; I, 147, 3. 11. Five milkings: Sâyaṇa refers to Taitt. Brâh. II, 2, 9, 6-9, where darkness, light, the two twilights, and day are said to be the five milkings (dohâh) of Prajâpati. The idea seems to be that all the five- fold groups in the creation proceeded from the five-fold dawn-groups. Five-named Cow: the earth, according to Sâyaṇa, who says that the earth has, five different names in the five seasons, e. g. pushpa-vatî

120 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. the fifteen, have a common head, directed to one world. 12. The first dawn (is) the child of Ṛita, one upholds the greatness of Waters, one moves in the regions of Sûrya, one (in those) of Gharma (fire), and Savitṛi rules one. 13. That, which dawned first, has become a cow in Yama's realm. Rich in milk, may she milk for us each succeeding year. 14. The chief of the bright, the omniform, the brindled, the fire-bannered has come, with light, in the sky. Working well towards a common goal, bearing (signs of) old age, (yet) O unwasting! O Dawn! thou hast come. 15. The wife of the seasons, this first has come, the leader of days, the mother of children. Though one, O Dawn! thou shinest manifoldly; though unwasting, thou causest all the rest to grow old (decay). (blossomy) in Vasanta ( spring ), tâpa-vatî (heated) in Grîṣhma (Summer), vṛiṣhṭi-vatî (showery) in Varṣhâ (Rains), jala-prasâda-vatî ( clear- watered) in Sharad (Autumn), and shaitya-vatî (cold) in Hemanta-Shishira (Winter). The seasons are taken as five by combining Hemanta and Shishira into one. The fifteen: The fifteen-fold Stoma, called pañcha-dasha, ( See Haug's Trans. Ait. Br. p. 238). 13. Each succeeding year: This shows that the dawn here de- scribed is the first dawn of the year. In Ṛig. I, 33, 10, light (cows) is said to be milked from darkness. 14. Working well towards a common goal: compare Ṛig. III, 61, 3, where, the Dawn "wending to one and the same goal" is asked to "turn on like a wheel." Bearing (signs of) old age: I construe jarâm bibhratî and yet ajare. Sâyaṇa takes svapasya-mânâ (working well) as an independent adjective; and connects bibhratî with artham, and jarâm with agâḥ. The meaning would then be "Working well, having a common end, O unwasting Dawn! thou hast reached old age." But it does not make any appreciable change in the general sense of the verse. 15. Though one...shinest manyfoldly shows that only one con- tinuous dawn, though made up of many parts, is described in this hymn. Leader of days, mother of children—the epithets ahnâm netrî and gavâm mâtâ are also found used in the Ṛig-Veda, VII, 77, 2.

APP. TO CHAP. V—THE THIRTY DAWNS. 121 Taitt. Saṁhitâ V, 3, 4, 7. It was un-distinguished,* neither day nor night. The Gods perceived these dawn-bricks (for the laying of which the 15 verses given above are to be used). They laid them. Then it . shone forth†. Therefore for whom these are laid, it shines forth to him, destroys (his) darkness. REMARKS. It has been previously mentioned that the fifteen verses, quoted above, are used or recited as Mantras at the time of laying down, certain emblematical bricks, called Vyushṭi-ishṭakâs, or dawn-bricks, on the sacrificial altar. But as the Mantras, or verses, used for sacrificial purposes are often taken from different Vedic hymns, these verses are likely to be regarded as unconnec- ted with each other. The account of the thirty dawns, contained therein, however, shews that these verses must have originally formed an entire or one homogeneous hymn. Again if the Mantras had been selected from different hymns, one for each dawn- brick, there would naturally be 16 verses in all, as 16 dawn- bricks are to be laid on the altar. The very fact, that the Anuvâka contains only 15 verses (leaving the sacrificer to select the 16th from elsewhere), therefore, further supports the same view. It is true that some of these verses are found in the Atharva-Veda, either detached or in connection with other subjects. But that does not prevent us from treating the passage in the Taittirîya Saṁhitâ, * It was undistinguished : This paragraph, which is found later on in the Saṁhitâ, explains how the dawn-bricks came to be laid with the fifteen verses given above. The portions of the Taittirîya Saṁhitâ, which contain such explanations are called Brâhmaṇa. † Then it shone forth : This shews that all the thirty Dawns were understood to have preceded the rise of the sun. I have already quoted (supra p. 100) a passage from Taitt. Brâh. (II, 5, 6, 5), which says . that these dawns were continuous and unseparated.

122 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. as containing a connected account of thirty dawns divided into five groups of six each. The question is not, however, very material, inasmuch as verses 5 and 6, whether they formed part of an entire hymn or not, are by themselves sufficient to prove the point at issue, viz., that the Vedic Goddess of Dawn constituted a group of thirty sisters. The Ṛig-Veda speaks of "thirty steps" traversed by the Dawn, (VI, 59, 6), or of Dawns going round "thirty yojanas" (I, 123, 8); but both these state- ments have, as yet, remained totally unexplained, or have been but imperfectly explained by Indian and Western scholars alike. But now that we know that the Vedic Dawns were thirty in number, both the aforesaid statements become at once easily comprehensible. The only other point necessary to be decided, so far as the subject in hand is concerned, is whether these thirty dawns were the dawns of thirty consecutive days, or whether they formed a 'closely-gathered band' of thirty continuous dawns; and on reading the two aforesaid passages from the Taittirîya Saṁhitâ, the one from the Taittirîya Brâhmaṇa, II. 5, 6, 5, and other authorities cited in the foregoing chapter, I do not think, there can be any doubt that the Goddess of Dawn, worshipped by the Vedic bards, was originally a group of thirty continuous dawns. It is not contended that the ancestors of the Vedic bards were unacquainted with ordinary dawns, for, even in the circumpolar regions there are, during certain parts of the year, successions of ordinary days and nights and with them of ordinary dawns. But so far as the Vedic Goddess of morning is concerned, there is enough evidence to shew that it was no other than the continuous and revolving Dawn at the end of the long night in those regions, the Dawn that lasted for thirty periods of 24 hours each, which is possible only within a few degrees round-about the North Pole.

CHAPTER VI. LONG DAY AND LONG NIGHT. Independent evidence about the long night—Vritra living in long darkness—Expressions denoting long darkness or long night— Anxiety to reach the end of darkness—Prayers to reach safely the other end of night—A night, the other boundary of which was not known according to the Atharva Veda—The Taittirîya Samhitâ explains that these prayers were due to fears entertained by the ancient priests that the night would not dawn—Not caused by long winter nights as supposed by Sâyana— Description of days and nights in the Ṛig-Veda— Divided into two typical pairs—One described as bright, dark and virûpe—Virûpe means ‘of varying lengths’ and not ‘of various colours’ —Second pair, ‘Ahanî, different from the first—Dura- tions of days and nights on the globe examined—Ahanî can only be a couple of the long Arctic day and night—Described as forming the right and left, or opposite, sides of the Year in the Taittirîya A'raṇyaka—The sun is described in the Rig- Veda as unyoking his car in the midst of the sky—And there- by retaliating Dâsa’s mischief—Represents the long day and the long night—Summary of evidence regarding long day and long night—Ushas and Sûrya as Dakshiṇâ and Dakshiṇâ’s son —Probably imply the southerly course of both. WHEN a long continuous dawn of thirty days, or a closely-gathered band of thirty dawns, is shown to have been expressly referred to in the Vedic literature, the long night preceding such a dawn follows as a matter of course; and where a long night prevails, it must have a long day to match it during the year. The remaining portion of the year, after deducting the period of the long night, the long day and the long morning and evening twilights, would also be characterised by a succession of ordinary days and nights, a day and night together never exceeding twenty-four hours, though, within that limit, the

124 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. day may gradually gain over the night at one time and the night over the day at another, producing a variety of ordinary days and nights of different lengths. All these phenomena are so connected astronomically that if one of them is established, the others follow as a matter of scientific inference. Therefore, if the long duration of the Vedic dawn is once demonstrated, it is, astrono- mically speaking, unnecessary to search for further evidence regarding the existence of long days and nights in the Ṛig-Veda. But as we are dealing with a state of things which existed several thousand years ago, and with evidence, which, though tra- ditionally handed down, has not yet been interpreted in the way we have done, it is safer to treat, in practice, the aforesaid astronomical phenomena as disconnected facts, and separately collect evidence bearing on each, keeping the astronomical connection in reserve till we come to consider the cumulative effect of the whole evidence in support of the several facts mentioned above. I do not mean to imply that there is any uncertainty in the relation of sequence between the above astronomical facts. On the contrary, nothing can be more certain than such a sequence. But in collecting and examining the evidence bearing on facts like those under consideration, it is always advisable in practice to collect as much evidence and from as many different points of view as possible. In this and the following two chapters, we, therefore, propose to ex- amine separately the evidence that can be found in the Vedic literature about the long day, the long night, the number of months of sunshine and of darkness, and the character of the year, and see if it discloses characteristics found only at, or around, the North Pole. And first regarding the long night,—a night of several days' duration, such as makes the northern latitudes too cold or uncomfortable for human habitation at present,

LONG DAY AND LONG NIGHT. 125 but which, in inter-glacial times, appeared to have caused no further inconvenience than what might result from darkness, long and continuous darkness for a number of days, though, by itself, it was not a desirable state of things, and the end of which must have been eagerly looked for by men who had to undergo such ex- perience. There are many passages in the Ṛig-Veda that speak of long and ghastly darkness, in one form or another, which sheltered the enemies of Indra, and to destory which Indra had to fight with the demons or the Dâsas, whose strongholds are all said to be concealed in this darkness. Thus in I, 32, 10, Vṛitra, the traditional enemy of Indra, is said to be engulfed in long darkness (dîrgham tamaḥ âshayad Indra-shatruḥ), and in V, 32, 5, Indra is described as having placed Shuṣhṇa, who was anxious to fight, in ‘the darkness of the pit’ (tamasi harmye), while the next verse speaks of asûrye tamasi (lit. sunless darkness), which Max Muller renders by ‘ghastly darkness.’* In spite of these passages the fight between Vṛitra and Indra is considered to be a daily and not a yearly struggle, a theory the validity of which will be examined when we come to the discussion of Vedic myths. For the present it is sufficient to note that the above expressions lose all their propriety, if the darkness, in which the various enemies of Indra are said to have flourished, be taken to be the ordinary darkness of twelve, or, at best, of twenty-four hours’ duration. It was, in reality, a long and a ghastly or sunless dark- ness, which taxed all the powers of Indra and his associate Gods to overcome. But apart from this legendary struggle, there are other verses in the Ṛig-Veda which plainly indicate the existence of a night longer than the longest cis-Arctic night. In the first place the Vedic bards are seen frequently invoking

• See S. B. E. series, Vol. XXXII, p. 218.