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

340 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. to denote the ocean or the sea in European languages. Thus- Bhartṛihari in his Vairâgya-Shataka (v. 76) says:—" Oh! how extensive, grand and patient is the body of the ocean! For here sleeps Keshava (Viṣhṇu); here the clan of his enemies (Vṛitra and other demons of darkness); here lie also the host of mountains (the parvata of the Vedas) in search of shelter; and here too (lies) the Mare's fire (submarine fire) with all the Saṁvartakas (clouds)." This is intended to be a summary of the Purâṇic legends regarding the ocean, but it can be easily seen that every one of them is based upon the Vedic concep- tion of the nature and movements of aerial waters, which formed the very material out of which the world was believed to be created. After this it is needless to explain why Âpaḥ occupied such an important place in the Vedic pantheon. Seven-fold Nine-fold and Ten-fold. It is stated above that the nether waters are divided after the manner of the heaven and the earth, either into three, seven or ten divisions. We have also seen that the ancient sacrificers completed their sacrificial session in seven, nine or ten months; and that the Navagvas and the Dashagvas are, therefore, sometimes mentioned together, sometimes separately and sometimes along with the seven sages or vipras. I have also breifly referred to the seven-fold division, which generally obtains not only in the Vedic, but also in other Aryan mytho- logies. But the subject deserves a fuller consideration, and I propose here to collect certain facts bearing upon it, which seem to have hitherto attracted but little attention. All that Yâska and Sâyaṇa tell us about the seven-fold division is that there are seven horses of the sun and seven tongues or flames of Agni, because the rays of the sun are seven in number; and the late Mr. S. P. Pandit goes so far as to assert that the seven rays here referred to may be the prismatic colours with which we are familiar in the Science of optics, or the seven

VEDIC MYTHS—THE MATUTINAL DEITIES. 341 colours of the rainbow. All this appears to be very satis- factory at the first sight, but our complacency is disturbed as soon as we are told that along with the seven rays and horses of the sun, the Ṛig-Veda speaks of ten horses or ten rays of the same luminary. Yâska and Sâyaṇa get over the difficulty either by ignoring or by explaining away, in a tortuous manner, all references to the ten-fold division of this kind. But the places where it is mentioned are too many to allow us to light- ly set aside the ten-fold division, which occurs along with the seven-fold one in the Ṛig-Veda; and we must find out why this double division is recorded in the Ṛig-Veda. But before inquiring into it, we shall collect all the facts and see how far this double division extends in the Vedic literature. We begin with the sun. He is described as seven-horsed (saptâshva) in V, 45, 9, and his chariot is described as seven- wheeled, or yoked with seven horses, or one seven-named horse in I, 164, 3. The seven bay steeds (haritaḥ) are also mentioned as drawing the carriage of the sun in I, 50, 8. But in IX, 63, 9, the sun is said to have yoked ten horses to his carriage; and the wheel of the year-god is said to be carried by ten horses in I, 164, 14. In the Atharva Veda XI, 4 22, the sun's carriage is, however, said to be eight-wheeled (ashṭâ-chakra). Indra is called sapta-rashmi in II, 12, 12, and his chariot is also said to be seven-rayed in VI, 44, 24. But in V, 33, 8, ten white horses are said to bear him; while in VIII, 24, 23, Indra is said to be "the tenth new" (dashamam navam). In the Taittirîya Âraṇyaka III, 11, 1, Indra's self is said to be go- ing about ten-fold (Indrasya âtmânaṁ dashadhâ charantam); and corresponding to it, it may be here noticed, we have in the Bahrâm Yasht, in the Avesta, ten incarnations of Vere- thraghna (Sans. Vṛitrahan) specifically mentioned. Amongst the proteges of Indra we again have one called Dasha-dyu, or one shining ten-fold (I, 33, 14; VI, 26, 4); while Dashoṇi,

342 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. a being with ten arms or helpers, and Dasha-mâya, or a ten- wiled person, are mentioned amongst those whom Indra forc- ed to submit to Dyotana in VI, 20, 8. Dashoṇya and Dasha- shipra are also mentioned to have been by the side of Indra when he drank Soma with Syûmarashmi in VIII, 52, 2. The chariot of Soma and Pûṣhan is described as five- rayed and seven-wheeled in II, 40, 3. But Soma is said to have ten rays (rashmayaḥ) in IX, 97, 23. Agni is described as sapta-rashmi or seven-rayed in I, 146, 1, and his rays are expressly said to be seven in II, 5, 2. His horses are similarly described as seven-tongued in III, 6, 2. But in I, 141, 2, Agni is said to be dasha-pramati, and his ten-secret dwellings are mentioned in X, 51, 3. The adjective navamam or the ninth is also applied to the young- est (navishṭhâya) Agni in V, 27, 3, much in the same way as dashamam is applied to the new (nava) Indra in VIII, 24, 23. Seven dhîtis, prayers or devotions of sacrificial priests, are mentioned in IX, 8, 4. But in I, 144, 5, their number is said to be ten. Foods are said to be seven in III, 4, 7. But in I, 122, 13, the food is described as divided ten-fold. In the Shatapatha Brâhmaṇa I, 8, 1, 34, haviḥ, or sacrificial oblation, is, however, described as made in ten ways. Seven vipras (III, 7, 7,), or seven sacrificers (hotâraḥ) are mentioned in several places (III, 10, 4; IV, 2, 15; X, 63, 7). But in III, 39, 5, the number of the Dashagvas is ex- pressly stated to be ten. Ten sacrificers (hotâraḥ) are also men- tioned in the Taittirîya Brâhmaṇa II, 2, 1, 1, and II, 2, 4, 1. Bṛihaspati, the first-born sacrificer, is described as seven- mouthed or saptâsya in IV, 50, 4, and the same verse occurs in the Atharva Veda (XX, 88, 4). But in the Atharva Veda IV, 6, 1 the first Brâhmaṇa Bṛhaspati is said to be dashâsya, or ten-mouthed, and dasha-shîrsha, or ten-headed. Seven heads of the Brâhmaṇa are not expressly mentioned in the

VEDIC MYTHS—THE MATUTINAL DEITIES. 343 Ṛig-Veda, but in X, 67, 1, “our father,” meaning the father of the Aṅgirases, is said to have acquired seven-headed (sapta- shīrṣhṇī) devotion or intelligence (dhī). Seven divisions of the earth are mentioned in I, 22, 16. But the earths are said to be ten (dashāvanī) in X, 94, 7, (also cf. I, 52, 11). The cows’ stable which the Ashvins opened is said to be saptāsya or seven-mouthed in X, 40, 8. But a ten-fold cows’ stable (dashavraja) is mentioned in VIII, 8, 20; 49, 10; 50, 9. In X, 93, 4, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuṇa, Rudra, Maruts, Pūṣhan and Bhaga are mentioned as seven kings. But ten gold-like (hiraṇyasaṅdṛisha) kings are referred to in VIII, 5, 38, and ten non-sacrificing (ayajyavaḥ) kings are mentioned in VII, 83, 7. The Atharva Veda, XI 8, 10, further tells us that there were only ten ancient gods. These references will make it clear that if the horses of the sun are mentioned as seven in one place, they are said to be ten in another; and so there are seven devotions and ten devo- tions; seven earths and ten earths; seven cowpens and ten cowpens, and so on. This double division may not be equally explicit in all cases; but, on the whole, there can be no doubt that the several objects mentioned in the above passages are conceived as divided in a double manner, once an seven- fold and once as ten-fold. To this double division may be added the three-fold division of the heaven, the earth and the nether world or Nir-ṛiti; and the eleven-fold division of gods in the heaven, the earth and waters mentioned previously. In the Atharva Veda XI, 7, 14, nine earths, nine oceans and nine skies are also mentioned, and the same division again occurs in the Atharvashiras Upanishad, 6. Now it is evident that the theory started by Yâska cannot explain all these different methods of division. We might say that the three-fold division was suggested by the heaven, the earth and the lower world. But how are we to account for all kinds of division from seven to

344 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. eleven? So far as I am aware there is no attempt made to explain the principle of division underlying these different classifications. But now the analogy of the seven priests, the Navagvas and the Dashagvas, suggests to us the probable rea- son of the different methods of division noticed above. The fact that the horses of the sun are once said to be seven and once ten, seems naturally to refer to seven months' and ten months' period of sunshine previously described ; and if so, this helps us in understanding the real meaning of the different divisions. The seven-fold, nine-fold or ten-fold division of things is thus merely a different phase of the division of sacrificers into the seven Hotṛis, the Navagvas and the Dashagvas. Both seem to be the effects of the same cause. The mother-land of the Aryan race in ancient times, lying between the North Pole and the Arctic circle, was probably divided into different zones according to the number of months for which the sun was seen above the horizon in each ; and the facts, that the Navagvas and the Dashagvas are said to be the chief or the most promi- nent of the Aṅgirases, that saptáshva was the principal designation of Sûrya, and that the sons of Aditi who were pre- sented to the gods were only seven in number, further show that in the ancient Arctic home a year of seven, nine, or ten months' sunshine must have been more prevalent than a year of 8 or 11 months. It may, however, be noticed that just as the Aṅgirases are said to be virûpas, Aryaman is described in X, 64, 5, as having a great chariot, and amidst his births of va- rious forms (vishu-rûpeshu) he is said to be a seven-fold sacri- ficer (sapta-hotṛi), showing that though the seven-fold cha- racter of Aryaman was the chief or the principal one, yet there were various other forms of the deity. In X, 27, 15, seven, eight, nine and ten Viras or warriors are said to rise from be- low, behind, in the front, or on the back, or, in other words, all round. This verse is differently interpreted by different scho- lars ; but it seems to me to refer to the seven-fold, eight-fold,

VEDIC MYTHS—THE MATUTINAL DEITIES. · 345 or nine-fold division of the sacrificers, or the Aṅgirases, who are actually described in III, 53, 7, as "the Vîras or warriors of the Asura." It is, therefore, quite probable that the same Vîras are referred to in X, 27, 15. In VIII, 4, 1, Indra is said to be worshipped by people in the front (east), behind (west), up (north), and down (south), meaning that his worshippers were to be found everywhere; and if the adjectives "below, behind &c." in X, 27, 15, be similarly interpreted the verse would mean that the seven-fold, eight-fold, nine-fold, or ten-fold division of sacrificers was to be met with in places all round. In other words, the different places in the Arctic region had each a group of sacrificers of its own, corresponding to the months of sunshine in the place. On no other theory can we account for the different divisions satisfactorily as on the Arctic theory, and in the absence of a better explanation we may, I think, accept the one stated above. The ten Kings and Râvaṇa. It has been noticed above that ten gold-like kings (VIII, 5, 38), and ten non-sacrificing kings (VII, 83, 7), are mentioned in the Ṛig-Veda. But there is an important incident connected with the ten non-sacrificing kings which deserves more than a passing notice in this place. Sudâs, the son of Divodâsa Atithigva, is described as engaged in a fight with the ten non-worshipping (ayajyavaḥ) kings, and is said to have re- ceived help from Indra and Varuṇa (VII, 33, 3-5 ; 83, 6-8). It is known as the Dâśarâjña fight, and Vasiṣhṭha, as the priest of Sudâs, is said to have secured the assistance of Indra for him. On this slender basis some scholars have erected a stately edifice of the fight of the Aryan races with the ten non- Aryan or non-worshipping kings. But it seems to me that the Dâśarâjña fight can be more simply and naturally explained by taking it to be a different version of Indra's fight with the seven Dânus or demons (X, 120, 6). In X, 49, 8, Indra is

346 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. called the seven-slayer (sapta-han) with reference either to the seven Dânus or demons (X, 120, 6,) or to the seven cities of Vṛitra (I, 174, 2), in the seven-bottomed ocean (VIII, 40, 5). Now if Indra is sapta-han on the seven-fold division, he may be easily conceived as dasha-han, or the ten-slayer, on the ten-fold method of division. The word dasha-han does not occur in the Ṛig-Veda, but the fight with the ten kings (ayajyavaḥ dasha râjânaḥ) practically amounts to the same thing. It has been stated above that amongst Indra's enemies we have persons like Dasha-mâya and Dashoṇi, who are obviously connected in some way with the number ten. The ten gold-like kings mentioned above again seem to represent the ten monthly sun-gods, and the fact that they are said to be given to the sacrificers further strengthens this view. One of Indra's proteges is, we further know, described as Dasha-dyu, or shining ten-fold. If all these facts are put together, we are naturally led to the conclusion that like the seven Dânus or demons, the powers of darkness were sometime conceived as ten-fold, and Indra's helping Sudâs in his fight with the ten non-worshipping kings is nothing more than the old story of the annual fight between light and darkness as conceived by the inhabitants of a place where a summer of ten months was followed by a long winter night of two months, or, in other words which formed the land of the Dashagvas. But our interest in this remarkable fight does not come to an end with this explanation. For when we remember the fact that the word king was not confined to the warrior class in the Ṛig-Veda, and that in one place (I, 139, 7) it seems to be actually applied to the Aṅgirases, the expressions ‘ten golden kings’ and ‘ten sacrificers’ or ‘ten-fold Aṅgirases,’ or ‘the ten Dashagvas sacrificing for ten months’ become syn- onymous phrases. Now Bṛihaspati was the chief of the Aṅgi- rases, and as such may naturally be considered to be the repre- sentative of them all; and we have seen that he is represented

VEDIC MYTHS—THE MATUTINAL DEITIES. 347 once as seven-mouthed and seven headed, and once as ten-mouthed and ten-headed (Ṛig. IV, 50, 4; A. V. IV, 6, 1). This Bṛihaspati is connected with the story of Saramâ and Paṇis, and is said to have helped Indra in recovering the cows, or is sometimes des- cribed as having performed the feat himself (I, 83, 4; X, 108, 6-11). Bṛihaspati is also represented in X, 109, as having lost his wife, who was restored to him by the gods. This is obviously the story of the restoration of the dawn to man, as represented by the chief sacrificer Bṛihaspati. In the Taittirîya Âraṇyaka I, 12, 3-4, Indra is described as the lover of Ahalyâ (Ahalyâyai jâraḥ), and the myth has been explained as referring to the dawn and the sun, by an old orthodox scholar like Kumârila. Ahalyâ in the later literature is the wife of the Ṛiṣhi Gotama (lit. rich in cows); but it is not difficult to perceive that the story of Ahalyâ (which Prof. Max Muller derives from ahan, a day), was originally a dawn-story, or a different version of the legend of Brahmajâyâ narrated in X, 109. These facts are very suggestive and call to mind some of the incidents in the story of the Râmâyaṇa. It is quite out- side the scope of this book to fully enter into the question of the historical basis of this well-known Indian epic. We are concerned with Vedic myths and Vedic mythology, and if we refer to the Râmâyaṇa we do so simply to point out such re- semblances as are too striking to be left unnoticed. The main story in the Râmâyaṇa is narrated in such detail that, on the face of it, it bears the stamp of a historic origin. But even then we have to explain why Râma's adversary was conceived as a ten-headed monster or an unnatural being, and why Râ- ma's father was called Dasharatha or ten-carred. A ten-head- ed monster cannot ordinarily be regarded as a historical fact, and it seems not unlikely that some of the incidents of Vedic myths may have been skilfully interwoven with the main story of the epic by its author. We have seen above that

348 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. some of the Indra's enemies are described as Dashoṇi or Dasha- mâya, and that in the Dâsharâjña fight there were ten non-sacrifi- cing or demoniac kings opposed to Sudâs. These ten non-sacrifi- cing kings may well be conceived as a single king with ten heads and spoken of as a ten-headed monster, much in the same way as Bṛihaspati, the chief of the ten Aṅgirases, is said to be ten- headed or ten-mouthed. The fact that the brother of this ten-headed monster slept continuously for six months in a year also indicates his Arctic origin. Prof. Rhys, in his Hibbert Lectures, quotes Plutarch to the effect that the Paphlagonians regarded their gods as shut up in a prison during winter and let loose in summer, and interprets the legend as indicating the temporary ascendancy of the powers of darkness over those of light during the continuous night of the Arctic region. If we adopt this view, we can easily explain how all the gods were said to be thrown into prison by Râvaṇa until they were released by Râma. Another fact in the Râmâyaṇa which is supposed to require explanation is the conception of the monkey-god Hanû- mân. The Ṛig-Veda mentions a monkey (kapi), who, as Vṛishâ- kapi, has been elsewhere shown to represent the sun at the autumnal equinox, or according to the Arctic theory discussed in this book, at the time of going down below the horizon into the long darkness of the nether world. It is Dr. Pischel, who first threw out the hint that this Vṛishâkapi may probably be the ancestor of the Purâṇic Hanûmân; and the fact that Hanûmân was born at a time when the sun we said to be eclipsed goes to corroborate the view to a certain extent. Mr. Nârâyan Aiyangâr, in his Essays on Indo-Aryan mythology, further points out that Sîtâ, the wife of Râma, may be traced to the Ṛig-Vedic Sîtâ, meaning "a ploughed furrow" which is invoked to bestow wealth upon the worshipper in IV, 57, 6 and 7; and so far as the birth of Sîtâ from the earth and her final disappearance into it are concer- ned the explanation appears very probable. It seems, therefore,

VEDIC MYTHS—THE MATUTINAL DEITIES. 349 very likely that the mythical element in the Râmâyaṇa was de- rived from the story of the restoration of the dawn or Brahma- jâya to man as represented by the first sacrificer Bṛihaspati, or the fight of Indra with Vṛitra for the recovery of light. Whether we can go further than this cannot be decided without further research. Prof. Max Muller, in his Lectures on the Science of Language, has shown that many names in the Iliad can be traced back to the Vedas. For instance he derives Helen from Saramâ, Paris from Paṇis, and Briesis from Bṛisaya. But even then all the personages mentioned in the Iliad cannot be ex- plained in this way. One thing, however, seems certain, that the story of the restoration of the Dawn-wife to her husband was an ancient inheritance both with the Greeks and the Indians ; and we need not, therefore, be surprised if we discover a few strik- ing coincidences between the Iliad on the one hand and the Râ- mâyaṇa on the other ; for a common mythical element appears to have been interwoven with the main story, of course with a differ- ent local colouring, in each case. The question whether the Râmâ- yaṇa was copied from Homer is, therefore, entirely meaningless. The fact seems to be that both Homer and Vâlmîki have uti- lised a common mythological stock, and any resemblances be- tween their work only go to prove the theory of their common origin. It has been pointed out by Prof. Weber that in the Buddhistic Dasharatha Jâtaka, Sîtâ is represented as the sister and not as the wife of Râma, and the learned Professor tells us that this must be an ancient version of the story, for a marriage with one's sister must be considered to be as primeval as Adam himself. The late Mr. Telang was of opinion that the Buddhists must have deliberately misrepresented the story of the Brahmanical epic, and such a perversion is not improbable. But on the theory that certain features of the Vedic dawn-myths were probably interwoven with the main historic story of the epic, we may explain the Buddhistic account by

350 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. supposing that it was the out-come of an unsuccessful attempt made in pre-Buddhistic time to identify Râma with Sûrya in the Ṛig-Veda, the latter of whom is described both as the bro- ther and the lover of the Dawn (VII, 75, 5; VI, 55, 4 and 5; X, 3 3 ). I have already stated that the subject is too vast to be treat- ed here at any length. My object was to point out a few resem- blances between the story of the Râmâyaṇa and the Vedic myths as they occurred to me: But the question, howsoever interest- ing, is not relevant to the subject in hand, and I must give up the temptation of going into it more fully in this place. The ques- tion of ten incarnations is also similarly connected with the ten golden kings, or the ten gods mentioned in the Atharva Veda, or the ten incarnations of Verethreghna in the Avesta. The ten incarnations in the Avesta ( Yt. XIV) are, a wind, a bull, a horse, a camel, a boar, a youth, a raven, a ram, a buck and a man; and four of them, viz., a horse. a boar, a youth and a man, seem to correspond with Kalki, Varâha, Vâmana and Râma amongst the ten Avatâras mentioned in the Purâṇic literature. This shows that the conception of the ten Avatâras was, at any rate, Indo-Iranian in origin, and it is no doubt inte- resting to follow it up and trace its development on the Indian soil. The Matsya, the Kûrma, the Varâha, the Nârasimha, the Vâmana and, as we have now seen, the Râma Avatâra can be more or less traced to the Ṛig-Veda. But it would require much patient research to thoroughly investigate these matters, and I cannot do more than to throw out such hints as have occurred to me, and ask the reader to take them for what they are worth. If the Arctic theory is established, it will throw a good deal of new light not only on the Vedic but also on the Purâṇic mythology, and it will then be necessary to revise, in some cases entirely recast, the current expalnations of both. But the work as stated previously cannot be undertaken in a book which is

VEDIC MYTHS—THE MATUTINAL DEITIES. 351 mainly devoted to the examination of evidence in support of the new theory. We have now discussed most of the Vedic legends likely to throw any light on the main point of our inquiry. There are many other incidents, which can be better explained on the Arctic theory than at present. For instance, we can now well understand why Mitra and Varuṇa were originally conceived as two correlated deities; for according to our theory they would represent half-year-long light and darkness in the Paradise of the Aryan race, and Varuṇa can then be very well described as “ embracing the nights, ” ( kshapaḥ pari shasvaje, VIII, 41, 3 ). But we cannot go into all these points in this place. What I have said is, I think, sufficient to convince any one that there are a number of incidents in the Vedic myths, which are inex- plicable on the theory of a diurnal struggle between light and darkness, or the conquest of spring over winter, or of the storm- god over clouds. Thus we have not been able as yet to explain why Vṛitra was killed once a year, why the waters and the light were described as being released simultaneously by killing Vṛitra, or why Indra's fight with Shambara was said to have com- menced on the 40th day of Sharad, or why the fight was said to be conducted in the parāvat regions, why Dirghatamas was described as having grown old in the 10th yuga, why Mârtâṇḍa was cast away as a dead son, why Trita, or the Third, was said to have fallen into a pit, or again why Viṣhṇu's third stride was said to be invisible. We now find that not only all these but many more incidents in the Vedic myths are satisfactorily ac- counted for, and the legends in their turn directly lead us to the Arctic theory. The legends of Indra and Vṛitra, of Saptavadhri, of Aditi and her seven flourishing and one still-born son, of Sûrya's wheel and of Dīrghatamas, are again found to contain express passages which indicate seven or ten months' period of sunshine at the place, where these legends originated;

352 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. and unless we are prepared to say that all these may be accidental coincidences, we cannot, I think, legitimately with- hold our assent to a theory which explains so many facts, and incidents, hitherto ignored, neglected or misunderstood, in an easy, natural and intelligible manner. I do not mean to say that the Arctic theory would entirely dispense with the necessity of the Dawn, the storm or the Vernal theory. All that I contend for is that the Arctic theory explains a number of legendary or traditional facts hitherto hopeles ly given up as inexplicable and that in the interpretation of Vedic myths it furnishes us with a weapon far more powerful and effective than either the Dawn, the Storm or the Vernal theory. In short, from a mythological point of view alone, there is ample ground to recommend it to our acceptance side by side with, and, in some cases, even in substitution of the old theories. In addition to this it has been al- ready shown in previous chapters that the new theory rests on direct and independent statements of facts, contained in the Ṛig- Veda, about the duration and nature of the dawn, days and nights, seasons, months and the year in the home of the ancient fathers of the Vedic Ṛiṣhis; and that the Avestic and Roman traditions fully corroborate our conclusion. We have further seen that the theory is perfectly consistent with the latest results of geological and archæological researches. Shall we then still with- hold our assent to the only theory which explains so many facts, legends, and incidents, in a natural and intelligent way and which throws such a flood of light on the ancient history of the Aryan race, simply because it seems to be rather uncouth at the first sight ? The rules of logic and scientific research will not justify us in doing so, and I fully rely on them for the eventual success or failure of the theory I have endeavoured to prove in these pages.

CHAPTER XI. THE AVESTIC EVIDENCE. Nature of Avestic evidence stated—Different views of scholars regarding its character—Necessity of re-examining the subject —An abstract of the first Fargard of the Vendidad—Sixteen lands created by Ahura Mazda with their modern equivalents &c.—Airyana Vaejo, the first created land represents the Paradise of the Iranians—Different views regarding its position —Darmesteter, Spiegel and others locate it in the east ; Haug and Bunsen in the far north—Darmesteter’s argument examin- ed—Airyana Vaejo cannot be determined from the position of Vanguhi—Identification of Rangha with the Caspian Sea or the westernmost river doubtful—Rangha is probably the same as Rasâ in the Rig-Veda X, 75, 6—Unsoundness of Darmesteter’s reasoning—The position of the Airyana Vaejo must be deter- mined from its special characteristics found in the Avesta— The passage where ten months winter is said to be such a characteristic cited—Ten months winter first introduced into the happy land by Angra Mainyu—Indicates that before the fiend’s invasion there must have been ten months summer and two months winter in the land—Sudden change in the Polar climate fully confirmed by latest geological researches—Two months winter necessarily synchronous with long Arctic night —The tradition about seven months summer and five months winter also refers to the original climate in the Airyana Vaejo —Mentioned in the Bundahish—Not inconsistent with the tradition of ten months summer recorded in the original passage—Both possible in the Arctic regions—Similar state- ments in the Rig-Veda—Coincidence between seven months summer, the legend of Aditi, and the date of Indra’s fight with Shambara, pointed out—Summary of the second Fargard— Yima’s Vara in the Airyana Vaejo—Annual sun-rise and a year-long day therein—Shows that the Airyana Vaejo must be located near the North Pole and not to the east of Iran— The account too graphic to be imaginary or mythical—Re- presents the advent of the Glacial epoch in the land—It is the oldest human testimony to the advent of the Ice-age, 23

354 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. destroying the Arctic home—Special importance of the Aves- tic evidence pointed out—Fully corroborated by scientific evi- dence—Migration from Airyana Vaejo rendered necessary by glaciation—Sixteen lands in the first Fargard therefore repre- sent successive stages of migration to Central Asia—Establi- shes the historical character of the first Fargard—The legend of deluge in the Shatapatha Brâhmaṇa—Probably refers to the same event as the Avestic legends—Other Vedic passages indicating the northern origin of Indian Aryas—Conclusion to be drawn from the Vedic and Avestic evidence combined. IN dealing with the Vedic evidence, both direct and cir- cumstantial, we have by way of comparison quoted or referred to some Avestic legends or myths in the foregoing chapters. But the Avesta contains some important passages directly bearing upon the question of the original Aryan home in the far north, and migrations therefrom to the regions watered by the Oxus, the Jaxartes or the Indus; and it is necessary to discuss these passages in a separate chapter, because they not only confirm and supplement the conclusions we have previ- ously arrived at by the examination of the Vedic evidence, but constitute, what may be called, independent evidence pointing out to the same result. As regards the antiquity of the Aves- ta, it is superfluous to adduce any proofs in this place; for it is admitted by scholars that the Vedas and the Avesta are but two branches of the same parent stream, though the latter may not be as well preserved as the former. To use a Vêdic phrase, the sacred books of the Brâhmans and the Parsis are the twin books of the Aryan race; and they can, therefore, be safely taken to supplement each other whenever it is necessary and possible to do so. This character of the two books is well exhibited with regard to the subject in hand. We have seen that while there are a number of passages in the Vedic litera- ture, which speak of long dawns, continuous darkness, or a sacrificial session of ten months, we have no text or legend which directly refers to the home in the far north or to the

THE AVESTIC EVIDENCE. 355 · cause or causes which forced the ancient Aryans to abandon their primeval home and migrate southwards. But fortunately for us, the Avesta, though not generally as well preserved as the Vedas, contains a passage which supplies the omission in a remarkable way ; and we mean to discuss this passage at -some length in this chapter. The Avestic legends and tradi- tions quoted in the foregoing chapters show that a day and a night of six months each were known to the ancestors of the Iranians, and that the appointed time for the appearance of Tishtrya before the worshipper, after his fight with Apaosha, varied from one to a hundred nights, thus indicating that a long darkness extending over a hundred nights was also known to the forefathers of the worshippers of Mazda. The stoppage of the flow of waters and of the movement of the sun in winter, as described in the Farvardîn Yasht, have also been referred to ; and it is shown that the custom of keeping a dead body in the house for two nights, three nights or a month long in winter, until the floods begin to flow, must be ascribed to the absence of sunlight during the period when the floods as well as light were shut up in the nether world by the de- mons of darkness. All these traditions have their counter- parts in the Vedic literature. But the Avestic tradition re- garding the original home in the far north and its destruction by snow and ice stands by itself, though in the light of the Vedic evidence discussed in the previous chapters, we can now clearly show that it has a historical basis and that it preserves for us a distinct reminiscence, howsoever fragmentary, of the ancient Aryan home. This tradition is contained in the first two Fargards or chapters of the Vendidad, or the law book of the Mazda-yasnians. They have no connection with the subsequent chapters of the book and appear to be incorporat- ed into it simply as a relic of old historical or traditional literature. These two Fargards have not failed to attract the attention of Zend scholars ever since the discovery of the

356 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. Avesta by Anquetil; and many attempts have been made not only to identify the places mentioned therein, but to draw his- torical conclusions therefrom. Thus Heeren, Rhode, Lassen, Pictel, Bunsen, Haug and others have recognized in these ac- counts of the Vendidad, a half historical, half mythical re- miniscence of the primeval home and the countries known to the followers of the Avesta, when these Fargards were composed. Professor Spiegel at first took the same view as Rhode, but has latterly retracted his opinion. On the other hand, Kiepert, Breal, Darmesteter and others have shown that no historical conclusion can be drawn from the description contained in the first two chapters of the Vendidad; and this view seems to be now mainly accepted. But it must be borne in mind that this view was formulated at a time when the Vedic evidence in support of the Arctic theory, set forth in the previous chap- ters, was entirely unkown, and when the existence of an Arctic home in ancient times was not regarded as probable even on geological grounds, man being believed to be post- Glacial and the Arctic regions always unsuited for human habitation. The recent discoveries in Geology and Archæology have, however, thrown a flood of new light on the subject; and if the interpretation of the Vedic traditions noticed in the previous chapters is correct, it will, I think, be readily admitted that a reconsideration of the Avestic tradition from the new standpoint is a necessity and that we should not be deterred from undertaking the task by the recent verdict of Zend scholars against the views of Bunsen and Haug re- garding the historical character of the first two Fargards of the Vendidad. The first Fargard of the Vendidad is devoted to the enu- meration of sixteen lands created by Ahura Mazda, the Su- preme God of the Iranians. As soon as each land was created Angara Mainyu, the evil spirit of the Avesta, created different evils and plagues to invade the land and made it unfit for human

THE AVESTIC EVIDENCE. 357 habitation. There were thus sixteen creations of Ahura Mazda, and sixteen counter-creations of Angra Mainyu; and the first Fargard of the Vendidad contains a description of all these creations, and counter-creations, stating in detail how each good land was created by Ahura Mazda and how Angra Mainyu rendered it unfit for human residence by creating some evil or plague therein. The Fargard is too long to be quoted here in full; and I, therefore, borrow Muir’s abstract of the same prepared from the versions of Spiegel and Haug, inserting in some places Darmesteter’s renderings with the aid of his translation of the Vendidad in the Sacred Books of the East Series. The paragraphs are marked first accord- ing to Darmesteter, and then according to Spiegel by figures within brackets. 1, 2, (1-4):—“Ahura Mazda spake to the holy Zarathus- tra: ‘I formed into an agreeable region that which before was nowhere habitable. Had I not done this, all living things would have poured forth after Airyana Vaêjo.’” 3, 4, (5-9):—“I, Ahura Mazda, created as the first best region, Airyana Vaêjo, of the good creation, (or, accord- ing to Darmesteter, by the good river Dâitya). Then Angra Mainyu, the destroyer, formed in opposition to it, a great ser- pent and winter [or snow], the creation of the Daêvas. There are there ten months of winter, and two of summer.” 5, (13, 14):—“I, Ahura Mazda, created as the second best region, Gaû (plains), in which Sughdha is situated. Thereupon in opposition to it, Angra Mainyu, the death-deal- ing, created a wasp which is death to cattle and fields.” 6, (17, 18):—“I, etc., created as the third best region, Môuru, the mighty, the holy.” [Here, and in most of the following cases the counter- creations of Angra Mainyu are omitted.] 7, (21, 22):—“I, etc., created as the fourth best region, the fortunate Bâkhdhi, with the lofty banner.”

358 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. 8, (25, 26):—" I, etc., created as the fifth best region, Nisaya, [situated between Môuru and Bâkhdhi.].” 9. (29, 30):—" I, ėtc., created as the sixth best region, Harôyu, abounding in the houses [or water].” 10, (33-36):—"I, etc., created as the seventh best region, Vaêkereta where Dujak is situated (or, according to Darmes- teter, of evil shadows). In opposition to it, Angra Mainyu, the destroyer, created the Pairika Khnathaîti, who clung to Keresâspa.” 11, (37, 38):—"I, etc., created as the eighth best region, Urva, full of pastures.” 12, (41, 42):—" I, etc., created as the ninth best region, Khneṇta (a river) in Vehrkâna.” 13, (45, 46):—" I, etc., created as the tenth best region, the fortunate Harahvaiti.” 14, (49, 50):—" I, etc., created as the eleventh best region, Haêtumaṇt, the rich and shining.” 16, (59, 60):—" I, etc., created as the twelfth best region, Ragha, with three fortresses [or races].” 17, (63, 64):—" I, etc., created as the thirteenth best region, Chakhra, the strong.” 18, (67, 68):—" I, etc., created as the fourteenth, best region, Varena, with four corners; to which was born Thraêtaona, who slew Azi Dahâka.” 19, (72, 73):—I, etc., created as the fifteenth best country, Hapta Heṇdu [from the eastern to the western Hendu]. In opposition, Angra Mainyu created untimely evils, and perni- cious heat [or fever].” 20, (76, 77):—" I, etc., created as the sixteenth and best, the people who live without a head on the floods of Rangha (or according to Haug 'on the seashore').” 21, (81):—" There are besides, other countries, fortunate, renowned, lofty, prosperous and splendid.” Spiegel, Haug and other scholars have tried to identify

THE AVESTIC EVIDENCE. 359 the sixteen lands mentioned in this description, and the follow- ing tabular statement sums up the results of the investigations of these scholars in this direction. The letters S, H, and D, stand far Spiegel, Haug and Darmesteter.