Book of Indian Eras, with Tables for Calculating Indian Dates c5.2

c5.2

The most ancient year probably consisted of 360 days, which approximated roughly to twelve revolutions of the moon and one of the sun. In one of the hymns of the Rig Veda the sun's annual course through the heavens is described as his *twelve-spoked wheel*.* The 360 days, with as many nights, are called his 720 children. In another part of the same hymn the sun's annual course is somewhat differently described: "The felloes are 12, the wheel is 1, 3 are the axles: within it are collected 360 spokes."† Here the spokes represent the number of days; the axles are the three seasons of Heat, Rain, and Cold; and the 12 felloes are the 12 months.