Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c30.71

c30.71

⁴ The term ‘the five peoples’ often used in Rigv and other Vedic literature has received three explanations; (1) the five tribes descended from Yayāti; (2) the five families of the Pañcālas; and (3) all people: *Vedic Index* i, p. 466. This last is possible, for in the present day ‘five’ is used to convey general comprehensiveness, thus *pāñc jan* often means ‘everybody’. It is hardly necessary that the term should have the same meaning everywhere, and it may be suggested that all three are possible. It may have the first meaning in Rigv i, 7, 9; vi, 14, 4; 46, 7; ix, 65, 23 and x, 45, 6, for these hymns are attributed to rishis who lived before the Pañcālas existed. It may have the second meaning in iii, 53, 16 and iv, 38, 10; and possibly in viii, 9, 2; 32, 22 and x, 60, 4; but not probably in i, 176, 3 or ix, 92, 3. As regards other passages in Rigv there appear to be no chronological indications.