The Orion, or Researches into the Antiquity of the Vedas c8.3

c8.3

THE passage from the Taittirîya Samhitâ quoted in the last chapter states that the Chitrâ and Phâlgunî full-moons were the beginnings of the year, which then commenced with the winter solstice in the month of Mâgha. The words used in the original are *Chitrâ-pūrṇa-māsa* and *Phalgunî pūrṇa-māsa* and these must be understood to denote, not the Chaitra and the Phâlguna months, whether sidereal and synodical, as Prof. Weber seems to have, in one case, supposed, but the full-moon days in each of these months. This is evident from the fact that these have been recommended as alternative times for the commencement of the *satra* in opposition to the Ekâshtakâ day. In the case of the *Phalguni-pūrṇa-māsa* we are further told that Vishuvân counted from that time falls during the rainy season, and it is impossible to suppose that Viṣhûvân can be counted from a month. The whole context, therefore, shows that it is a discussion as to the particular day best suited to commence the yearly sacrifice, and that Chitrâ-pûrṇa-mâsa and Phalguni-pûrṇa-mâsa must mean the days when the moon is full near the asterisms of Chitrâ and Phalguni. In the Tâṇḍya Brâhmaṇa* Phalguni-pûrṇa-mâsa is rendered by Phalguni and Jaimini has paraphrased Chitrâ-pûrṇa-mâsa by Chaitri and Phalguni and Chaitri, according to Pâṇini (iv. 2. 3), are the names of days These interpretations have been accepted by all the Mimânsakas including Sâyaṇa, and we may do the same especially as there are several passages in the Taittirîya Saṃhitâ where pûrṇa-mâsa is used in a similar sense.†