The Arctic Home in the Vedas c10.2

c10.2

Evidence of rejected calendar generally preserved in sacrificial rites by conservative priests —Varying number of the months of sunshine in the Arctic region —Its effect on sacrificial sessions considered —Seven-fold character of the sun in the Vedas —The legend of Aditi —She presents her seven sons to the gods and casts away the eighth —Various explanations of the legend in the Brâhmanas and the Taittirîya A'ranyaka —Twelve suns understood to be the twelve month-gods in later literature —By analogy seven suns must have once indicated seven months of sunshine —Different suns were believed to be necessary to produce different seasons —Aditi's legend belongs to the former age, or pûrvyam yugam —Evidence from sacrificial literature —The families of sacrificers in primeval times —Called 'our ancient fathers' in the Rig-Veda —Atharvan and Angiras traced to Indo-European period —Navagvas and Dashagvas, the principal species of the Angirases —Helped Indra in his fight with Vala —They finished their sacrificial session in ten months —The sun dwelling in darkness —Ten months' sacrifices indicate only ten months of sunshine, followed by the long night —Etymology of Navagva and Dashagva —According to Sâyana the words denote persons sacrificing for nine or ten months —Prof. Lignana's explanation improbable —The adjective Virûpas applied to the Angirases —Indicates other varieties of these sacrificers —Saptagu, or seven Hotris or Vipras —Legend of Dîrghatamas —As narrated in the Mahâbhârata —A protege of Ashvins in the Rig-Veda —Growing old in the tenth yuga —Meaning of yuga discussed —Mânushâ yugâ means 'human ages,' and not always 'human tribes' in the Rig-Veda —Two passages in proof thereof —Interpretations of Western scholars examined and rejected —Mânushâ yugâ denoted months after the long dawn and before the long night —Dîrghatamas represents the sun setting in the tenth month —Mânushâ yugâ and continuous nights —The five seasons in ancient times —A Rig-Veda passage bearing on it discussed —The year of five seasons described as residing in waters —Indicates darkness of the long night —Not made up by combining any two consecutive seasons out of six —The explanation in the Brâhmanas improbable —Summary.