The Arctic Home in the Vedas c10.44.4

c10.44.4

all worlds are dependent on him."[1] Comparing this with the 11th verse first quoted, it may be easily seen that *purīṣiṇam* (full of watery vapours) and *rajasā āvṛitam* (covered with *rajas*) are almost synonymous phrases, and the only inference we can draw from them is that the five-footed year-god or the sun went to dwell in watery vapours *i. e.* became invisible, or covered with darkness (*rajas*), for some time in the farther part of the heaven. The expression that "The ten, yoked, draw his carriage," (also cf. Ṛig. IX, 63, 9) further shows that the five seasons were not made by combining any two consecutive seasons out of six as explained in the Brāhmaṇas (for in that case the number of horses could not be called ten), but that a real year of five seasons or ten months was here intended. When the number of seasons became increased to six, the year-god ceased to be *purīṣin* (full of waters), and became *vichakṣaṇam* or far-seeing. We have seen that the sun, as represented by Dīrghatamas, grew old in the tenth month, and riding on aerial waters went into the ocean. The same idea is expressed in the present verse which describes two different views about the nature of the year, one of five, and the other of six seasons, and contrasts their leading features with each other.