The Arctic Home in the Vedas c10.8

Language: English

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A dawn of thirty days, as we measure days, implies a position so near the North Pole, that the period of sunshine at the place could not have been longer than about seven months, comprising, of course, a long day of four or five months, and a succession of regular days and nights during the remaining period; and we find that the Rig-Veda does preserve for us the memory of such months of sunshine. We refer first to the legend of Aditi, or the seven Âdityas (suns), which is obviously based on some natural phenomenon. This legend expressly tells us that the oldest number of Âdityas or suns was seven, and the same idea is independently found in many other places in the Rig-Veda. Thus in IX, 114, 3, seven Âdityas and seven priests are mentioned together, though the names of the different suns are not given therein. In II, 27, 1, Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Varuṇa, Dakṣa and Amśa are mentioned by name as so many different Âdityas, but the seventh is not named. This omission does not, however, mean much, as the septenary character of the sun is quite patent from the fact that he is called saptâ-shva (seven-horsed) in V, 45, 9, and his ‘seven-wheeled’ chariot is said to be drawn by ‘seven bay steeds’ (I, 50, 8), or by a single horse ‘with seven names’ in I, 164, 2. The Atharva Veda also speaks of “the seven bright rays of the sun” (VII, 107, 1); and the epithet Âditya, as applied to the sun in the Rig-Veda, is rendered more clearly by Aditeḥ putraḥ (Aditi’s son) in A. V. XIII, 2, 9.

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Sâyaṇa, following Yâska, derives this seven-fold character of the sun from his seven rays; but why solar rays were taken to be seven still remains unexplained, unless we hold that the Vedic bards had anticipated the discovery of seven prismatic rays or colours, which were unknown even to Yâska or Sâyaṇa. Again though the existence of seven suns may be explained on this hypothesis, yet it fails to account for the death of the eighth sun; for the legend of Aditi (Rig. X, 72, 2-3) tells us, “Of the eight sons of Aditi, who were born from her body, she approached the gods with seven, and cast out Mârtâṇḍa. With seven sons Aditi approached (the gods) in the former age (pûrvyam yugam); she brought thither Mârtâṇḍa again for birth and death.” 1 The story is discussed in various places in the Vedic literature, and many other attempts, unfortunately all unsatisfactory, have been made to explain it in a rational and intelligent way. Thus in the Taittirîya Saṁhitâ, VI, 5, 6, 1 f., the story of Aditi cooking a Brahmaudana oblation for the gods, the Sâdhyas, is narrated. The remnant of the oblation was given to her by the gods, and four Âdityas were born to her from it. She then cooked a second oblation, and ate it herself first; but the Âditya born from it was an imperfect egg. She cooked a third time and the Âditya Vivasvat, the progenitor of man, was born.

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But the Saṁhitâ does not give the number and names of the eight Âdityas, and this omission is supplied by the Taittirîya Brâhmaṇa (I, 1, 9, 1 f.). The Brâhmaṇa tells us that Aditi cooked the oblation four times, and each time the gods gave her the remnant of the oblation. Four pairs of sons were thus born to her; the first pair was Dhâtṛi and Aryaman, the second Mitra and Varuṇa, the third Aṁsha and Bhaga and the fourth Indra and Vivasvat. But the Brâhmaṇa does not explain why the eighth son was called Mârtâṇḍa, and cast away. The Taittirîya Âraṇyaka, I, 13, 2-3, (cited by Sâyaṇa in his gloss on Rig. II, 27, 1, and X, 72, 8), first quotes the two verses from the Rig-Veda (X, 72, 8 and 9), which give the legend of Aditi but with a slightly different reading for the second line of the second verse. Thus, instead of *tvat punaḥ Mārtaṇḍam ā abharat* (she brought again Mārtaṇḍa thither for birth and death), the *Āraṇyaka* reads *tat parā Mārtaṇḍam ā abharat* (she set aside Mārtaṇḍa for birth and death). The *Āraṇyaka* then proceeds to give the names of the eight sons, as Mitra, Varuṇa, Dhātṛi, Aryaman, Amsha, Bhaga, Indra and Vivasvat. But no further explanation is added, nor are we told which of these eight sons represented Mārtaṇḍa. There is, however, another passage in the *Āraṇyaka* (I, 7, 1--6) which throws some light on the nature of these Ādityas.¹ The names of the suns here given are different.

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They are:— Āroga, Bhrāja, Paṭara, Pataṅga, Svarṇara, Jyotiṣhīmat, Vibhāsa and Kashyapa; the last of which is said to remain constantly at the great mount Meru, permanently illumining that region. The other seven suns are said to derive their light from Kashyapa and to be alone visible to man. We are then told that these seven suns are considered by some Āchāryas to be the seven manifestations of the *Prāṇas*, or the vital powers in man; while others are said to hold the opinion that they are the types of seven officiating priests