The Arctic Home in the Vedas c11.1

c11.1

The Pravargya ceremony —Symbolises the revival of the yearly sacrifice —Milk representing seed heated in *Gharma* or *Mahâvîra* —Mantras used on the occasion of pouring milk into it —The two creating the five, and the ten of Vivasvat —Indicate the death of the year after five seasons or ten months —The tradition about the sun falling beyond the sky —Annual *Sattras* —Their type, the *Gavâm-ayanam* or the Cows' walk —Lasted for 10 or 12 months according to the Aitareya Brâhmana —Two passages from the Taittirîya Samhitâ describing the *Gavâm-ayanam* —Mention 10 months' duration of the *Sattra*, but give no reason except that it was an ancient practice —Plainly indicates an ancient sacrificial year of ten months —Comparison with the old Roman year of ten months or 304 days —How the rest of 360 days were disposed of by the Romans not yet known —They represented a long period of darkness according to the legend of the Dashagvas —Thus leading to the Arctic theory —Prof. Max Muller on the threefold nature of cows in the Vedas —Cows as animals, rain and dawns or days in the Rig-Veda —Ten months' Cows' walk thus means the ten months' duration of ordinary days and nights —350 oxen of Helios —Implies a night of ten days —The stealing of Apollon's oxen by Hermes —Cows stolen by Vritra in the Vedas —Represent the stealing of day-cows thereby causing the long night —Further sacrificial evidence from the Vedas —Classification of the Soma-sacrifices —Difference between *Ekâha* and *Ahîna* —A hundred nightly sacrifices —Annual *Sattras* like the *Gavâm-ayanam* —Model out-line or scheme of ceremonies therein —Other modifications of the same —All at present based upon a civil year —But lasted for ten months in ancient times —Night-sacrifices now included amongst day-sacrifices —The reason why the former extend only over 100 nights is yet unexplained —Appropriately accounted for on the Arctic theory —Soma juice extracted at night in the *Atirâtra*, or the trans-nocturnal sacrifice even now —The analogy applied to other night-sacrifices—*Râtri Sattras* were the sacrifices of the long night in ancient times —Their object —Soma libations exclusively offered to Indra to help him in his fight against Vala —*Shata-râtra* represented the maximum duration of the long night —Corroborated by Aditi's legend of seven months' sunshine —Explains why Indra was called *Shata-kratu* in the Purâṇas —The epithet misunderstood by Western scholars —Similarity between Soma and Ashvamedha sacrifices —The epithet *Shata-kratu*, unlike other epithets, never paraphrased in the Vedas —Implies that it was peculiar or proper to Indra —Dr. Haug's view that *kratu* means a sacrifice in the Vedas —Hundred forts or *puraḥ* (cities) of Vritra —Explained as hundred seats of darkness or nights —Legend of Tishtrya's fight with Apaosha in the Avesta —Only a reproduction of Indra's fight with Vritra —Tishtrya's fight described as lasting from one to a hundred nights in the Avesta —Forms an independent corroboration of hundred nightly Soma sacrifices —The phrase *sato-karahe* found in the Avesta —The meaning and nature of *Ati-râtra* discussed —Means a trans-nocturnal Soma sacrifice at either end of the long night —Production of the cycle of day and night therefrom —Hence a fitting introduction to the annual *Sattras* —Marked the close of the long night and the beginning of the period of sunshine —*Sattra*, *Ati-râtra*, night-sacrifices and *Ati-râtra* again thus formed the yearly round of sacrifices in ancient times —Clearly indicate the existence of a long darkness of 100 nights in the ancient year —Ancient sacrificial system thus corresponded with the ancient year —Adaptation of both to the new home effected by the Brâhmaṇas, like Numa's reform in the old Roman Calender —The importance of the results of sacrificial evidence.