The Arctic Home in the Vedas c11.11

c11.11

There are many annual Sattras like Âdityânâm-ayanam, Aṅgirasâm-ayanam, Gavâm-ayanam, &c. mentioned in the Brâhmaṇas and the Shrauta Sûtras; and, as observed by Dr. Haug, they seem to have been originally established in imitation of the sun's yearly course. They are the oldest of the Vedic sacrifices, and their duraion and other details have been all very minutely and carefully noted down in the sacrificial works. All these annual Sattras are not, however, esentially different from each other, being so many different varieties or modifications, according to circumstances, of a common model or type, and the Gavâm-ayanam is said to be this type, (vide, com. on Âshv. S. S. 11, 7, 1). Thus in the Aitareya Brâhmaṇa (IV, 17) we are told that "They hold the Gavâm-ayanam, that is, the sacrificial session called 'the Cows' walk.' The cows are the Âdityas (gods of the months). By holding the session called the Cows' walk they also hold the Adityânâm-ayanam (the walk of the Âdityas)."¹ If we, therefore, ascertain the duration of the Gavâm-ayanam, the same rule would apply to all other annual Sattras, and we need not examine the latter separately. This Gavâm-ayanam, or the Cows' walk, is fully described in three places. Once in the Aitareya Brâhmaṇa and twice in the Taittirîya Samhitâ. We begin with the Aitareya Brâhmaṇa (IV, 17), which describes the origin and duration of the Sattra as follows:—