The Arctic Home in the Vedas c11.2

c11.2

The legend of the Dashagvas, who completed their sacrifices during ten months, is not the only relic of the ancient year preserved in the sacrificial literature. The Pravargya ceremony, which is described in the Aitareya Brâhmaṇa, (I, 18-22), furnishes us with another instance, where a reference to the old year seems to be clearly indicated. Dr. Haug, in his translation of the Aitareya Brâhmaṇa, has fully described this ceremony in a note to I, 18. It lasts for three days and precedes the animal and the Soma sacrifice, as no one is allowed to take part in the Soma feast without having undergone this ceremony. The whole ceremony symbolises the revival of the sun or the sacrificial ceremony (yajña), which, for the time being, is preserved as seed in order that it may grow again in due time (Ait. Br. I, 18). Thus one of the chief implements used in the ceremony is a peculiar earthen pot called *Gharma* or *Mahâvîra*. Placing it on the Vedic altar the Adhvaryu makes a circle of clay called *khara*, because it is made of earth brought on the back of a donkey to the sacrificial ground. He places the pot on the circle and heats it so as to make it quite hot (*gharma*). It is then lifted by means of two *shaphas* (two wooden pieces), and then milking a cow, the milk is poured into the heated pot and mixed with the milk of a goat whose kid is dead. After this has been done, the contents of the *Mahâvîra* are thrown into the Âhavanîya fire. But all the contents of the pot are not thus thrown away, for the Hotri is described as eating the remainder of the contents of the *Gharma*, which are said to be full of honey, full of sap, full of food and quite hot. The Aitareya Brâhmaṇa (I, 22) gives us a rational of this ceremony as follows, "The milk in the vessel is the seed. This seed (in the shape of milk) is poured in Agni (fire) as the womb of the gods for production, for Agni is the womb of the gods." This explanation proves the symbolic nature of the ceremony, and shows that the sun, the sacrifice or the year is thus preserved as seed for some time, and then revived at the proper season. The Mantra or the verse, which is recited on the occasion of pouring the milk into the *Mahâvîra*, is taken from the Ṛig-Veda VIII, 72 (61), 8, and it is very likely that the verse was selected not simply on account of mere verbal correspondence. The hymn, where this verse occurs, is rather obscure. But the verse itself, as well as the two preceding verses (VIII, 72 (61), 6-7-8), present no verbal difficulty and may be translated as follows:—