The Arctic Home in the Vedas c11.44

c11.44

The above is only a brief description, a mere out-line, of the scheme of the annual *Sattras* mentioned in sacrificial works, but it is sufficient for our purpose. We can see from it that a civil year of 360 days formed their basis, and the position of the Viṣhuvân was of great importance inasmuch as the ceremonies after it were performed in the reverse order. I have shown elsewhere what important inferences can be drawn from the position of the Viṣhuvân regarding the calendar in use at time when the scheme was settled. But we have now to consider of times which preceded the settlement of this scheme, and for that purpose we must describe another set of Soma sacrifices included under the general class of *Sattras*. It has been stated above that side by side with the *Dvâdashâha*, there are *Ahína* sacrifices of two nights, three nights, etc., up to twelve nights. But these sacrifices do not stop with the twelve nights’ performance. There are thirteen nights’, fourteen nights’, fifteen nights’, and so on upto one hundred nights’ sacrifice called *Trayodasha-râtra*, *Chaturdasha-râtra* and so on upto *Shata-râtra*. But since the *Ahína* has been defined to be a sacrifice extending over not more than twelve or less than thirteen days, all the night-sacrifices extending over a period longer than twelve nights are included in the third class, viz., the *Sattras*. If we, however, disregard this artificial division, it will be found that along with the *Ekâha*, the *Dvâdashâha* and the annual *Sattras*, there is a series of, what are termed, the night-sacrifices or *sattras* extending over a period of time from two to one hundred nights, but not further. These night-sacrifices or *Râtri-sattras* are mentioned in the Taittirîya Saṃhitâ, the Brâhmaṇas and the Shrauta Sûtras in clear terms, and there is no ambiguity about their nature, number, or duration. The Taittirîya Saṃhitâ in describing them often uses the word *Râtriḥ* (nights) in the plural, stating, that so and so was the first to institute or to perceive ‘so many nights’ meaning so many nights’ sacrifice (*vimśatim rātriḥ*, VII, 3, 9, 1; *dvātriṃśatam rātriḥ*, VII, 4, 4. 1). According to the principle of division noted above all night-sacrifices of less than thirteen nights' duration will be called *Ahīna*, while those extending over longer time upto one hundred nights will come under *Sattras*; but this is, as remarked above, evidently an artificial division, and one, who reads carefully the description of these sacrifices, cannot fail to be struck by the fact that we have here a series of night-sacrifices from two to a hundred nights, or if we include the *Ati-rātra* in this series, we have practically a set of hundred nightly Soma sacrifices, though, according to the principle of division adopted, some may fall under the head of *Ahīna* and some under that of *Sattras*.