The Arctic Home in the Vedas c3: Contents

The Arctic Home in the Vedas c3

Language: English

c3.1

An abstract of the first Fargard of the Vendidad —Sixteen lands created by Ahura Mazda with their modern equivalents &c. — Airyana Vaejo, the first created land represents the Paradise of the Iranians —Different views regarding its position —Darmesteter, Spiegel and others locate it in the east; Haug and Bunsen in the far north—Darmesteter’s argument examined—Airyana Vaejo cannot be determined from the position of Vanguhi —Identification of Rangha with the Caspian Sea or the westernmost river doubtful—Rangha is probably the same as Rasâ in the Rig-Veda, X, 75, 6 —Unsoundness of Darmesteter’s reasoning —The position of the Airyana Vaejo must be determined from its special characteristics found in the Avesta —The passage where ten months’ winter is said to be such a characteristic cited —Ten months’ winter first introduced into the happy land by Angra Mainyu—Indicates that before the fiend’s invasion there must have been ten months summer and two months winter in the land —Sudden change in the Polar climate fully confirmed by latest geological researches —Two months winter necessarily synchronous with long Arctic night —The tradition about seven months summer and five months winter also refers to the original climate in the Airyana Vaejo —Mentioned in the Bundahish —Not inconsistent with the tradition of ten months summer recorded in the original passage —Both possible in the Arctic regions —Similar statements in the Rig-Veda —Coincidence between seven months summer, the legend of Aditi, and the date of Indra’s fight with Shambara, pointed out —Summary of the second Fargard —Yima’s Vara in the Airyana Vaejo —Annual sunrise and a year-long day therein —Shows that the Airyana Vaejo must be located near the North Pole and not to the east of Iran —The account too graphic to be imaginary or mythical —Represents the advent of the Glacial epoch in the land--It is the oldest human testimony to the advent of the Ice-age, destroying the Arctic home —Special importance of the Avestic evidence pointed out —Fully corroborated by scientific evidence—Migration from Airyana Vaejo rendered necessary by glaciation —Sixteen lands in the first Fargard therefore represent successive stages of migration to Central Asia —Establishes the historical character of the first Fargard —The legend of deluge in the Shatapatha Brâhmaṇa —Probably refers to the same event as the Avestic legends —Other Vedic passages indicating the northern origin of Indian Aryas —Conclusion to be drawn from the Vedic and Avestic evidence combined. . . . . . . 335

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CHAPTER XIII.

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THE BEARING OF OUR RESULTS ON THE HISTORY OF PRIMITIVE ARYAN CULTURE AND RELIGION.

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Proofs of the theory of the Arctic home summed up —They clearly indicate a Polar home, but the exact spot in the Arctic regions, that is, north of Europe or Asia, still undeterminable —An Arctic home possible only in inter-Glacial times according to geology —Ancient Vedic chronology and calendar examined —The interval between the commencement of the Post-Glacial era and the Orion period cannot, according to it, be so great as 8,000 years —Supported by the moderate estimate of the American geologists —Purâṇic chronology of yugas, manvantaras and kalpas —Raṅgâchârya’s and Aiyer’s views thereon —Later Purâṇic system evolved out of an original cycle of four yugas of 10,000 years, since the last deluge —The theory of ‘divine years’ unknown to Manu and Vyâsa —Adopted by later writers who could not believe that they lived in the Krita age —The original tradition of 10,000 years since the last deluge fully in accord with Vedic chronology —And also with the American estimate of 8,000 B. C. for the beginning of the Post-Glacial period —All prove the existence of a Polar Aryan home before 8,000 B. C. —Trustworthiness of the ancient traditions and the method of preserving them —The theory of the Polar origin of the whole human race not inconsistent with the theory of the Arctic Aryan home —Current views regarding primitive Aryan culture and religion examined —Primitive Aryan man and his civilisation cannot now be treated as post-Glacial —Certain destruction of the primeval civilization and culture by the Ice Age —Shortcomings or defects in the civilisation of the Neolithic Aryan races in Europe must, therefore, be ascribed to a post-diluvian relapse into barbarism —Life and calendar in the inter-Glacial Arctic home —*Devayâna* and *Pitṛiyâna* and the deities worshipped during the period —The ancient sacrifices of the Aryan race —The degree of civilisation reached by the undivided Aryans in their Arctic home —The results of Comparative Philology stated —The civilisation disclosed by them must be taken to be the minimum or the lowest, that can be predicated of the undivided Aryans—The culture of the undivided Aryans higher than the culture of the Stone or the Metal age —Use of metal coins among them highly probable —Beginnings of the Aryan language or the differentiation of human races according to colour or language still untraceable —The origin of Aryan man and religion lost in geological antiquity —Theological views regarding the origin and character of the Vedas summarised —Differently supported by writers on the different schools of philosophy —Patañjali’s and Vyâsa’s view that the Vedas were lost in the last deluge and repromulgated in *substance*, if not in *form*, at the beginning of the new age —The four periods into which the Post-Glacial era may be divided on astronomical grounds —Compared with the characteristics of the four yugas given in the Aitareya Brâhmaṇa —Theological and historical views regarding the origin &c., of the Vedas stated in parallel columns and compared —Vedic texts, showing that the subject matter of the hymns is ancient though the language may be new, cited —Vedic deities and their exploits all said to be ancient —Improbability of Dr. Muir’s suggested reconciliation —Vedas, or rather Vedic religion, shown to be inter-Glacial in *substance* though post-Glacial in *form* —Concluding remarks. 414

c3.5

Index of Vedic and Avestic Passages.