The Arctic Home in the Vedas c7.2

c7.2

Vedic sacrifices, regulated by the luni-solar calendar —A year of six seasons and twelve months, with an intercalary month in the Taittirîya Samhitâ —The same in the Rig-Veda —Present results of the Vedic mythology —All presuppose a home in the temperate or the tropical zone— But further research still necessary —The special character of the Rig-Veda explained —Polar tests found in the Rig-Veda —Indra supporting the heavens with a pole, and moving them like a wheel —A day and a night of six months, in the form of the half-yearly day and night of the Gods —Found in the Sûrya Sidhânta and older astronomical Samhitâs —Bhâskarâchârya’s error explained —Gods’ day and night mentioned by Manu and referred to by Yâska —The description of Meru or the North Pole in the Mahâbhârata —In the Taittirîya Aranyaka —The passage in the Taittirîya Brâhmana about the year-long day of the Gods —Improbability of explaining it except as founded on the observation of nature —Parallel passage in the Vendidad—Its Polar character clearly established by the context —The Vara of Yima in the Airyana Vaejo —The sun rising and setting there only once a year —The Devayâna and the Pitriyâna in the Rig-Veda —Probably represent the oldest division of the year, like the day and the night of the Gods —The path of Mazda in the Parsi scriptures —Death during Pitriyâna regarded inauspicious— Bâdarâyana’s view —Probable explanation suggested —Death during winter or Pitriyâna in the Parsi scriptures —Probably indicates a period of total darkness —Similar Greek traditions —Norse Twilight of the Gods —The idea of half-yearly day and night of the Gods thus proved to be not only Indo-Iranian, but Indo-Germanic —A sure indication of an original Polar home.