History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.110

v6.c82.110

⁷¹⁸ Vide Prof. Renou's article on 'Vedic ṛtus' in 'Indian Culture,' vol 15 pp. 21-26, where he endeavours to establish that ṛtu in the Ṛgveda has no restricted sense but means simply time or suitable time for sacrifice or sometimes 'rule or usage', and that 'ṛtunā' or 'ṛtubhiḥ' in the Ṛg means 'according to the division or distribution.' I demur to this conclusion. In some passages the meaning of ṛtu would have to be 'season', for example in Ṛg I 49.3 'O fair Uṣas!' winged birds, two-footed (beings) and four-footed (animals) go forth according the several seasons from the ends of the sky for thee (to meet thee)' (वयश्चित्ते पतत्रिणो द्विपच्चतुष्पदर्जुनि। व्यः प्रायुन्त्दूरुष दिवोऽ अन्तेभ्यस्परि॥). Similarly, in Ṛg I 95. 3 'ऋतून' would have no connection with distribution or division.