History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c95.202.3

v7.c95.202.3

12) 'some call him the father with five feet (the five seasons) and with twelve forms (twelve months), the giver of rain in the highest of heaven; others again say that the sage is placed in the lower half, in the chariot with seven wheels (horses or rays of sun) and six spokes'". This verse of the Ṛgveda is probably quoted here in support of the conception of the two paths symbolically represented as two parts of the year, as the Ṛg. verse (first half) appears to refer to the Sun, placed in highest half of heaven and as the second half seems to refer to a lower (*upare*) half of heaven with six spokes (i. e. the six months of Dakṣiṇāyana). Deussen (Ph. Up. p. 338) is positive that Ṛg. I. 164. 12 has nothing to do with with the subject (of the two paths). But what is there to prevent an ancient sage of the Upaniṣadic times from holding that the verse in its two halves refers (figuratively or symbolically) to two paths, particularly when even in the Ṛgveda times paths called Devayāna and Pitṛyāna were well-known as shown below? It should be noted that in the preceding verse (I. 164. 11) the wheel of ṛta (the year or the sun) is Dvādaśāra (with twelve spokes, viz. months) and therefore when saḍare (with six spokes) is mentioned in I. 164. 12 a period of six months could well have been intended or could very well be got by interpretation.