Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s18.381

v1.c3.s18.381

According to Zimmer,²³ the Vedic poets conceived the atmosphere to be above the earth in its upper division only, but below it in its lower stratum. The evidence,²⁴ however, for the latter assumption is quite insufficient.²⁵ The theory of the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa²⁶ is that the sun merely reverses its bright side at night, turning its light on the stars and the moon while it retraverses its course to the east; and it has been shown²⁵ that this is probably the doctrine of the Rigveda also.²⁷ See also Sūrya and Candramās. For the Vedic knowledge of the planets, see Graha.