Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s18.433

v1.c3.s18.433

Diś, ‘direction,’ is a word very frequently used in the Rigveda and later¹ to denote a quarter of the sky. As a general rule, four quarters are mentioned—east, south, west, north.² But the number of the ‘directions’ is sometimes increased up to ten by the addition to these four of various others. The five points include the zenith (ūrdhvā);³ the six, the zenith and the nadir (ūrdhvā and avācī);⁴ the seven, the zenith, the ground on which one stands (dhruvā), and the air (antarikṣa) between these two (vyadhvā);⁵ the eight include the intermediate quarters (S.E., S.W., N.E., N.W.);⁶ the nine add to these the zenith;⁷ the ten, zenith and nadir.⁸ The number five is sometimes made up by the ground beneath the observer's feet (*dhruvā*),⁹ and the number six by that point (*dhruvā*) and the zenith (*ūrdhva*);¹⁰ the ‘lofty’ (*bṛhatī*)¹¹ sometimes taking the place of the ‘vertical’ (*ūrdhva*).