Vedic Mythology c4.7

c4.7

The RV. makes no reference to the supposed distance between heaven and earth, except in such vague phrases as that not even the birds can soar to the abode of Viṣṇu (1, 155⁵). But the AV. (10, 8¹⁸) says that 'the two wings of the yellow bird (the sun) flying to heaven are 1000 days' journey apart'. A similar notion is found in the AB., where it is remarked (2, 17⁸) that '1000 days' journey for a horse the heavenly world is distant from here'. Another Brāhmaṇa states that the heavenly world is as far from this world as 1000 cows standing on each other (PB. 16, 8⁶; 21, 1⁹).