Indian Antiquary Vol 24

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 93

APRIL, 1895.)
THE ANTIQUITY OF VEDIC CIVILIZATION.
89
The impression which the coupling of the two alternative beginnings thus leaves on our mind is that the original intention and practice of the Kaushitakins was to begin their yearsacrifice on the day of the winter solstice, thus following the sun in its upward course with the first six sacrificial months, and again in its downward course with the latter six months. But gradually the sacrifice, as it happens in such cases, became more and more formal; the old beginning was no longer insisted upon, and a new one, more convenient in several respects, was substituted. But there is nothing to indicate that the two beginnings allowed are connected with beginnings of the civil year recognised at different periods. Some sacrificers preferred the solstitial beginining, some the vernal one; that is all. It may be added (which point has likewise been referred to by Prof. Weber already) that the corresponding Srauta-Sátra, the one by Saikhâyana, mentions only the solstitial term which thus seems to have finally prevail. ed in the practice of the Kaushitakins.
The passage quoted from the Kaushitaki-Brahmana, however, has a further importance, in so far as containing a definite statement concerning the relation of the lunar calendar of the time to the solar year. It says that the winter-solstice coincides with the new moon of Magha, i.e., as we have explained above, with the new moon preceding full moon in Maghâs. We here are on well-known ground; for that the winter-solstice takes place at the beginning of the white half of Magha (or the end of the amavasya of Pausha) is the well known doctrine, so often discussed, of the Jyotisha Védánga. . From this there immediately follows that the winter-solstice itself is in Sravishthâs, etc., etc.: in fact the whole system of the Jyotisha Védánga. And we thus must finally conclude that the Kaushitaki-Brahmana itself - onless it be assumed to record observations made at an earlier time - belongs to the period when the winter-solstice was supposed to be in Sravishthis.
Flaving thus seen that the data which the Kaushitaki-Brahmana supplies concerning the beginning of the gavam-ayana do in no way lead us back into very ancient time, we now return to s consideration of the Taittiriya and Tandys texts. The question bere naturally presents itself whether those texts cannot be interpreted in a somewhat analogous way, so as to enable us to connect them with one and the same period, not very distant from the period of the Kaushitaki-Bráhmana. Cannot, we ask, the alternative dates given by the Taittir.ya and Tándya be accounted for by the assumption that at one and the same time the gavín-ayana was optionally began at different periods of the year, for reasons safficiently valid to explain such difference ?
We here begin by enquiring what may be the meaning of the assertion that the full moon in Phaigunt is the mouth, i o., beginning of the year. This statement, or the closely related one that the (month) Phålguna is the mouth of the year' occurs in numerous other places of the Brákmaņas, also in the Tándya Brákmaņa, and must therefore be held to represent an opinion generally prevailing in what we may call the Brákmaña-period. Where then has this beginning of the year to be placed ? Either, we feel naturally inclined to reply, at one of the solstices or at one of the equinoxes. Now that the solstices were, in India, looked upon as marking the beginning of the year we know positively from the Jyotisha Voddaga and similar works (not to speak of the whole later literature), and also from the Kaushitaki passage discussed above; for that the year-sacrifice is made to begin with the winter solstice implies the view that the winter solstice is viewed as the beginning of the natural or civil year. Moreover the Vedas contain namerons references to the northern and southern progress of the sun, and it, therefore, is antecedently probable that the solstices should have formed starting points for the civil year. lo so far Tilak's and Jacobi's view of the Phalgunl-fullmoon once having marked for the Indians the winter solstice is not unlikely. On the other hand it is not antecedently probable that the passages about the gapán-ayana in the two Brahmanas should contain an agglomerate of rules that had originated at periods widely remote from each other, and we, moreover, have