Indian Antiquary Vol 41

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 33

FEBRUARY, 1912.)
THE VEDIC CALENDAR
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the subject of a long and mystic description, and which are even now recited on the occasions of marriages performed as a rule after the winter solstice and before the summer solstice. The recognition of the dawn first by Sôma, the moon, next by Gandharva, one of the 27 nakshatras, then by Agni, and lastly by men, seems to signify the association of the dawn first with the synodic lunar year of 354 days, next with the sidereal lunar year of 351 days containing 13 months each of 27 days corresponding to the 27 nakshatras or Gandharvas, then with the Savana year of 860 days, dedicated to the sacrificial fire-god from whom the dawn or the twenty-first day, based upon the difference between the Savana year and the Julian solar year of 3654 days, is believed to have come under the protection or observance of men. The fact of making the dawn the object of praise in the Chatushtômas or four sets of Sâma-chants seems to render probable the above explanation of the two obscure verses of the marringo-hymn. The five mornings which are said to precede the brilliant dawn in Verso 11 seem to be five days added after the end of the Savana year. As regards the destruction of enemies and Asuras by Indra, we shall presently see that they are not real enemies or Asuras, but intercalary days regarded as such.
Thus, while the Yajurvéda connects the mornings and the mystic cows with the Chatushtômas, thereby implying the final number of intercalary days to be twenty-one, their number is distinctly stated as three times seven in the Sama-vêda.
तेऽमन्वत प्रथमं नाम गोनाम् बिस्सप्त परमं नाम जानन । ताजानतीरभ्यनूषत क्षाः
आविर्भुवन्नरुणीर्यशसा गावः ॥ "First they (the sages) came to know the sacred name of the cows ; they came to know the sacred names to be three times seven; knowing them, they extolled the morning (kshah):
then the red cows became famous.” There are two moro verses which express the same idea:
भयं पुनान उषसो अरोचयत् अयं सिंधुभ्यो भभवतु लोककृत् । भयं बिस्सप्त दुहान आशिरम्
TATE TO THT | Sâma, ii, 1, 17, 3. बिरस्मै सप्त धेनवो दुहिरे सत्यामाशिरं परमे व्योमन् । चत्वार्यन्या भुवनानि निर्णिजे
176.10 TATII Sâma, vi, 2, 2, 7. "He, being parified, bath made the morning shine ; and it is he who gave the rivers room to flow; making the three times seven pour out the milky stream, Sóma, the cheerer, yields whatever the heart finds sweet."
"The three times seven milch.kine in the loftiest heaven have for this Soma poured the genuine milky draught; four other beauteous worlds hath he made for his adornment when he
waxed in strength through holy rites." Vajasanevasathhita 18, 40; and also Taittiriya I, 7. 7. R.V.2, 85, 40-41; A. V. xiv. 2, 3, 4.