Indian Antiquary Vol 41

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

Page 86

82
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[APRIL, 1912.
Diksha and Upasad. There is no reason to doubt that it is these twenty-one days which, a sstated by Agnisvâmin, were inserted in the middle of the year as an alternative for the twelve days inserted by others. We may therefore take it for granted that the statement of the Tandyamahabrahmana, xxv. 18. 1, that "five times fifty periods of 21 days make one thousand years of the Visvasriks," is one which was based upon an actual practice, and was not a mere theoretical problem as has been held by one critic of my views,1
Besides the period of 1000 years, the Tandyamahdhirahmana mentions three minor periods, naming the priestly astronomers who observed them. Prajapati seems to have been the first to observe for verification three cyclic years with twenty-one intercalary days in the course of twelve solar years. The passage in which this is mentioned, xxv. 6. 1. 2, runs as follows:
त्रयस्त्रिवृतस्संवत्सरास्त्रयः पंचदशाः त्रयस्सप्तस्थालय एकविंशाः प्रजापतेर्द्वादशसंवत्सरम् । एतेन वै प्रजापतिसर्वस्व प्रसवमगच्छत्सर्वस्य प्रसवं गच्छति व एतदुपयति ।
"Three sets of nine, three sets of fifteen, three sets of seventeen, three sets of twenty-one, made up the period of twelve years for Prajapati. With this (observation), Prajapati attained the means of producing all (the years). Those who follow this procedure will have the means of producing all (the years)."
Likewise, the period of 36 years which the school of the Sakty as are stated to have observed is thus described in the same work, xxv. 7. 1.
नव त्रिवृतस्संवत्सरा नव पंचदशा नव सप्तधा नवैकविंशादशाकयानां पत्रिंशत्संवत्सरम् |
"Nine sets of nine, nine sets of fifteen, nine sets of seventeen, nine sets of twenty-one, made up thirty-six years for the Sâkty as :
Likewise, a third minor period of a hundred years of the Sådhyas is thus described in the same work, xxv. 8. 1. 2 :
afraftforgedaan: defeat: dagur: iuftafacançar: d'afrafatsstaregzatai quáवत्सरम् | साध्या वै नाम हेवेभ्यो देवाः पूत्र भासन् त एतत्सत्रावणमुपावन् तेनानुवन्. ते सगवस्सपुरुषास्सर्व एव सह स्वर्ग लोकमान. एवं वाय से सह स्वर्गलोकं वंति व एतचुपयांत.
"Twenty-five sets of nine, twenty-five sets of fifteen, twenty-five sets of seventeen, twenty-five Bets of twenty-one, made up the one hundred years of the Sadhyas. The Sâdhyas were gods earlier than other gods; they observed this session of one hundred years; they prospered thereby; and they all attained the heavenly world with their cows and men. Verily do those who observe likewise reach the heavenly world.
So far as numerical riddles are concerned, there is no difference between the above three passages and the one in which the period of a thousand years of the Visvasṛiks has been described in the Tandyamahabrahmana. Hence the above three passages may be interpreted in the same way as I have explained the last passage in my Vedic Era. Three, nine, or twenty-five sets of nine periods of five days each or of forty-five days, which form the difference between four lunar and solar years, are equivalent to 12, 86, or 100 solar years respectively. Similarly, three, nine, or twenty-five sets of such 15 days as remain after we deduct a month from 45 days in every cycle of four luni-solar years, are equivalent to 12, 86, or 100 years respectively. Likewise, three, nine, or twenty-five sets of 17 days which form the difference between four of Jupiter's years and four solar years, are equivalent to 12, 86, or 100 years respectively.42 Since twenty-one days form the difference between four Savana years and four solar years, three, nine, or twenty-five times twenty-one days are equivalent to 12, 36, or 100 solar years respectively43.
41 J. B. A. S., 1909, p. 478.
42 It is practically, impossible that there can have been any Jupiter's years in Vedio times. Much better omit this, which seems quite superfluous. If there were any Jupiter's years then, they would be the beliacal-rising years, each of 399 days.-Dr. Fleet.
These cyclic periods are also mentioned in almost all the Srauta-Sutras; see, Sankhayana, xiii, 28. 5-8.