Indian Antiquary Vol 42

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

Page 37

FEBRUARY, 1913.)
THE ADITYAS
33
In verse 4, the Savana year of 360 days is described ; and in verse 5, the three pairs of intercalary months together with the single seventh month are referred to. In verse 7, the cycle of 20 years is described as containing a thousand syllables, 1.c., days. The question about the other half seems to refer to the loss of fifteen days in the eighth intercalary month. In verse 18, the last cycle of five years with 7 intercalary months seems to be described as a special period or great year, each wing or half of which is measured by a thousand days. The yellow Swan is the seventh intercalary month. Now, if we expand the wings by putting 1,000 on each, its duration becomes equal to 2,000 days. In 2,000 days there are
2,000 2,000 X 32_12,800
290, 12h, 45m. - 945 = 189 67 lanations and 22 days, taking a lanation to be equal to 39 days, 12 hours, and 45 minutes 1 It is clear, therefore, that by the expressions' thousand-syllabled chariot,' and 's wing of thougand days' daration,' the poet refers to the last cycle in the greater cycle of 20 years, in as much as that cycle is approximately equal to five lunar years and seven and a hall lunations. It is also to be noted that five lunar years are = 5X 354 = 1,770 days and twenty-times 12 extra days = 20 x 12 = 240 days. Putting these together, we have 1,770 +240 = 2,010 days, which is e rester by 10 days than the duration of 2,000 days, as described in verse 18. We shall see that the same cycle of five years with seven and a half intercalary months is also termed Purusha. man' or Sapta-purusha, 'seven men'. Hence it is probablo that the rising up of the thousand-headed, thousand-eyed, and thousand-legged Purusha by 10 angulas or days above the earth, desoribed in the Purushasúkta, refers to the same cycle of 2,010 days, which was made oqual to 2,000 days. It is probable that the use of angulas to mark days was common practice among the Vodio poeta, as among the Arabians. Regarding the use of fingers by an Arabian prophet to mark days, this is what Albêrûni sayg18:
We are illiterate people, we do not write, nor do we reckon the month thus and thus and thus, each time showing his ten fingers, meaning a complete month or thirty days. Then he the propbet) repeated his words by saying And thus and thus and thus', and at the third time he held back one thumb, moaning an incomplete month or twenty-nine days."
In the following verses of the Atharvavêds (XII, 3, 16; and XIII, 2, 24) the same intercalary months are described as seven sacrifices and seven yellow steeds :
सप्तमेधान्पशवः पर्वगृहन् य एषा क्योतिष्मानुत यहचकर्ष । प्रयस्त्रिंशदेवतास्तान्सचंते स नः स्वर्गमभिनषे लोकम् ॥
सप्त स्वा हरितो वहंति देव सूर्य शोचिष्क विचक्षणम् ।
भयुक्त सप्त गुण्यवः सूरो रथस्य नव्यः ताभियोति स्वयुक्तिभिः ।। «Seven sacrifices the cattle obtained; of which some were full of light, and others were pining; to them the three and thirty attach themselves; do thou conduct us anto the heavenly world."
"Seven yellow steeds, O heavenly san, draw in the chariot thee, the flame-haired, the out-looking: the sun hath yoked the seven neat daughters to the chariot ; with them who are self-yoked. he goeth."
The only point to be considered in this is the number 33. Here, again, the allusion seems to be to the same thousand days by which each wing of the heavenly swan was said to be expanded;
1,000 for 1,000 is equal to 4,000 tof ,000 18 equal to 30 33 months and 10 days.
In the following verge of the Atharvavéda (X, 8, 7 and 13; and XII. 4,22) the poets speaks of the same cycle as one of eight wheels or eight intercalary months
भष्टाचकं वर्तते एकनेमी सहस्राक्षरं प्रपुरी निपश्चा।
अधेन विश्वं भुवनं जजान यदस्याचे कतमः स केनुः॥ “The eight-wheeled (chariot) rolls, having one rim, thousand-syllabled, forth in front, down behind; with a hall it has generated all existence; what its other half is, which sign is that? »
1 But the Vedio estimate of the synodic lunar month, as shown by the Jyotish Vêdanga, was 1880 days diri. ded by 62 lanations = 29 days, 12 hours, 23 2258 ..... Booonds.
11 Chronology of Ancient Nations, P. 78; 1879.