Indian Antiquary Vol 42

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

Page 38

34
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[FEBRUARY, 1913.
.
In the following passage of the Atharvarêda (IX, 10, 17) the poet counts the intercalary months neither as eight nor As geven, but exactly as seven and a half and calls them embryos:
ससार्धगभभुवनरब रेतःविप्लोस्तिष्टंदिप्रविद्या विधर्मणि।
से धीतिभिर्मनसा विपश्चितः परिमुवः परिभवंति विश्वतः ॥ "Seven and a hall, embryos, the sebd of existence, stand in front in Vishpu's distribution; they, by thoughts, by mind, thoy, inspired, surround on all sides the surrounders,"
In the following vordes of the Atharvaveda (X, 3, 8-10), the poet mentions the thirteenth month, and refers to the seven interoslary months as seven eagles and seven suns, making Kaiyapa the head of them :
अहोरात्रैविमितं शिरंग पयोद मासं बो निमिमीते । तस्व देवस्यकुद्धस्थ एतदागः............॥ कृष्णं नियानं हरवस्सुपर्णा भपो वसाना दिवमुत्पतति । तभाववृषन्सदनादृतस्व तस्य देवस्य कुद्यस्व एतरागः।। बत्तेचं कश्यप रोचनावयत्सहितं पुष्कलं चित्रभानु ।
यस्मिन्सूर्वा अपितास्सप्त साकं तस्व देवस्वकुद्धस्व एतदागः।। "He who measures out the thirteenth month, fabricated of days and nights, having thirty members, -against that god, angered, is this offence.
___ " Black the descent, the yellow eagles, clothing themselves in waters, fly up to the sky; they have come hither from the seat of Rita ; against that god, angered, is this offence.
* What of thee, O Kabyapa, is bright, full of shining, what that is combined, splendid, of wondrous light, in which soven suns are set together; against that god, angered, is this offence."
In the following verses of the Atharvavéda (XIX. 53, 1 and 2) the Poet describes the same seven intercalary months as time in the form of a thousand-eyed horse with seven reins, and also as seven wheels:
कालो भश्वो वहति सप्तरश्मिः सहस्राक्षः अजरी भूरिरेताः। समारोहति कषबी विपश्चितः तस्व चक्रा भुवनानि विश्वा । सप्त चक्रा वहति काल एष सप्तास्व नाभीरमृतं न्वक्षः।
स इमा विश्वा भुवनान्यवोकालः स हीयते प्रथमोनु देवः। " Time drives a horse with seven reins, thousand-eyed, possessing much seed ; him the inspired poets mount; his wheels are all beings.
"Seven wheels doth this Time drive; seven are his natos, immortality forsooth bis axle; he, Time, including all these beings, goes on as first god."
The meaning of a thousand eyes is the same as that of a thousand syllables, or a thousand days, expanding a wing of the heavenly swan, explained above.
In what is called the Aruņôpanishad of the Taittiriya Aranyaka, the poet describes the same year with an intercalated month (Adhisanpatsara), beginning with the rainy season, together with the signs and characteristics by which its arrival was usually found out, so picturesquely and forcibly that one cannot resist the conclusion that the poet refers to the seven intercalary months. Since the Upanishad furnishes additional evidence about the theory I have been setting forth bere, some of the passages of it, bearing on the subject, are quoted below, with translation and notes. Owing to the want of the intercalation of 8 or 7 months, the beginning of the year falls back, and coincides, as pointod aboyo, with the middle of the month of Sråvaņa, when the rainy season sets in with lightening and rainbow. Accordingly the poet calls upon the waters to remove the heat and fever of the summer along with the demon infesting the intercalary months, and to manifest the arrival of the Adityas, the gods of the seven intercalary months :
भापमापामपस्सर्वा भस्मादस्मादितोऽमुतः। अनिर्वावदच सूर्वश्च सह संचस्कराीिया ॥ 1 वाय्वश्वा रश्मिपतयःमरीच्यात्मानो अदुहः। देवीभुवनसूवरी: पुत्रवत्त्वाब मे सुत ॥ महानाम्नीमहामानाः महसों महसस्स्वः।