Indian Antiquary Vol 42

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

Page 80

76
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[MARCH, 1913.
of Vritra, Sambara, Bala and other demons, it is clear that those demons represent the same evil nature or side of the same intercalary months. The expression that Indra found out Sambara and killed him in tho fortieth year (R. V. II. 12, 11) proves the same fact. We are also told in the Rigveda (I. 180, 7; IV. 80, 20) that the number of Vșitra's forts which Indra destroyed amounted to one hundred. If this can be taken to mean a hundred times repetition of the cycle of 20 years, then we have the chronology of the Vedie period to be 20 x 100 = 2000 years.
The Satapatha Brahmana, on the other hand, makes the number of the repetition of the seven intercalary months to be 101. The following is the translation by Prof, Eggoling of the passages in which this idea is conveyed :
"Sevenfold, indeed, Prajapati was created in the beginning. He went on constructing (developing) his body, and stopped at the one hundred and onefold one. He who constructs one lower than a sevenfold one cuts this Father Prajâ pati in twain : he will be the worse for sacrificing as one would be by doing injury to his better. And he who constructs one exceeding the one-hundred and-one-fold one steps beyond this Universe, for Prajapati is this Universe. Hence he should construct the sevenfold (altar), then the next higher up to the one hundred-and-one-fold one, but he should notoonstruct one exceeding the one-hundred-and-one-fold one, and thus, indeed, he neither cuts this Father Praj&pati in twain, nor does he step beyond this Universe," 23
" Prajapati, indeed, is the year, and Agni is all objects of desire. This Prajapati, the year, desired, May I build up for myself a body so as to contain Agni, all objects of desire. He constructed a body 019-hundred-and-one-fold."
Now this year is the same as yonder san; and he is this one-hundred-and-one-fold (Agni);his rays are a hundredfold and he himself who shines yonder, being the one hundred and first, is firmly established in this Universe."26
"And, indood, the one hundred-and-one-fold passes into becomes equal to the seven-fold one ; for yonder sun, whilst composed a hundred-and-one-fold, is established in the seven worlds of the gods, the four quarters and these three worlds; these are the seven worlds of the gods, and in them the sun is established."20
"And, again, as to how the one hundred-and-one-fold (altar) passes into the seven-fold one: Yonder san, composed of a bundred and one parte, is established in the seven seasons, in the seven stomas. in the seven Prishtha-s&mans, in the seven metres, in the seven vital airs, and in the seven regions,"27
"Therefore, also, they lay down around (the altar) sets of seven (bricks) each time, and hence the one-hundred-and-one-fold passes into the seven-fold one; and, indeed, the seven-fold one passes into the one-hundred-and-one-fold.">
"And thus, indeed, the seven-fold (altar) passes into the one hundred and one-fold: that which is a hundred-and-one-fold is seven-fold; and that which is seven-fold is a hundred-and-one-fold.190
From the statement that they lay down sets of seven bricks one hundred and one times, where seven bricks evidently represent seven intercalary months, it is clear that by the time of the Bata patha Brahmana the number of the twenty years' cycles amounted to 101. It is, therefore, clear that by that time there had elapsed 101 x 20=2020 years in the era of the Vedic poets.
I have already pointed out how the statement of the Atharvaváda (XII. 3,16), that thirty-three gods pertain to the seven sacrifices, can be explained as implying the thirty-three months forming one of the wings or halves of the last cycle of five years in the period of twenty years. Now, according to the Nivid hymnao for the Vibvê Dêvas, the total number of gods amounts to 3339. Dividing this by 33 we have 101 i cycles of twenty yoars each. This is a number which is almost exactly equal to the number of layers of the one-hundred-and-one-fold altar referred to above, * Sat. Bra. X. 2, 3, 18.
Ibid X. 2, 4, 1.
* Ibid X. 2, 4, 4; the italios are mine. Sat. Bra. X. 2, 4, 5; the italios are mine. » Ibid. x. 2, 4, 7.
Bat. Bra. X. 2, 4, 8. # Ser Hang's Translation of the litariya Brahmara III, 8,81 ; also his note on the number of gods.
36 Sat. Br. X. 243..he italics are mine.
Toid...
note on the number of gode