Artic Home of the Aryans by Lokamanya Bal ... - Mandhata Global

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(tamasi kshiyantam).”* In X, 62, 2 and 3, the Angirases, of whom the
Dashagvas and Navagvas were the principle species (Angiras-tama,
X, 62, 6), are however, said to have themselves performed the feat of
vanquishing Vala, rescuing the cows and bringing out the sun, at the
end of the year (pari vatsare Valam abhindan); but it obviously means
that they helped Indra in achieving it at the end of the year.
Combining all these statements we can easily deduce (1) that the
Navagvas and the Dashavgas completed their sacrifices in ten
months, (2) that these sacrifices were connected with the early flush
of the Dawn; (3) that the sacrificers helped Indra in the rescue of the
cows from Vala at the end of the year; and (4) that at the place where
Indra wept in search for the cows, he discovered the sun “dwelling in
darkness.”
Now we must examine a little more closely the meaning of
these four important statements regarding the Navagvas and the
Dashagvas. The first question that arises in this connection is —
What is meant by their sacrifices being completed in ten months, and
why did they not continue sacrificing for the whole year of twelve
months? The expression for ‘ten months’ in the original is dasha
mâsâh, and the wards are so plain that there can be no doubt about
their import. We have seen that the Navagvas used to help Indra in
releasing the cows from the grasp of Vala, and in X, 62, 2 and 3, the
Angirases are said to have defeated Vala at the end of the year, and
raised the sun to heaven. This exploit of Indra, the Angirases, the
Navagvas and the Dashagvas, therefore, clearly refers to the yearly
rescue of the sun, or the cows of the morning, from the dark prison
into which they are thrown by Vala; and the expression “Indra found
the sun, dwelling in darkness,” mentioned above further supports this
view. In I, 117, 5, the Ashvins are said to have rescued Vandana, like
some bright buried gold, “like one asleep in the lap of
* Rig. III, 39, 5, — सखा ह यऽ सिखिभनववैरिभा सिभगा अनमन ु । सं तिदो
दसिभदशिः सयू िववदतमिस े किषयम ॥