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

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speculative manner of the Brâhmanas we might say that there are no
Soma sacrifices of longer than one hundred nights’ duration, because
the life of a man cannot extend beyond a hundred years (Tait. Br. III,
8, 16, 2). But such an explanation can never be regarded as
satisfactory, and the Mîmâmsakas, who got over one difficulty by
interpreting “night” into “day,” have practically left this latter question
untouched, and therefore, unsolved. In short, the case stands thus:
— The sacrificial literature mentions a series of 99 or practically one
hundred Soma sacrifices, called the “night-sacrifices”; but these do
not form a part of any annual Sattra like the Gavâm-ayanam, nor is
any reason assigned for their separate existence, nor is their duration
which never exceeds a hundred nights, accounted for. Neither the
authors of the Brâhmanas nor those of the Shrauta Sûtras much less
Sâyana and Yâska give us any clue to the solution of this question;
and the Mîmâmsakas, after explaining the word “night” occurring in
the names of these sacrifices as equal to “day” have allowed these
night-sacrifices to remain as an isolated group in the organized
system of Soma sacrifices. Under these circumstances it would no
doubt appear presumptuous for any one to suggest an explanation,
so many centuries after what may be called the age of the Sattras.
But I feel the Arctic theory which, we have seen, is supported by
strong independent evidence, not only explains but appropriately
accounts for the original existence of this isolated series of a hundred
Soma sacrifices; and I, therefore, proceed to give my view on the
point.
It seems to me that if the word râtri in Atî-râtra is still
understood to mean “night,” and that if the Ati-râtra sacrifice is even
now performed during the night, there is no reason why we should
not similarly interpret the same word in Dvi-râtra, Tri-râtra &c. up to
Shata-râtra. The objection, that the Soma juice is not extracted during
the night, is more imaginary than real; for as a matter of fact Soma
libations are made in the usual way, during the Ati-râtra sacrifice. The
Ati-râtra sacrifice is performed at the beginning and the end