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

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to may be the prismatic colors with which we are familiar in the
Science of optics, or the seven colors of the rainbow. All this appears
to be very satisfactory at the first sight, but our complacency is
disturbed as soon as we are told that along with the seven rays and
horses of the sun, the يig-Veda speaks of ten horses or ten rays of
the same luminary. Yâska and Sâyana get over the difficulty either by
ignoring or by explaining away, in a tortuous manner, all references to
the ten-fold division of this kind. But the places where it is mentioned
are too many to allow us to lightly set aside the ten-fold division,
which occurs along with the seven-fold one in the يig-Veda; and we
must find out why this double division is recorded in the يig-Veda But
before inquiring into it, we shall collect all the facts and see how far
this double division extends in the Vedic literature..
We begin with the sun. He is described as seven-horsed
(saptâshva) in V, 45, 9, and his chariot is described as seven
wheeled, or yoked with seven horses, or one seven-named horse in I,
164, 3. The seven bay steeds (haritah) are also mentioned as
drawing the carriage of the sun in I, 50, 8. But in IX, 63, 9, the sun is
said to have yoked ten horses to his carriage; and the wheel of the
year-god is said to be carried by ten horses in I, 164, 14. In the
Atharva Veda XI, 4, 22, the sun’s carriage is, however, said to be
eight-wheeled (ashtâ-chakra).
Indra is called sapta-rashmi in II, 12, 12, and his chariot, is also
said to be seven-rayed in VI, 44, 24. But in V, 33, 8, ten white horses
are said to bear him; while in VIII, 24, 23, Indra is said to be “the tenth
new” (dashamam navam). In the Taittirîya Âranyaka III, 11, 1, Indra’s
self is said to be going about ten-fold (Indrasya âtmânam dashadhâ
charantam); and corresponding to it, it may be here noticed, we have
in. the Bahrâm Yasht, in the Avesta, ten incarnations of Verethraghna
(Sans. Vṛitrahan) specifically mentioned. Amongst the
protégés of Indra we again have one called Dasha-dyu, or one
shining ten-fold (I, 33, 14; VI, 26, 4); while Dashoni, a being with ten
arms or helpers, and Dasha-mâya, or a