20.07.2013 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

362<br />

Brâhmana. Dr. Haug has arrived at a similar conclusion on linguistic<br />

grounds. Speaking about <strong>the</strong> passage in <strong>the</strong> Vendidad he says “<strong>the</strong><br />

original document is certainly <strong>of</strong> high antiquity and is undoubtedly one<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> oldest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pieces which compose <strong>the</strong> existing Vendidad.”<br />

The mention <strong>of</strong> Hapta Hendu, a name not preserved even in <strong>the</strong> later<br />

Vedic literature, is said also to point to <strong>the</strong> same conclusion.<br />

We may here refer to certain passages cited <strong>by</strong> Muir in his<br />

Original Sanskrit Texts (3rd Ed. Vol. II. pp. 322-329) to show that <strong>the</strong><br />

reminiscences <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn home have been preserved in <strong>the</strong><br />

Indian literature. He first refers to <strong>the</strong> expression shatam himâh, or “a<br />

hundred winters,” occurring in several places in <strong>the</strong> يig-Veda (I, 64,<br />

14; II, 33, 2; V, 54, 15; VI, 48, 8), and remarks that though <strong>the</strong><br />

expression sharadah shatam, or “a hundred autumns,” also occurs in<br />

<strong>the</strong> يig-Veda (II, 27, 10; VII, 66, 16), yet shatam himâh may be<br />

regarded as a relic <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> period when <strong>the</strong> recollection <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> colder<br />

regions from which <strong>the</strong> Vedic <strong>Aryans</strong> migrated had not yet been<br />

entirely forgotten. The second passage quoted <strong>by</strong> him is from <strong>the</strong><br />

Aitareya Brâhmana (VIII, 14) which says “wherefore in this nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />

region all <strong>the</strong> people who dwell beyond <strong>the</strong> Himavat, (called) <strong>the</strong><br />

Uttara Kurus and <strong>the</strong> Uttara Madras are consecrated to <strong>the</strong> glorious<br />

rule (Vairâjyam).” The Uttara Kurus are again described in <strong>the</strong> same<br />

Brâhmana (VIII, 23) as <strong>the</strong> land <strong>of</strong> gods which no mortal may<br />

conquer, showing that <strong>the</strong> country had come to be regarded as <strong>the</strong><br />

domain <strong>of</strong> mythology. The Uttara Kurus are also mentioned in <strong>the</strong><br />

Râmâyana (IV, 43, 38) as <strong>the</strong> abode <strong>of</strong> those who performed <strong>the</strong><br />

meritorious works, and in <strong>the</strong> Mahâbhârata (Sabhâ-Parvan, Ch. 28)<br />

Arjuna is told “Here are <strong>the</strong> Uttara Kurus whom no one attempts to<br />

combat.” That <strong>the</strong> Uttara Kurus were not a fabulous land is shown <strong>by</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> fact that a mountain, a people and a city called Ottorocorra is<br />

mentioned <strong>by</strong> Ptolemy, and Lassen thinks that Megas<strong>the</strong>nes had <strong>the</strong><br />

Uttara Kurus in view when he referred to <strong>the</strong> Hyperboreans. Muir<br />

concludes this section with a passage from <strong>the</strong> Sânkhyâyana or <strong>the</strong><br />

Kaushitakî Brâhmana (VII, 6) where Pathyâ Svasti, or

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!