04-13-2004, 08:01 AM
Kaushal & HH,
I think Tilak's approach of using astronomical references is very important for dating the veda samhitas where any hitorical information is purely incidental and not intended.
Regarding six seasons and different kinds of snow, one doesn't have to venture far from Himalayas to have that. In fact in the arctic regions the seasons would be more like four in number ; summer, fall, winter and spring. The two rainy seasons found in the Indian sub-continent are the ones that properly complete the six season cycle. It is hard to comprehend how two extra seasons would arise in the arid north.
I suspect the reason behind Tilak's conjecture of arctic orgin could be the mention of the six month day and the six month night in the R^igveda. This can be interpreted as referring to polar regions where there is indeed a six month day and a six month night. But there are other explanations too.
Vedas are heavily loaded with astronomical references. The luminous ones in the sky were the "Devas" or the gods for the vedics. They were aware of the annual cycle of changes in the lengths of days versus nights. For six months the days are longer than the nights and for six months nights are longer than the days. For the first six months Sun is more northerly or "uttarayaNa" and fo the other six months it is southerly or "dakshiNayana". This can be observed easily. One dosn't have to be in a polar region to see this. The six month day and six month night could just be a beautiful poetical expression of this astronomical fact rather than a real description of an arctic year.
I think Tilak's approach of using astronomical references is very important for dating the veda samhitas where any hitorical information is purely incidental and not intended.
Regarding six seasons and different kinds of snow, one doesn't have to venture far from Himalayas to have that. In fact in the arctic regions the seasons would be more like four in number ; summer, fall, winter and spring. The two rainy seasons found in the Indian sub-continent are the ones that properly complete the six season cycle. It is hard to comprehend how two extra seasons would arise in the arid north.
I suspect the reason behind Tilak's conjecture of arctic orgin could be the mention of the six month day and the six month night in the R^igveda. This can be interpreted as referring to polar regions where there is indeed a six month day and a six month night. But there are other explanations too.
Vedas are heavily loaded with astronomical references. The luminous ones in the sky were the "Devas" or the gods for the vedics. They were aware of the annual cycle of changes in the lengths of days versus nights. For six months the days are longer than the nights and for six months nights are longer than the days. For the first six months Sun is more northerly or "uttarayaNa" and fo the other six months it is southerly or "dakshiNayana". This can be observed easily. One dosn't have to be in a polar region to see this. The six month day and six month night could just be a beautiful poetical expression of this astronomical fact rather than a real description of an arctic year.