वेदों की प्राचीनता एवं काल-निर्णय / ओरायन (लोकमान्य बाल गंगाधर तिलक - खगोलीय वैदिक शोध)

MONTHS AND SEASONS. 151
or the oldest sacrificial system to differ from the one current in
Vedic times.
In the Saṁhitâs and Brâhmaṇas, the annual sattras, or
yearly sacrificial sessions, are said to extend over twelve months.
But this was impossible within the Arctic region, where the sun
goes below the horizon for a number of days or months during
the year, thereby producing the long night. The oldest duration
of the annual sattras, if such sattras were ever performed within
the Polar regions, would, therefore, be shorter than twelve months.
In other words, an annual sattra of less than twelve months would
be the chief distinguishing mark of the older sacrificial system,
as contrasted with the later annual sattra of twelve months. It
must also be borne in mind that the number of the months of
sunshine and darkness cannot be the same everywhere in the
Circum-Polar regions. At the Pole the sun is alternately above
and below the horizon for six months each. But as all people
cannot be expected to be stationed precisely at the Pole,
practically the months of sunshine will vary from seven to eleven
for the inhabitants of the Arctic region, those nearest to the North
Pole having seven month's sunshine, while those living farther
south from the Pole having the sun above their horizon for eight,
nine or ten months according to latitude. These periods of sun-
shine would be made up of the long Arctic day at the place and
a succession of ordinary days and nights closely following each
other ; and sacrificial sessions would be held, or principal business
transacted, and important religious and social ceremonies
performed only during this period. It would, so to say, be
a period of action, as contrasted with the long night, by
which it was followed. The long dawn following the long
night, would mark the beginning of this period of activity ;
and the Arctic sacrificial year would, practically, be made up,
only of these months of sunshine. Therefore, the varying