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

162 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS.
the next chapter. For the present, we confine ourselves to the
sattra of the Aṅgirases, and have to see if we can find out other
means for determining its duration. Such a means is, fortunately,
furnished by the Ṛig-Veda itself. There are two chief species of
the Aṅgirases (Aṅgiras-tama), called the Navagvas and the
Daśhagvas, mentioned in the Ṛig-Veda (X, 62, 5 and 6): These
two classes of ancient sacrificers are generally mentioned together,
and the facts attributed to the Aṅgirases are also attributed to
them. Thus the Navagvas are spoken of as 'our ancient fathers,'
in VI, 22, 2, and as 'our fathers' along with Aṅgirases and Bhṛigu
in X, 14, 6. Like the Aṅgirases, the Navagvas are also connected
with the myth of Indra overthrowing Vala, and of Saramâ and
Paṇis (I, 62, 3 and 4; V, 29, 12; V, 45, 7; X, 108, 8). In one
of these Indra is described as having taken their assistance when
he rent the rock and Vala (I, 62, 4); and in V, 29, 12, the Nava-
gvas are said to have praised Indra with songs and broken open
the firmly closed stall of the cows. But there are only two
verses in which the duration of their sacrificial session is mention-
ed. Thus V, 45, 7 says, "Here, urged by hands, hath loudly rung
the press-stone, with which the Navagvas sang (sacrificed) for ten
months"; and in the eleventh verse of the same hymn the poet says,
"I place upon (offer to) the waters your light-winning prayers
wherewith the Navagvas completed their ten months."* In II,
34, 12, we again read, "They, the Dashagvas, brought out (of-
fered) sacrifice first of all. May they favour us at the
flashing forth of the dawn": while in IV, 51, 4, † the Dawns
are said "to have dawned richly on the Navagva Aṅgira,

• Ṛig. V, 45, 7,—अनूनोदत्र हस्तयतो अद्रिरार्चन् येन दश मासो नव-
  ग्वाः। V. 45, 11,—धियं वो अप्सु दधिषे स्वर्षां यया तरन् दश मासो न-
  वग्वाः।
  † Ṛig. IV, 51, 4,—कुवित्स देवीः सनयो नवो वा यामो बभूयादुषसो
  वो अद्य। येना नवग्वे अंगिरे दशग्वे सप्तास्ये रेवती रेवदूष ॥