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

210 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS.
The above is only a brief description, a mere outline of the
scheme of the annual Sattras mentioned in sacrificial works, but it
is sufficient for our purpose. We can see from it that a civil year
of 360 days formed their basis, and the position of the Viṣhuvân
was of great importance inasmuch as the ceremonies after it
were performed in the reverse order. I have shown elsewhere
what important inferences can be drawn from the position of the
Viṣhuvân regarding the calendar in use at the time when the
scheme was settled. But we have now to consider of times which
preceded the settlement of this scheme, and for that purpose
we must describe another set of Soma sacrifices included under
the general class of Sattras. It has been stated above that side
by side with the Dvâdashâha, there are Ahîna sacrifices of two
nights, three nights, etc. upto twelve nights. But these sacri-
fices do not stop with the twelve nights' performance. There are
thirteen nights', fourteen nights', fifteen nights,' and so on upto one
hundred nights' sacrifice called Trayodasha-râtra, Chaturdasha-
râtra and so on upto Shata-râtra. But since the Ahîna has
been defined to be a sacrifice extending over not more than
twelve or less than thirteen days, all the night-sacrifices extend-
ing over a period longer than twelve nights are included
in the third class, viz., the Sattras. If we, however, dis-
regard this artificial division, it will be found that along
with the Ekâha, the Dvâdashâha and the annual Sattras, there
is a series of, what are termed, the night-sacrifices or sattras
extending over a period of time from two to one hundred
nights, but not further. These night-sacrifices or Râtri-sattras
are mentioned in the Taittirîya Saṁhitâ, the Brâhmaṇas and
the Shrauta Sûtras in clear terms, and there is no ambiguity
about their nature, number, or duration. The Taittirîya Saṁ-
hitâ in describing them often uses the word Râtrîḥ (nights)
in the plural, stating, that so and so was the first to institute or
to perceive 'so many nights' meaning so many nights' sacrifice,