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

VEDIC MYTHS--THE MATUTINAL DEITIES. 335
slaying the demon or the powers of darkness like Vṛitra. Thus
in X, 8, 8, Trita, urged by Indra, is said to have fought against
and slain the three-headed (tri-shiras) son of Tvaṣhṭṛi and released
the cows ; while in X, 99, 6, we read that Indra subdued the
loud-roaring six-eyed demon, and Trita, strengthened by the
same draught, slew the boar (varâha) with his iron-pointed bolt.
But the most important incident in the story of Trita is mention-
ed in I, 105. . In this hymn Trita is described as having fallen
into a kûpa or well, which is also called vavra or a pit in X, 8, 7.
Trita then invoked the gods for help and Bṛihaspati hearing his
prayers released him from his distress (I, 105, 17). Some of the
verses in the hymn are very suggestive ; for instance in verse 9,
Trita tells us about his "kinship with the seven rays in the
heaven. Trita Âptya knows it and he speaks for kinship." The
ruddy Vṛika, or the wolf of darkness, is again described in verse
18 as having perceived Trita going by the way. These references
show that Trita was related to the powers of light, but had the
misfortune of being thrown into darkness. In IX, 102, 2, Trita's
abode is said to be hidden or secret, a description similar to that
of the third step of Viṣhṇu. The same story is found in the
Avesta. There Thrâetaona, who bears the patronomic epithet
Âthwya (Sans. Âptya), is described as slaying the fiendish
serpent Azi Dahâka, who is said to be three-mouthed and six-
eyed (Yt. XIX, 36-37; V, 33-34). But what is still more remarkable
in the Avestic legend is that Thrâetaona in his expedition against
the demon is said to have been accompanied by his two
brothers who sought to slay him on the way.* The Avestic
legend thus fully corroborates the story of the Shâṭyâyanins
quoted by Sâyaṇa, and when the two accounts agree so well
we cannot lightly set aside the story in the Brâhmaṇa,

• See Spiegel, Die Arische Periode, p. 271, quoted by Macdonell
  in his Vedic Mythology, § 23. Also compare S. B. E. Series, Vol.
  XXXIII p. 222 note 2.