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

VEDIC MYTHS—THE MATUTINAL DEITIES. 341
colours of the rainbow. All this appears to be very satis-
factory at the first sight, but our complacency is disturbed as
soon as we are told that along with the seven rays and horses
of the sun, the Ṛig-Veda speaks of ten horses or ten rays of
the same luminary. Yâska and Sâyaṇa get over the difficulty
either by ignoring or by explaining away, in a tortuous manner,
all references to the ten-fold division of this kind. But the
places where it is mentioned are too many to allow us to light-
ly set aside the ten-fold division, which occurs along with the
seven-fold one in the Ṛig-Veda; and we must find out why
this double division is recorded in the Ṛig-Veda. But before
inquiring into it, we shall collect all the facts and see how far
this double division extends in the Vedic literature.
We begin with the sun. He is described as seven-horsed
(saptâshva) in V, 45, 9, and his chariot is described as seven-
wheeled, or yoked with seven horses, or one seven-named
horse in I, 164, 3. The seven bay steeds (haritaḥ) are also
mentioned as drawing the carriage of the sun in I, 50, 8. But
in IX, 63, 9, the sun is said to have yoked ten horses to his
carriage; and the wheel of the year-god is said to be carried
by ten horses in I, 164, 14. In the Atharva Veda XI, 4
22, the sun's carriage is, however, said to be eight-wheeled
(ashṭâ-chakra).
Indra is called sapta-rashmi in II, 12, 12, and his chariot
is also said to be seven-rayed in VI, 44, 24. But in V, 33, 8,
ten white horses are said to bear him; while in VIII, 24, 23,
Indra is said to be "the tenth new" (dashamam navam). In
the Taittirîya Âraṇyaka III, 11, 1, Indra's self is said to be go-
ing about ten-fold (Indrasya âtmânaṁ dashadhâ charantam);
and corresponding to it, it may be here noticed, we have in
the Bahrâm Yasht, in the Avesta, ten incarnations of Vere-
thraghna (Sans. Vṛitrahan) specifically mentioned. Amongst
the proteges of Indra we again have one called Dasha-dyu,
or one shining ten-fold (I, 33, 14; VI, 26, 4); while Dashoṇi,