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

CHAPTER XI.
THE AVESTIC EVIDENCE.
Nature of Avestic evidence stated—Different views of scholars
regarding its character—Necessity of re-examining the subject
—An abstract of the first Fargard of the Vendidad—Sixteen
lands created by Ahura Mazda with their modern equivalents
&c.—Airyana Vaejo, the first created land represents the
Paradise of the Iranians—Different views regarding its position
—Darmesteter, Spiegel and others locate it in the east ; Haug
and Bunsen in the far north—Darmesteter’s argument examin-
ed—Airyana Vaejo cannot be determined from the position of
Vanguhi—Identification of Rangha with the Caspian Sea or the
westernmost river doubtful—Rangha is probably the same as
Rasâ in the Rig-Veda X, 75, 6—Unsoundness of Darmesteter’s
reasoning—The position of the Airyana Vaejo must be deter-
mined from its special characteristics found in the Avesta—
The passage where ten months winter is said to be such a
characteristic cited—Ten months winter first introduced into
the happy land by Angra Mainyu—Indicates that before the
fiend’s invasion there must have been ten months summer and
two months winter in the land—Sudden change in the Polar
climate fully confirmed by latest geological researches—Two
months winter necessarily synchronous with long Arctic night
—The tradition about seven months summer and five months
winter also refers to the original climate in the Airyana Vaejo
—Mentioned in the Bundahish—Not inconsistent with the
tradition of ten months summer recorded in the original
passage—Both possible in the Arctic regions—Similar state-
ments in the Rig-Veda—Coincidence between seven months
summer, the legend of Aditi, and the date of Indra’s fight with
Shambara, pointed out—Summary of the second Fargard—
Yima’s Vara in the Airyana Vaejo—Annual sun-rise and a
year-long day therein—Shows that the Airyana Vaejo must
be located near the North Pole and not to the east of Iran—
The account too graphic to be imaginary or mythical—Re-
presents the advent of the Glacial epoch in the land—It is
the oldest human testimony to the advent of the Ice-age,
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