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

THE NIGHT OF THE GODS. 67
the Indian literature, that we examine it here at some length,
and, for that purpose, commence with the Post-Vedic litera-
ture and trace it back to the most ancient books. It is found
not only in the Purâṇas, but also in astronomical works, and as
the latter state it in a more definite form we shall begin with
the later Siddhântas. Mount Meru is the terrestrial North Pole
of our astronomers, and the Sûrya-Siddhânta, XII, 67, says :--
"At Meru Gods behold the sun after but a single rising during
the half of his revolution beginning with Aries." Now accord-
ing to Purâṇas Meru is the home or seat of all the Gods, and
the statement about their half-year-long night and day is thus
easily and naturally explained; and all astronomers and divines
have accepted the accuracy of the explanation. The day of
the Gods corresponds with the passage of the sun from the
vernal to the autumnal equinox, when the sun is visible at the
North Pole, or the Meru; and the night with the southern
passage of sun, from the autumnal back to the vernal equinox.
But Bhâskarâchârya, not properly understanding the passage
which states that the "Uttarâyaṇa is a day of Gods," has raised
the question how Uttarâyaṇa, which in his day meant the
passage of the sun from the winter to the summer solstice,
could be the day of the Gods stationed at the North Pole; for
an observer at the Pole can only see the sun in his passage from
the vernal to the autumnal equinox. But, as shown by me
elsewhere, Bhâskarâchârya has here fallen into an error
by attributing to the word Uttarâyaṇa, a sense which it
did not bear in old times, or at least in the passages
embodying this tradition. The old meaning of Uttarâyaṇa,
literally, the northern passage of the sun, was the period
of time required by the sun to travel from the vernal to

• See Orion, p. 29.