Page 103 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

90 SAMAGRA TILAK - 2 • THE ORION

words, at the gate of the Devayina as described in the above
quoted passage from the {Ugveda, for the end of Shisbira is the
end -of the Pitriylna. Here then we have an explanation of how
Ortbros came to be at the gate of hell, or in a distant region under
the setting sun. But the association of Orthros with Kerberos
throws further light on the subject. If V:ritra's head is the same as
Mrigas~ha, as explained in the beginning of this chapter, then
the three stars in the belt of Orion, which form the top of
Mriga~htras, might have easily suggested the idea of a three-headed
monster. In {Ug. x. 99. 6 lndra is said to have killed a three-headed
and six-eyed monster. It might be contended that the explanation
is not satisfactory, insamuch as the head of Mriga is here supposed
to be again conceived as a dog, while there is no authority in the
Vedic works expressly describing Mriga as a dog. But if Orthros
has become a dog in the Greek mytholgy, while it is a Mriga in
the Vedas, I see no reason why. Kerberos should not get his three
heads from the Trishtrshan of the Vedas. The difficulty is not ~t
all a serious one. In brlnging together the traditions of the three
Aryan races after thousands of years, we must make some allow-
ances, and be satisfied with a general similarity of the stories.
The asterism of Mriga•htras and the dogs are so close, that one
might be easily mistaken. for the other, when all the knowledge of
the original traditions was lost. It is thus~that ~e can account for
the fact that out of the three beings that were represented in this
portion of the heavens, Rudra ( the hunter ), Mriga ( the antelope ),
and Shva ( the dog ), the Greek retained in the sky only the hunter
(Orion), and the dog ( Kuon•, Canis ), ~th nothing to hunt, while
the Hindus have not only forgotten, but condemned, the ~og.
The Parsis, it is true, have not mistaken the dog; but still .ts
regards complexion, they have represented their dogs as possessing
the colour which in the {tigveda is given to the antelope of the sun.

• The PrinC1pa.l_star in Canis Minor is still ca11ed Procyon-G.-.
Prolnlon, Sk. Prasltoan, the--F.credog. It shews that the previous star was
once called Kuon by the Greeks. If we count the Naklhatras in the
direction of the sun's annual course, Kuon comes first and Prokuon
afterwards. Cf. Sanskrit Radh.l and AfiUTQdh$ of which like Pro;,·on
later writers have only retain~a Aflllt':idha. Plull~un1, A,h""d-tha and
Blaaarajoda" are similarly divided into Purv:i, and UtttWa, the preceeding
and th~Joregoing.