Page 267 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

54 SAMAGRA TILAK- 2 • THE ARCTIC HOME

examined, or even by their side, we :may still find facts, which,
though hitherto neglected, may, in the new light of scientific
djscoveries, lead to important conclu ion . The mention of the
luni-solar calendar in the ~ig-Veda ought not therefore, to detain
u from further pursuing our inves6gation by e ·amining the
text and legends which have not yet been sati factorily explained,
and a certaining how far such texts and legend indicate the
exi tence of a Polar or Circum-Polar home in early 6mes. The
di tinguishing characteristic of the e regions have been already
discussed and stated in the previou chapter, and all that we have
now to do i to apply these te ts and decide if they are atisfied
or fulfilled by the te ts and legends under con idera6on.
The pinning round of the heavenly dome over the head
is one of the special characteris6cs of the orth Pole and the
phenomenon is o peculiar that one may expect to find trace
of it in the early traditions of a people, if they or their ancestor
ever lived near the orth Pole. Applying this test to the Vedic
literature, we do find pa sages, which compare the motion of the
heavens to that of wheel, and tate that the celestial vault is
upported as if on an axi . Thu in ~ig. X 89, 4, Indra is said
" to separately uphold by his power heaven and earth as the
two wheels of a chariot are held by the axle. "* Prof. Ludwig
thinks that this refer to the axis of the earth, and the explanation
is very probable. The same idea occurs in other places, and some
time the sky is de cribed as being upported even without a
pole, testifying thereby to the great power or might of Indra
(II, 15, 2; IV 56,3 ).+In X, 89, 2, Tndra i identified with Surya
and he i de cribed as turning the widest expan e like the wheel
of a chariot. ' t The word for 'expanse' is ~·ardmsi, which
S3yana under tands to mean ' lights', or 'stars'. But whichever
meaning we adopt it is clear thar the verse in question refers to
the revolution of the sky, and compares to the motion of a
chariot wheel. Now the heavens in the temperate and the
tropical regions may be described as moving like a wheel from

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t ~ig. II, 15 , z, - aJ~~ ~r+l~TWiq_ I IV, 56, 3, - ~ ~ ~filT'i~ct1
;;f~"f ~ ir~R: {"'tft ~¥f. ~cr~ ~1\: ~r ~ 1
t ~ig. x, Sg, 2 , - ~ ~~: q-~ ~r ffi!fn\~itcr '<r.fill