Page 347 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

, l J2 SAMAGRA TILAK - 2 a THE ARCTIC HOME
by Manu, Atharvan, Bh!igu, or any other ancient sacri.ficets,
except the Ailgirases. there is an annual sattra described in the
Shrauta Sutras, which is called the Angirasam-ay_anam, and is
said w be a modification of the Gavam ayanam, the type of all
yearly sattras. But we do not find therein any mention of the duration
of the sattra of the Aligirases. The duration of the Gavdm-ayanam is,
however, given in the Taittirtya Sarilhita and will be discussed in
the next chapter. For the present, we confine ourselves to the sattra
of the Aligirases, and have to see if we can find out other means
for determining its duration. Such a means is, fortunately, furnished
by the ~ig-Veda itself. There are two chief species of the Ailgirases
( Arigiras-tama ), called the Navagvas and the Dashagvas, mentioned
in the ~ig-Veda (X, 62, 5 and 6 ). These two classes of ancient
sacrificers are generally mentioned together, and the facts attributed
to the Atigirases are also attributed to them. Thus the Navagvas
are spoken of as ' our ancient fathers ', in VI, 22, 2, and as ' our
fathers ' along with Aligirases and Bhrigu in X, 14, 6. Like the
Ailgirases, the Navagvas are also connected whh the myth of
Indra overthrowing Vala, and, of Sarama and Pa~is (1, 62, 3 and 4;
V, 29, 12; V, 45, 7; X, 108, 8 ). In one of these lndra is described
as having taken their assistance when he rent the rock and Vala
(I, 62, 4 ); and in 4, 29, 12, the Navagvas are said to have praised
Indra with songs and broken open the firmly closed stall of the
cows. But there are only two verses in which the duration of their
sacrificial session is mentioned. Thus V, 45, 7 says, " Here, urged
by hands, hath loudly rung the press-stone, with which the
Navagvas sang ( sacrificed ) for ten months ", and in the eleventh
verse of the same hymn the poet says, " I place upon ( offer to )
the waters your light-winning prayers wherewith the Navagvas
completed their ten months."* In II, 34, 12, we again read, "They,
the Dashagvas brought out ( offered ) sacrifice first of all. May
they favour us at the flashing forth of the dawn, " while in IV,
51, 4,t the Dawns are said "to have dawned richly on the Navagva
Ailgira, and on the seven-mouthed Dashagva, "evidently showing

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