Page 401 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

186 SAMAGRA TILAK- 2 • THE ARCTIC HOME
Again, on the theory of a daily struggle between light and darkness
the Asuras must be turned out of darkness every night; and strictly
speaking the performance of the Ati-ratra is necessary on every
one of the 360 nights of the Sattra. But as a matter of fact the
Ati-ratra is performed only at the beginning and the end of the
Sattra; and even then the regular Sattra is said to commence on
the Chaturvimsha and close on the Mahavrata day, and not on the
<:oncluding Arti-ratra day. It seems, therefore, that the performance
Qf the Ati-ratra was not originally intended to drive way the
Asuras from only the first of 360 nights over which the Sattra now
extends. For in that case there is no reason why the Asuras were
not required to be expelled from everyone of the 360 nights. It
follows, therefore, that the Ati-ratra or the trans-nocturnal sacr:fice
refers to some night not included in the regular nights of the Gavam-
ayanam. It is true that the Ali-ratra is performed at the beginning
and the end of every Sattra and in one sense it is rherefore, a trans-
sattra or ati-sattra sacrifice. But that does not account for the name
Ati-ratra as the Sattra is not held during night. We must, therefore
hold that the twc Ati-ratras were originally performed not at the
beginning and the end of a Sattra but at the beginning and the end
Qf a night which occurred or intervened between the last and the
first day of the Sattra. When this night ended with an Ati-ratra
the usual Sattra began and as the sun was above the horizon during
the period producing the regular succession of days and nights no
Ati-ratra was needed during the Sattra, for as stated in the Ta!l~ya
Brahmapa the object of the Ati-ratra was gained. But the Sattra
dosed with the long night and the Ati-ratra had therefore, again
to be performed at the end of the Sattra to drive the Asuras from
this night. I have shown before that we have direct and reliable
authority in the Taittirtya Samhita to hold that the Gavam ayonam
was once completed in ten months or 300 days and it was therefore
appropriately closed with and introduced by an Ati-rritra. The
word Ati-rdtra is thus rationally explained, for the sacrifice was
performed at the beginning and the close of the long night and, was
therefore, adequately called a trans-nocturnal sacrifice. Between
these two Ati-ratras came all the night-sacrifices metnioned above,
Qffered exclusively to Indra. The old Gavam-ayanam of ten or less
than ten months, the Ati-ratra or the trans-nocturnal, the Ratri-
kratus and Ratri-sattras, or nightly Soma sacrifices of two, three,
etc., up to a hundred continuous nights' duration, and lastly the