Page 415 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

200· SAMAGRA TILAK - 2 • THE ARCTIC HOME
when a number of facts, which have yet remained unexplained, are
satisfactorily and appropriately accounted for only by the Arctic
theory, we shall be perfectly justified in citing these legends as
corroborative evidence in support of our new theory. It is from
this point of view that I mean to examine some of the important
Vedic myths in this and the following chapter, and shall now begin
with the legend of Indra and Vritra, or of captive waters, which is
generally believed to have been satisfactorily explained by the
Storm theory.
The struggle between Indra and Vritra is represented. in the
Vedas as being four-fold in character. First, it is a struggle
between Indra and Vrftra, the latter of whom appears also under
the names of Namuchi, Shu~hp.a, Shambara, Vala, Pipru, Kuyava
and others. This is Vritra-turya, or the fight or struggle with Vrftra.
Secondly, it is a fight for the waters, which either in the form of
sind/ius ( rivers ) or as dpa!z ( simple floods ), are often described
as released or liberated by the slaughter of V~tra. This is ap-
turya or the struggle for waters; and Indra is called apsu-jit or
conquering in the waters, while Vrftra is described as encompassing
them ( apa!z pari-shayanam ). Thirdly, it is a struggle to regain the
cows ( go-i~h(i ); and there are several passages in the ~ig-Veda
where the cows are said to have been released by Indra after having
overthrown Vritra:. Fourthly, it is a fight to regain the day-light
or heaven called ( div-i~h(i ), or the striving for day; and in many
places the sun and the dawn are said to be brought out l>Y Indra
after killing V!]tra. * The following extracts from Macdonell's
Vedic Mythology give the requisite authorities from the ~ig-Veda
for this four-fold character of the struggle between Indra and Vrftra.

• The exploits of lndra are very pithily summed up in the Mvids
or short Sutras or sentences used in offering oblations to the gods. These
will be found collected in a separate chapter amongst the Pmtshishtas or
supplements to the ~ig-Veda Samhit! text published in Bombay (Tatva-
vivechaka Press). According to Dr. Haug these Nivids are the originals
of the Vedic Suktas or hymns. The. Nivids, relating to Indra's exploits
contain the following :- ~ ~ ~~?;[ Tlfi!g I ••. I~~: I
~iO!ffi 6{ I ·· · ap:q_lf ~I ~ ~~ I ... I WiW ~ 1 ••. 1:
~ ~T I ~~I ... 1611li mr I 6l1li ire'r I As regards the meaning of
Div-i~lzti see Oldenberg's Vedic Hymns (r, 45, 7) , S. B. E . Series, Vol.
XLVI. p. 44·