Page 421 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

202 SAMAGRA TJLAK - 2 • THE ARCTIC HOME

different from the " bright ocean " ( shukram arrJa!z ) which the
sun is said to have ascended in V, 45, 10, V~itra's ocean ( ar7Java)
was enveloped in darkness ( tamasd parivritam, II, 23, 18 ), while the
ocean, which the sun ascended, was bright and shining ( shukram ).
lndra is again described as going to a very distant ( pardvat)
region to kill V~itra or Namuchi, ( I, 53, 7; VIII, 12, 17; VIII, 45,
25 ). If we combine all these statements regarding the scene of the
struggle between Indra and V~itra, we are led to the conclusion
that the fight took place in a dark, distant and watery region.
In VIII, 32, 26, Indra is said to have killed Arbuda with ice
( hima ) ; and in X, 62, 2, the Aitgirases, who were the assist-
ants of Indra in his conquest of the cows, are said to have struck
Vala at the end of the year ( parivatsare ). There is another
statement in the ~ig-Veda, which gives us the date of Indra's
fight with Shambara, but we shall discuss it later on. It is stated
above that the number of Vritra's forts destroyed by Indra is
given as ninety-nine; but in other passages it is said to be ninety
or one hundred ( I, 130, 7; IV, 30, 20 ). These fortresses or
cities ( pura!z) are described as made of stone or iron ( IV, 30,
20; IV, 27, 1 ), and in some places they are said to be autumnal
( shdradi!z, I, 130, 7; 131, 4; VI, 20, 10 ). The importance of these
facts, in the interpretation of the legend, will be discussed later
on.
We have seen that the release of cows and the bringing up
of the dawn and the sun are the simultaneous effects of Indra's
conquest of V~itra. The following extract from Macdonell's
Vedic Mythology ( p. 61 ) give the necessary authorities on the
point:
" With the liberation of waters is connected the winning
of light, sun and dawn. Indra won light and the divine waters
( III, 34, 8 ), the god is invoked to slay V~itra and win the light,
(VIII, 89, 4 ). When Indra had slain the dragon V~itra with his
metallic bolt releasing the waters for man, he placed the sun
visibly in the heavens (I, 51, 4; 52, 8 ). Indra the dragon-slayer
set in motion the flood of waters of the sea, generated the sun
and found the cows (II, 19, 3 ). He gained the sun and the
waters after slaying the demon ( III, 33, 8 - 9 ). When Indra slew
the chief of the dragons and released the waters from the
mountain, he generated the sun, the sky and the dawn ( I, 32
4; VI, 30, 5 ). The cows are also mentioned along with the sun.