Page 508 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

CHAPTER XI
THE AVESTIC EVIDENCE

Nature of Avestic evidence stated-Different views of scholars
regarding its character-Necessity of re-examining the subject-An
abstract of the first Fargard of the Vendidad-Sixteen lands creatt:d by
Ahura Mazda with their modern equivalents etc.-Airyana Vaejo, the
first created land represents the Paradise of the Iranians-Different
views regarding its position-Darmesteter, Spiegel and others locate it
in the east; Haug and Bunsen in the far north-Darmesteter's argument
examined-Airyana Vaejo cannot be determined from the position of
Vanguhi-Identification of Rangha with the Caspian sea or the western-
most river doubtful-Rangha is probably the same as Ras!l in the ~ig­
Veda X, 75, 6-Unsoundness of Darmesteter's reasoning-The position
of the Airyana Vaejo must be determined from its special charactenstics
found in the Avesta-The passage where ten months winter is said to
be such a characteristic cited-Ten months winter first introduced into
the happy land by A11gra Mainyu-lndicates that before the fiend's
invasion there must have been ten months summer and two months
winter 10 the land-Sudden change in the Polar climate fully confirmed
by latest geological researches-Two months winter necessarily syn-
chronous with long Arctic night-The tradition about seven months
summer and five months winter also refers to the original climate in the
Airyana Vaejo-Mentioned in the Bundahish-Not inconsistent with
the tradition of ten months summer recorded in the original passage-
Both possible in the Artie region-Simi! ar statements in the ~ig-Veda­
Coincidence bet ween seven months summer, the legend of Aditi, and
the date of lndra's figh t with Shambara, poin ted out-Summary of the
second Fargard-Yima's Vara in theAiryana Vaejo-Annual sunrise and
a year long day therein-Shows that tbe Airyana Vaejo must be located
near the North Pole and not the east of Iran-The account loo graphic
lobe imaginary or mythical-Represents the advent of the Glacial
epoch in the land-It is the oldest human testimony to the advent of
the Ice-age, destroying the Arctic home-Special importance of the
Aves tic evidence pointed out-Fully corroborated by scientific evidence
-Migration from Ai ryan a Vaejo rendered nee essary by glaciation-Six-
teen lands in the first Fargard therefore represent successive stages of
migration to Central Asia-Estabhshe~ the historical character of the
first Fargard-The legend of deluge in the Shatapatha Br~hma~a­
Probably refers to the same event as the Aves tic legend-Other Vedic
passages indicating the northern origin of Indian Aryas-Conclusion te
be drawn from the Vedic and Avestic evidence combined.
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