Page 526 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

TilE A VESTIC EVIDENCE 307

a conclusion well in keeping with the ancient Roman year of ten
months. But apart from this suggestion, there is a striking
coincidence between the Vedic and the A vestic tradition in this
respect. According to the Bundahish (XXV, 20 ), the year is
divided into four seasons of three months each, Farvar~in,
Ar~avahisht and Horvadad constituting the season of the
spring; Ttr, AmerOda~ and Shatvairi'> the summer; Mitro, Avan
and Atrao the autumn; and Din, Vohiiman and Spendarma~,
the winter. The fortieth day of Sharad or autumn would, there-
fore, represent the tenth day ( Aban) of A van; and the Vedic
statement discussed in the ninth chapter, that Indra's fight with
Shambara commenced "on the fortieth day of Sharad" agrees
well ( only with a difference of ten days ) with the statement in
the Bundahish that the winter in the Airyana Va~jo commenced
"
with the month of Avan the second month in autumn. We have
thus a very close resemblance between the Vedic and the
A vestic tradition about the end of summer in the original Arctic
home; and the corresponding Roman and Greek traditions have
been previously noticed. In short, a year of seven or ten
nonths sun-shine can be traced since its double character can be
explained only by placing the original home in the circum-polar
regions, we are inevitably led to the conclusion that the Airyana
Vaejo must also be placed in the same region. The Avestic
account is by itself plain and intelligible, and the apparent
inconsistencies would have been explained in a natural way
long ago, if Zend scholars had not created unnecessary difficulties
by transferring the site of this Paradise to the east of the ancient
Iran. Under these circumstances it is needless to say which of
the two theories regarding the position of the Airyana Vaejo is
correct, for no one would accept a hypothesis which only enhances
the confusion, in preference to one which explains everything in
a natural and satisfactory manner. ·
We have so far discussed the passage in the first Fargard
which describes the climate of the Airyana Vaejo. The passage,
even when taken by itself, is quite intelligible on the Arctic theory;
but in ascertaining the original climate of the Airyana Vaejo we
supposed that it was the reverse of the one introduced by the
invasion of Angra Mainyu. The second Fargard of the Vendidad
which is similar in character to the first contains, however, a
passage, which does away with the necessity of such assump-