The Vedic fathers of geology

68 Tur ४76 7८475 07 (70706.

Brahmans were afraid that it would not dawn.” ( रात्रिवें चिघ्रावसुरव्युशटचै वा एतस्यै पुरा ब्राह्मणा ata: | Taitt. Sam. I. 5.7.5),

And this reminds us of the penance or the Prayaschitta ( stafat) which the Gods had to perform, whenever the Sun did not rise or shine as was expected. For, the Taittiriya Samhita supplies us with the requisite evidence on the point, as it says that, the Devas ( Gods ) had to perform the Prayaschitta on the occasion.

असावादित्यो न व्यरोचत तस्मे देवाः धरायश्ित्तिमैच्छत्‌। ( Taitt. Sam. I. 1. 2. 4 ),

Thus, while on the one hand, we find our Vedic ancestors—after they left A rydyarta, their Mother-Country, and reached the ^ कला regions which they subsequently colonizeddelighted to see the everlasting or rather continuous Dawns, shining for days and months together, with increasing brilliancy, followed by long days, with expressions of wonder at the पण्ड्‌ अश्वां ( महदेवानामसुरत्वमेकम्‌ ), having not been accustomed to it during their stay in Aryavarta—therr Home and Cradlewe, on the other hand, observe our Tertiary forefathers, exhibiting extreme impatience for the end of nights and for the morning light, entertaining misgivings about the comine Dawn, nay even manifesting their utmost fear