Parásara (see As. Res. vol. ii. p. 268 and 393), which must have been made nearly 1391 years before the Christian era (As. Res. vol. v. p. 288). According to the Veda, the lunar Madhu and Mádhava, or Chaitra and Vaiśákha, correspond with Vasanta or the spring. Now the lunar Chaitra, here meant, is the primary lunar month, beginning from the conjunction which precedes full moon in or near Chitrá, and ending with the conjunction which follows it. Vaiśákha does in like manner extend from the conjunction which precedes full moon in or near Viśákhá to that which follows it. The five nakshatras, Hasta, Chitrá, Swáti, Viśákká and Anurádhá, comprise all the asterisms in which the full moons of Chaitra and Vaiśákha can happen; and these lunar months may therefore fluctuate between the first degree of Uttara Phalguni and the last of Jyeshtha. Consequently the season of Vasanta might begin at soonest when the sun was in the [201] middle of Púrva Bhadrapada, or it might end at latest when the sun was in the middle of Mrigasiras. It appears, then, that the limits of Vasanta are Pisces and Taurus; that is Mina and. Vrisha. (This corresponds with a text which I shall forthwith quote from a very ancient Hindu author.) Now if the place of the equinox did then correspond with the position assigned by Paráśara to the colures, Vasanta might end at the soonest seven or eight days after the equinox, or at latest thirty-eight or thirty-nine days; and on a medium (that is when the full moon happened in the middle of Chitra), twentytwo or twenty-three days after the vernal equinox. This agrees exactly with the real course of the seasons; for the rains do generally begin a week before the summer solstice, but their commencement does vary, in different years, about a fortnight on either side of that period. It seems therefore a probable inference, that such was the position of the equinox when the calendar of months and seasons was adjusted as described in this passage of the Veda. Hence I infer the probability, that the Vedas were not arranged in their present form earlier than the fourteenth century before the Christian era. This, it must be acknowledged, is vague and conjectural; but, if the Vedas were compiled in India so early as the commencement of the astronomical Kali yuga, the seasons must have then corresponded with other months; and the passage of the Veda,. which shall be forthwith cited, must have disagreed with the natural course of the seasons at the very time it was written. I shall now quote the passage so often alluded to in this note.1 "Madhus cha Madhavas cha Vásantikáv ṛitú; Śukraś "cha Śuchis cha graishmáv ritú; Nabhas cha Nabhasyaś cha "várshikáv ritú; Ishaś chorjaś cha sáradáv ṛitú; Sahas cha Sahasyaś cha haimantikáv ṛitú; Tapaś cha Tapasyaś cha “śaiśiráv ṛitú.” 'Madhu [202] and Madhava are the two 'portions of the season Vasanta (or the spring); Śukra and Suchi, of grishma (or the hot season); Nabhas and Nabhasya, 'of varsha (or the rainy season); Ijas and Ujas,2 of sarad (or 'the sultry season); and Sahas and Sahasya, of hemanta (or 'the frosty season); and Tapas and Tapasya, of sisira (or the 'dewy season).' All authors agree that Madhu signifies the month of Chaitra ; Madhava the month of Vaisakha, and so forth. These names are so explained in dictionaries and by astronomical writers, as well as by the commentators on this and other passages, where these names of the months are employed. The author now before me (Divákara-bhaṭṭa) expressly says, that this text of the Veda relates to the order of the seasons according to the lunar months. He proves it by quoting a text of the Taittiriya Yajurveda, and afterwards cites the following passage from Baudháyana respecting the seasons measured by solar-sidereal time, "Mina-Meshayor Mesha-Vrishabhayor vá vasantah," etc. "Vasanta corresponds with Mina and "Mesha, or with Mesha and Vrisha," etc. It should be observed, that the secondary lunar month, which begins and ends with full-moon, cannot be here meant; because this 1 [Taitt. S. iv. 4. 11. 1.] 2 [Rather Isha and U'rja.'] mode of reckoning has never been universal, and the use of it is limited to countries situated to the northward of the Vindhya range of hills, as I learn from the following passage of the Trikánḍa-mandana: "The lunar month also is of two "sorts, commencing either with the light fortnight or with the "dark one. Some do not admit the month which begins with "the dark fortnight; and even by them who do, it is not "admitted on the south of the Vindhya mountains.” 1 1 [On this note cf. pp. 99, 126-131.] [From the Asiatic Researches, vol. vii. pp. 288-311. [203] HOSPITALITY has been already mentioned in the preceding Essay, as one of the five great sacraments which constitute the daily duty of a Hindu. The formal reception of such guests as are entitled to peculiar honour was reserved for the subject of the present tract. The religious rites, intermixed with acts of courtesy, which are practised by way of formal hospitality, are nearly the same, whether it be high rank, a venerable profession, or cordial friendship, which entitles the guest to be welcomed with distinction. They chiefly consist in presenting to him a stool to sit on, water for ablutions, and honey mixed with other food for refreshment. It seems to have been anciently the custom to slay a cow on this occasion; and a guest was therefore called goghna, or cow-killer. Imperfect traces of this custom remain in the hospitable ceremonies which I shall now describe from the ritual of Brahmanas who use the Sámaveda. As the marriage ceremony opens with the solemn reception of the bridegroom by the father of the bride, this part of the nuptial solemnity 1 [Cf. Panini, iii. 4, 73.] may be fitly chosen as an example of hospitable rites. It will furnish occasion too for proceeding to describe the whole of the marriage ceremony. 1 [204] Having previously performed the obsequies of ancestors, as is usual upon any accession of good fortune, the father of the bride sits down to await the bridegroom's arrival, in the apartment prepared for the purpose; and at the time chosen for it, according to the rules of astrology. The jewels and other presents intended for him are placed there; a cow is tied on the northern side of the apartment; and a stool or cushion, and other furniture for the reception of the guest, are arranged in order. On his approach, the bride's father rises to welcome him, and recites the following prayer, while the bridegroom stands before him: "May she [who supplies ob"lations for] religious worship, who constantly follows her calf, "and who was the milch cow when Yama was [the votary], "abound with milk, and fulfil our wishes, year after year." This prayer is seemingly intended for the consecration of the cow, which is let loose in a subsequent stage of the ceremony, instead of slaying her, as appears to have been anciently the custom. The commentator, whose gloss has been followed in this version of the text, introduces it by the remark, that a guest entitled to honourable reception is a spiritual preceptor, a priest, an ascetic, a prince, a bridegroom, a friend, or in short any one, to welcome whose arrival a cow must be tied for the purpose of slaying her, whence a guest is denominated goghna, or cow-killer. The prayer seems to contain an allusion, which I cannot better explain than by quoting a passage from Kálidása's poem entitled Raghuvansa, where Vasishtha informs the king Dilípa that the cow Surabhi, who was offended by his neglect, cannot be now appeased by courtesy shown to herself, because she remains in a place inaccessible to him: "Prachetas is performing a tedious sacrifice; to supply the 1 [For a fuller account of the old marriage ceremonies see Dr. E. Haas in Ind. Studien, vol. v. pp. 267-412.] |