Ou r Tertiary I ndo-Aryan Ancestors

'.
-Not Nomads-

But

Au~ochthGnous Agriculturists

.".

In

Seven Rivers.
 Printed at the Chitra Sh:1. U P,'ess,
1026 Sada<;hive PeithPonna ...City.

By Shankar Narbar Joshi,

and

Published by Nara.yan Bhavanrav Pavgae.

982 Sadashiye Peith.
Poona City.

/
 1" ,
Dhananjayarao Gadgil Library '-.;#.

"l
11111111111 \
GIPE-PUNE-134657

,(r'he "ihol~ or:b,it\'''l,cUo';~ia~Jte',\nd espech111y'

the Rig V~ft--·tTle·loldest docnment in tltewOrza-"
reveals the fact tlult we-Indo-Aryans-hetter known
as J.It'i~~;~'9't;:, ~ver ~fn Nomaq.,s,:,: hut, autQch... ,
thonous agriculturist!!, in the Land of the -.seven Rf.. :
VAl'S, known as ~Iln{:i'l;r"':.

Gl'eat misapprehension fJrevails, however, among

m:my 0riental :md 0ccidental flcholars, with regard
to our cradle land of ArYMStrtll. Nay, even diametri-
cally opposite views have been held in the matter,
and Iilany think us-Indo Aryans-though errone-
ously,to h/\ hut foreigners in th~ land of thf' 8aJJta
Sindlm .•.

0hviou~ ly, thiR haR given riSA to another fund:'l-

mental error, which describes - Uf>, as JYmnaris. But,
the idea havin.ll been found untenable, has been alto-
gether exploded ,as will appear evident from what has
heen stated in the seqlHil. ( vide infm '(Ill m,T4, 15 ei
SP{" and Pr> 28 -in ).

1 In respect of the r~¥note"'t PC6St of the Rig-Veda, the

celebrated Ol'ientalist, Sir ,William Jones says thns:-"
"We cannot refuse to the'Vedas the honoUl' of an anti-
quity-the most distant. "
 2
'Were born, as this 'Was the land created for them f1'0111
the thermal deep, by theSarasvati. ( see below p 3 ).
Now, this poetic effusion of the Bard does not
:seem to be an out-pouring of some hackneyed
theme, or a common-place,thonght, or any meaning-
less expression, but appears to be an original idea
in the researches of geology, as the poet had appa-
rently hit upon some geological discovery, that
vitality had first come into play in the region of the
river Sarasvati. This idea, therefore, is of great
moment, and practically of primary importance.
Let us, however ,turn for a while to modern
investigations in the matter, ,and see whether there
is any foundation for the sUPflosition of the Rig-
Vodic Rishis, in respect of the origin of life having
"heen in the region of the river Sarasvati, or there-
,'abouts. .
There is hardly :lny doubt that the most anci-
ent life-types are found, as observed hereafter
:Jsee p p 2,3), in the Land of the Seven rivers, or say
Northern India; and even Western geologists bear
< tes.timolly to, and throw their weight of evidence
"in support of, the fact. For, in this respect, Mr.
Medlicott, Superintendent Geological Survey of
India, says:-" And the most ancient form of life
'occurs (in India) near the Eastern end of the hills",
'Viz. the Salt Range of the Punjab. ( Manual of Indian
Geology. p. XXIV). Moreover, subsequently, and
.a little later, the same authority states, "still
further East, too, in the North of Kumaun, Silurian
 3
fossils ha.ve heen· discovered in consideraOIfJ
quantities!' (Ibid. p. XXV).
But more than this, "Noetlin~ has recently
described a. series of strata as underlying beds
containing (the remains of the genus called)
Olenellus, in North West India;" and he confirms
the conclusions of Waagen that this series of strata
contains fossils. He al~o asserts with confidence,
that these are of very ancient epoch, and even of
older age than the Lowest Cambnan, that is Pre--
Cambnan, meaning thereby to say, that the fossils
belong to the Vindhyan Era, ( vide the Students'
Lyell, edited by J. W. Judd, 189p. p. 438; The
Imperial Gazetteer; Indian Empire. vol. I. p. 55.
Ed. 1907 ).'
Thus, the researches of our hoary ancestors'~
that describe Aryavartato be the scene of p1-i.mitive
vitality, and the region where life had first origina-
ted, seem not only within the mark, but marvell-
ously correct in the main, a.s they have stood the
test of ages, and the facts have been corroborated
by independent testimony, not to say matter-of-fact
foreign evidence.
'We further oLserve, that the river Sarasvati
had created land for man,from' the thermal deep,and
given it to him for habitation: ~ ~8¥q)~1~~: •
"'0
< ~o ~. ~ ~ • ~ ). This makes us thin}{, naturally
enough, tha.t (lur grand Sires of old had even antici-
pated Steno l a.nd Leibnitz,2 Lehman! a.nd
1 An Italian. A. D.1669.2 A. German. A. D.l68().
3 A German. A. D. 1756.
Werner,'" Williams Smith and other satellites of
the 17 th, 18 th, and the 19 th centuries of the
Christian Era, in this abstruse science of 5Geology.
(Please see Vedic Fathe·rs of Geology. of my humble
&If. Ed 1912. pp. 92, 93, et S&q ).
'VERY REMOTE ANTIQUITY OF OUR
RIG-VEDIC SmES.
In fact, our Rig-Vedic forefathers seem to
have belonged to the latter part of the Tertiary
;Era, ~nd the following verse in the' Rig-V~da corro-
borates my view.
'lIfilSU-~ ~~ai ~ ..~ I (R. v.
W. 95.2 ).
This verse shows, beyond all douht, that our
-ootedil:uvian Rig-Vedic Sires had see~ the river Saras-
vati, leaving its source - the Himalaya monntain-
.1tlld actually flowing into the sea. This sea, accor-
ding to geologists, wa~ the Rajputana Sea of the
lertiary Epoch, or of even remoter Palaeozoic age;
4 A German. Close of the 18 th oontury. A. D ..
5 An Englishman. A. D.1809.
u Aooording to this science, the Earth that was at
fivst in a gaseous state and then in a liquid' condition,
~ at la"t beoome a sol·td (;1·ust. And we find this
geologioal transformation, described. even in the Rig-
Veda:-?:f: (~:) ~ ( ?:f:q4ctl~f'RfIi{{WII& ~
R. V. II. 12. 2. ~~ I H. V. X, 121. 5. Please
See The Vedic Fathers of Geology, of my humbleself,pp
104-131, in wbichQ~logtqal resultsof thtt West nave
also wen oompared. Ed 1912. Obviously. Sarasvati'fl
ereation of laud has refarenoe to this transformation.
 5

when, both the sea. and the river flowing into it,
were in existence, and ha.d not disappeared owing to
cataclysms, consequent upon the advent of the Grellt
Ice Age, or the Pleistocene Ern,. (vide the Ency. Br.
Vol. XXII. p 866. Eleventh. Ed, and The Imperial
Ga~etteer of India. Vol. I. p. 1. Ed. 1907 ),
Even speaking from only historicaI points of
view, it has been admitted. by historians, that we-
Hindus, that is Indo-Aryans, have been older than
the pyramids, and much more so our gl'and Sires
of old - the Rig-Vedic ancestors, Because,.
" Ere yet the pyramids looked down upon the
valley of the Nile - when Greece and Italy, those-
cradles of modern civilization, housed only the
tenants of'the wilderness, India. was the seat of
wealth and grandeur". (Thornton's History of
India. Vol I. p. 2).
OUR SOJOURN IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS:,
VlID[C TESTIMONY.

But, why wa.ste time and energy, by adducing

all this proof, when We have direct and the oldest
evidence in the Rig-Veda itself, and also in the
A vestic Scriptures, of our havi';p been in the Arctic
regions for II. considerable period, ll!W even in the
enjoyment of long dawns, long days: and fearfully
-long tedious nights, Juring our sojourn in the
Arctic colonies. This, therefore, I will tit once
produce before the read~r, and give for hie convic~
tion, only a. few examples, to save time a.nd spare,
in consecutive order.
 ,6

rLong D&wns;ite~: in ~~, t R.V.

V,'79. 9, "( Oh Dawn!) Daughter of' the
sky! Do not delay, or tarry long" .
This evidently indicates a y~ry strong
-desire on the part of our Rig-Vedic ances-
tors to see the Sun coming above the
horizon soon.
-8,,"~ "pINti*( qr srNl"5~ ~ I
R. V. VII. 76. 3. "In truth, great is the
number of the Dawns that were aforetime
at the Sun's uprising. "
Long Days~ mrtIf ~ IF ~R.V.V.54-5.
, "The Sun extended his daily course to an un-
usual length. "
"~~~~~I R.V.X.138.3.
"'In the midst (of heaven ),the Sun unyoked
his car".
Long Nights ""1.. 44 ~Rt~ an 'II (nIi~
;;Wttl'dfilUI:R.V.II.27.14."O Indra! May I obtain the
'wide fearless Jight. May not the long darkness
come over us."
~ I ann 11': Uau ~q" R. V.X.121. 6.
4' Oh Night-Urmya ! Become fordable with ease.

, {That is, without any difficulty).

But, above all, we have in the Atharva Veda, a
very distinct statement and clear declaration made
by our Terti.ary Ancestors, in respect of the e3Jtre-
me length oj night and even tiresome darkness, which
they were actully afraid of, as they were not
accustomed to it while they were living in, their
Cradle Land of Aryavarta, designated as "the
 7
Lanl} of the Seven Rivers", during the V odic
times. Naturally enough, therefore, they appear
to have given vent to this feeling, and exclaimed
. in great dismay. and disappointment that, " Its
f Night's) yonde1' boundary is not seen"
('I'~: crr'( ~{iit I A. V. XIX. 47.2 ).
It would not be out of place here to observe
further, that in the Arctic, the continuous long
nights lasted for a long period, say from three to
.even six months, uninterruptedly, like six months:
long day, thus making the year consist of one long
night and one long day, each of six months' dura-
tion. This therefore, confirms the tradition found
in the Taittiriya Brahmana, which says," That
which is a year is bnt a single day of the Gods".
That is to say, a nyctheme1'on, one half being
bright, the other half dark,
~lIi err ~~'""': ~~: I
(6 0 lITo ~.fI,.~~-,.).
A VESTIC TESTIM0NY.
Apart from this fact, we come accross an
altogether unexpected testimony, which is no other
ihan that of the A vestic S<.'ripture. This obviously
forms an independent source of evidence, affords
beyond all doubt, strong corroboration in res~ect
'0£ our extensive Arctic Colonies, and sup~orts the
theory of the Aryavartic Home and the Aryan
-Cradle in the Sal)ta-Sindhus, otherwise known as the
Land ot the World-renOwed Seven! Rivers. I shall,
1 The Sapta-Sindhus or the World-renowned Seven
Rivers of Aryavarta are ( 1) fhe Ganges, ( 2) the. Ya-
I
 8
therefore, venture to place this evidence before the
Reader.
It would be clearly perceived from the
A vestic sacred records, that our Iranian brethren
had also sojourned for a considerable time in the
Arctic regions, during the latter part of the
Tertiary Period, and before the advent of the
Great Ice Age, when the climate of the place was
mild and genial. For, the Vendidad expressly
says (40) " Once a year, one sees there (that is, in
the Arctic regions) stars, Moon, and Sun, rising
and setting".
(41) "And they think a day what is a year."
(Viae Vendidad. Ch. II. as also Dr. Mang's Parsee
Religion, p 205. Edition 1862).
Besides this, the Vendidad says in I. 4~
" there were ten months' winter and two months'
summer in Aifyan Vl\ejo". (Viae Dr. Rang's
Parsee Religion. p 201. Edition 1862).
Evidently, all these are the sure characteris-
tics of the Polar and Circum-Polar regions, and
prove withal, that at one time, the Iranians had
lived in those regions for a period long enough, to
have had sufficient experience of six months' day
and dreadfully lengthy wintry nights of six
months.
mnna, (3) the Sarawati, (4, the sutlaj or the Vedio Shum-
dri, ( 5 ) the Ravi,Parashui, or the Iravati, (6) the Oha-
nab, OhaMj'abhag.a, or ASikni, and ( 7 ) the Sindhu,
better known to the Oooidentals by the name of the
Indus.
 9

It seems, therefore, that a few Indo~.A.rvan

colonists as a.lso Iranians and other Arya.n
branches of the pa·rent Indo-Aryan stock1 had,
after leHing 'their Cradle Land of the Seven
Rivers, once-remained in the Arctic Colonies of
Aryava.rta, for a. considerable time, during the
Tertiary Ef)Och, 01' the Pre-Gla.cial Period; when,
:all of a sudden, thick sheets of snoW and Ice
'having spread all over the northern regions, and
mainly covered the higher latitudes, our Ardie
Colonists-the Indo-Aryans-, returned to their
i The faot that our' primitive Anoestors of the land of
tha Heven rivers, were the parents of tha Al-yan branoh-
.as of Mankind. viz. the Perso-Aryans.and tho European
~ has been admi.tted.e:v.en .b.y tll..'l,1di,te .~6.rJ!
1md :Oooidontal soholal'8. FQl' ~ CorBeIl says "the
aJlcieDt Persians derivced ••• thQir laDgnage itself from the
lndo-Aryans (cr the HindOO6 of ludia .proper ), and
w-.e themselves no other tMn the desoendauts of a
branoh of the latter people. who had seoeded from their
brethren and migrated to thewest. or been expelled from
their native oountry fromthe·effeots of religious dissen-
si,OJilS resulting in oivil War. " (-Vide The Journal.R. A.
S. of Great Britain and Ireland. vol. XVI. It-54.· pp
194.195). .
And ~"ain saytf Y. Louis Jacolliot as follows:-" The
Sanskrit is in itHelf the most irrefutable and most Simple
proof of tha Indian origin of the raOO6 of Europe, and of
India's maternity ."
..... ~The primitive language "-( is the Vedio Sans-
krit}-" from whiob ancient and modern idiODll3 are des-
4ellded " ... p 178.
" ...This anoient oountry (India)...... was the oradle of
the white raoe" p118, and "is thewQl'ld'liOl'adle." p VII.
( villela Bible Dans L' Inde. By M. Louis Jaoolliot.
Ed 1870. •
 10
mother-couutry, the Land'of the Seven Rivers,
keeping ever befor their view the highest
Hima.layas, hown as the ":"YO'I'thern Mountain
(tt~@:(MR), because it was the one and
the only Guiding Mark in the great Ice-floods of th~
Pleistocene Age. '
TIm GREAT ICE-AGE AND ITS
DURATI0N.
Now, the deluge, in the Shatapatha Brahmana,
is the sa.me as the 1vinter-frost of the A vestic
Scri:rtures; and both these obviously refer to the-
Pleistocene Or the Glacial. Period, which lasted
for a considera.ble time, l and WitS followed by

1 In view of giving to the Reader some idea as to the

time that has elapsed since the ()lose of the Tertiary
Epooh, and th6 period during whioh the GJacial Era last-
ed, it wiU, I think, not be out of place to state here opi-
nions of eminent geologists and Savants. Aooording to;
Dr. Croll, the Glaoial period must have begnn 240,000
years before, and ended fvllowed by the Quaternary' or
the Post-Glaoial Pariod about 80,000 years ago, having
lasted for nearly 160,000 years with alterations of milder
and even tropioal tempel'3mre. (1'ide Dr.Croll's Climate
and time, and cUmate and Cosmology). Many .Ameri-
oan geologists, however, are of opinion that the olose of
the last Glaoial Epooh must not have takan place at that
date, and assign a period of only 8,000 years to the 01-086
of the last Glacial Epooh. But, Professor Geikie and other
eminent geologists think otherwise, as they oonisder that
there were five Glacial aud four inter-Glacial Eras, and
that the total duration thereof must have extended to
about 10,000 years.
Moreover, Sir Charls I.lyell, who had visited the Nia-
gara falls in 1861, after Iltudying and oarefully reoonsi-
 11

the Quaternary Era, or the Post-Glacial Period.

Thus, our sojourn in the Arctic regions, bll£ore
-the Great Ice Age, having been substantiated
by facts heretofore adduced, these abundantly
'Prove our Tertiary antiquity. I shall, therefore,
now turn to the remaining question of our having
never been Nomads, but autocltthlmous Agriculturists
in the Land of the Sevpn Rivers.
Great misapprehension prevails, among ma.ny
~riental and Occidental scholars, in respect of the
land of our ori!Jin; and diveItent views have been
beld with regard to this.' Many erroneously think
ns.:...lndo-Aryans-to he but foreigners in the Land
of the Seven Rivers; and this has given rise to
another fundamental error, that describes us as No.
mads,who, while wandering from either European
t'teppes or Central Asian plateaus, had subse-
quently occupied the Land of the Seven River"
and finally settled there.
But, they appear to have altogether ignored the
facts 1 mentioned in the Rig-Veda, and have more.
daring all the data in the matter of invetltigations, by
whioh geologioal time oould be measnrad in years, oon-
olnded that the time sinoe the olose of the Glaoial Epoch
was probably 31,000 years. And ourionsly enongh, .Pro-
fesserJ. W. fpencer arrives at the rebult, apparently
identioal with tluit of Lyell. viz. 32 000 years ( t'ide also
my Work' The Veclic lathct·s ojGeology.' ChapteI II,
relating to the Great Antiquity of the Vetlas from the
Oeologioal point of view. pp 25-85.)
1 (a) Vide my work-A'ryavat·tic Home and Its
~rctic Oolonit:8, pp. 21 (Foot-note'3) 22; 68-71 et seq..
 12
over failed to observe that, we-Indo-Arya.ns-we~
never immigrants into India, but had emigrated'
from .India to distant lands, for extending our
civilization aud spreading our Soma. cult elsewhere.
]lere, however, it might be asked, what was the-
direction of our march, and whether the same has
been indicated in the body of the Rig-Veda, any
where.
To this query, the evidence in the Rig-Veda.
furnishes a straight refTly, and informs us, that
the direction of our Vedic ancestors' march from
India was, in the first place, only from East to
West, that is, from the Ganges, the Jamna, the-
Sarasvati, 9"C, of the East, down t.o the Kubha or-
Kabul and other rivers of the West, in the frontier
region of Afganisthan. A.ll these riverl!, about
nineteen in number, are mentioned in the Rig-Veda.~
~nd we find them in R. V. X. 75-5, 6, distinctly
enumerated.
After visiting other countries of the West,.
during their m!.rch onwards, our Rig-Vedi~ ances-
tors seem to have changed their course, and had
gon.} towards the North. Nay, in view of ci-
vilizing the dista.nt lands, and spreading the-
Soma-cult there, our fore-fathers had occupied even
75; 96-162; 188-196; 238-250; 261-315; 318-350; 3M--
378; 429-462.
(b) My other work&--(l} The Indigenous Soma and-
the Ai'yan A utochthOnt:8 in India. as also (2) Soma
Juice is not Liqtwr. These dmwlish altogethe1' the
A?'ctic Home Theory. the E'I1/1'opean Hypotlksis, and
the Oent1'at Asian Question.
 13
the Circum-polar and the Arctic regions, and so-
journed ther~ for a con."liderable period, as a.leady
described ( vide ante pp 5-10 ). '
The evidence of the aforesaid march towards' the
North, of our Rig-Vedic fore-fathers, seemsappa.-
rent from a. verse in the Rig-Veda, which for faci-
lity' of r~ferenee, I quote here below:-
.~mr;sr ~ ~ aq"TVq: I
~ m ~ II ( !iI\. ~. ~. '~. ,"')
" Oh lndra ! Thou, who art fond of Soma-drink~
ha.dst destroyed and scattered the company of those
who never extracted the juice (of Soma.), and hadst
a ( victorious) march to the North, (victorious,
because, the non-believers 'Were destroyed and
dispersed)."
With these preliminary observations,requisite
for ,the proper grasfl of the subject, I would now
proceed to discuss, whether we-Indo-Aryans-better
knowll a.s Hindus, were Nomads, a.s supposed,
owing to ignorance, even by Oriental scholars
known to fame, barring exceptions. Of these, H.
iI, Wilson, M. A. F. R. S., is one. Ri!! affir-
mation, therefore, of our having been not nomads,
ha.s unique importa.nce and bea.ring, gravity and
Mlidity, soundness and strength, all its own. I,
tberetore, make no apology, for quoting it here.
~yshe, "It has been a favourite notion, with
some eminent scholars, that the Rindus, at the
~eriod of the composition of the hymns (oftha
"ig-Veda), were a nomadic and pastoral people •
. 2 '
 14
1his opinion seems to rest solely upon the fre-
quent solicitations for food, and for horses and
cattle, which are found in the hymns, and is un-
supported by any more positive statements. That
the Hindus were not nomads is evident from the
repeated allusions to fixed dwellings, and villages~
and towns." (vide Rig-Veda Samhita. First
Ashtaka.. Translated by H. H. Wilson. 2nd Ed.
1866. Pfl. XL, XLI ).
"They (the Rindus )", says Wilson, " were an
agricultural people, as is evidenced by their-
supplications for abundant rain, and for the fertility
of the earth, and by the mention of agricultural
products, particularly barley. " ( Do. Do. p. 57 ).
I have cited the Occidental testimony first, be-
cause the same havinJ:! been in English, it would
go home to the heart of the reader, and appeal to
him direct. He, however, having not been eqnally
conversa.nt with the Vedic Sanskrit in which the
original evidence appears, I thought it advisable
to give it subsequently, and this I will now
produce.
In the Rig-Veda (X. 34-13), Rishi Kavasha
says,-" Cultivate the land ( ~), consider agri-
culture as your wealtll, .and enjoy with plea.sure that
wealth, or the profits secured therefrom ( i'I~....
~ ~~ ): Because, it is for agriculture that the
Cattle are required (n Q(if:), and this livestock
mnst be considered to be the real wealth which you
.hould take delight in, ( ~.•.~ ~ )" .. More-
 15
<over, says the same Rig-Vedic Poet that," It is
agricultut'e that enables us to enjoy domestic hapfli-
ness and home comfort (ffiI' ;mqT)". Nay, the Poet
has even taken pretty good care to inform us, for
requisite guidance, lest he (the Poet) be charged
with exaggeratiou of facts, that the -aforesaid <;Ie-
cl!\ration made by him, in regard to the benefits
that accrued from agriculture, was not his own
imagination, but that he had only refleated what
was described to him by the Sun-God, saying that,
~., This has been told to me by the Lord God Savitar
himself (a;il fctq ~fcR:rlq~q: )."
I give, hereinbelow, the verse in original, with
its translation as rendered into English, the same
being very important from the stand-point of lively
interest taken in agriculture, even at that distant
date, by our hoary ancestors.
_ E{ioq: ~rqt'~ ~~ ~~" il&~If: •
n iTT,,: t.a<t ~nt iSJlqT a;~ ~... ~ t1I%n~: II
( Rig-Veda X. 34-13 ).
~. Play not ''lith dice. Cultivate thy land. Take
delight in the wealth t that accruse from the pro-
fits of the agricultural produce. For, it is there
( ~ §, i. e. in agriculture) that the livestock
(cows and bullocks--iTT<r:) will be (evl'l' on the
t I venture here to state that I have followed Sa-

r
:ya~a in explaining the verse of the Rig-Veda : and the
eat EXegetist has interpreted the expression f<ffl ~
by ~ ~ ~ ~ I ;rfct ~ I 'l'hat is to eay, (en-
. eavour to find pleasure in the enjoyment of the riohes
ained by agriculture
, § i'fSI' •• 00 " lJT<ir ~ I 'ifMT ~ I
 16
increase ), It is there (~i. e. in a,qrieultur.e)
that the domestic happiness that consists in ~ife
( and children) will be obtained. Nay, this has
been told to me by the Lord (God) Savitar
himself" .
Perhaps, some scholars would, here, bring in
the argument, or advance the theory, that the
Tenth Book of the Rig-Veda constitutes the later
part of it. But I would then urge, and even
show, that the liig-Vedic text from which I have
quoted above, is not the only, or even, an isolated
instance of the keen interest taken by our hoary
ancestors, or rather our Tertiary Forefathers and
their still older Gods, in agriculture. Since, there
are innumerable examples of the land having been
cultinted, the soil ploughed, the seed SOwn there-
in, and reference made to the fact every now and
then. Nay, the mention of barley appears every-
where; and even in the earlier parts of the Rig-
Vead, the description of the corn ( ~cr ) in some
form 01' other, seems scattered.
In R. V. 1. 23. 15, said to be the earlier por-
tion of the Rig-Veda, comflarison seems to have
been instituted between the return of the six
seasons, through the instrumentality of God Pushan,
by means of the Soma-juice, and the recurring
annual yield of Yava (~cr) or barley-corn, evident- .
ly secured by cultivating the land, by ploughing
the fields· therein ( ~ ), and by sowing seeds in
the furrows caused by ploughs drawn by bullocks
(rit~: ).
 17
This, therefore, shows that agricultur.e~as
not- only known to the Primitive Ancestors Qf .our
Vedic Fore-fathers, but was actually in use for a.
considerable period, nay, £rom even such hoary
times, as to be a fit subject even for comparison
with things or objects older still. Consequently, the
verse is certainly very important from the stand-
point of agriculture; and as such, I would make no
!apology for quoting it here in full.
~T ~ ~.~iil: q~.ffi, ~~ I
~;r~ II (Rig-Veda. 1. 23-15. )
" And may he (Pilshan) duly bring t.o me
the six (seasons) bound closely, through these
drops ( of Soma ), as one, who ploughs with steers,
brings corn".
In the above verse, the expression "~~(~:"
has been explained by Siyana as meaning "~:
~:, " while " ~~ "has been interpreted as
" ~m;fI~a~, " and ,. IT'~ ~" as meaning
" ~~ '" 'it t:>:.:=."
~: ... ~ ... qijl~~... SfT~~~~' ~;r:
...
~;r: ~~

~"'-
Thus, this verse is most important, as it pro-
minently brings to our view two main points-, t.hat,
can never be ignored, nor lightly set aside. These
are (a) firstly, the earliest mention of the sim seasons,
-and (b) secondly, the innate love of agriculture, in
which so much interest was evinced even from
Primitive ti.mes~ The first point evidently indicates
the Land of sim seasons, Or rather Aryavarta, where
these were experienced by Our Tertiary Ancestor!!,
 18
even' from their very infancy, of which, detailS'
liave been given in chapter XV of my work "Arya-
vartic Home and our Arctic Colonies."
We shall now, for a while, turn our attention
to another verse in the Rig-Veda, which is of still
more importance, as it exibits to us even the twin-
born Gods As7wins, undoubtedly of very great anti-
quity, ( Vide &nfiAr ~U6IT. in R. V. III. 58.3),
taking apparently deep interest in agricuture, by
themselves producing food for men (~~~ ...
R. V. 1. 117.21), by ploughing land (~~n), and
sowing barley therein ( ~ ~ ..• qq~r •••). Thus, they,
in a way, seem to have been initiating our Pri'mi-
tive Ancestors in the agricultural pursuits, and giv-
ing them, as it were, practical lessons in the scte-
nce of farming, even in that very early period of
their existence.
But, more than this, we see the Ashvins doing
all this, (not for any person whatsoever in the
world~ that was not theirs, but) only for their fa-
vourite-the Aryan man (lHt:qfq R. V. 1. 117.21),
that offered sacrifice (~tlllfd... R. V. 1. 47-3). For
him ( ::i~Rn'ifsnq ~~d q.q~ II R. V. 1. 182.3), there-
fore, they had created broad day-light (~~m~
~uqiqllR.V.1.117.21); and it was for his
sake, tha.t they had even blasted away the Dasyu,
by their thunderbolt (lH~ ~~UT ~r ... R. V. 1.
117·21 ), as he was irreligious and non-offering
(~: ...R. V. 1. 182-3). For, they (the Ashvins)
were often solicited to destroy him (the irreligi-
 19
0.8 Dasyu), and take also his life (&l~ ~
~••. R. V. I. 182.3). Besides, there is even
direct testimony in resrect of the Ashvins having
themselves (8IAAT), in very ancient times (~),
pwughed the land and sown bade,,! therein ("" ~
II"": I R. V. VIII. 22-6), in the heavens (,~)~
wh~n favouring Manu, and offering him their assis-
t<ince(~~ •••••• R. V. Vill. 22.6).
Obviously, barley was the usual food-grain
then in use (qo;q6 ~r... R. V .. I. 135-8), and the-
ploughing operations Were but the order of the day.
Nay, these were then so very common, everywhere,.
in the Land of the Seven Rivers, eSflOcially, as agricul-
ture Was but indigenous in this country and not at all
exotic or of foreign growth, that our Primitive
Ancesto-l's of all grades, high and low, rich and
flOor, literate and illiterate, were conversant with
all the field operations. .As such, therefore, compa-
risons were every now and then instituted tvith things
agricultural, even when the matter related to religion l
or other higher 3 conception, not to speak of other
ordinary tories, where a,tpicultural boons seem to be
freely asked of, and given by, the God that Was
deemed sUJ!lreme. (Vide R. V. I. 176.2; II. 5.6; V.
85-3; VII. 93-3; X. 42-7. ). .
-1 For instance, Rig-Veda 1. 176-2, says" Make our
songs penetrate to him. who is the only One of the wise
for whom. the saored food is offered, as barley ('Iii ) is
sown and ( thrown in the field ) ploughed by the ox •
( ~ '1 takt"CI ). .
2 ( a.) This is in respect of God Agni, "who ". sa-ylJ
the Bik, " delIghts il1. the approaoh of the Adhvaryu, as.
 20
There is again one more lJOint which cannot
be lost sight of, nor ever ignored. For, hymn' 5 'I
of Mandala or 1300k IV of the Riy-Veda, is evident-
ly in praise of Agriculture, the Presiding Deity of
which is said to be eithar the God Rudra ( 'iif), Or
Fire (arfIr), or an altogether independent God
called the Lord of the Field (,,~: ); as in respect
of this, one authority says, " ~ ~~ STII:~­
~IRqllrq{ I ~ qcr en 1Wit~ ~ "II. In this
hymn, therefore, nourishment or food is solicited
from this friendlY God of AgricuUure ( ~ ~
~). For, our cow and the ox (rr~...qf~~...
.. :R. V. IV. 57.1) were deemed to be the only
:tho barley ( orop ) at the approaoh of rain " ( ~~~­
.~~ q<ii ~ '"~ IIR. v. II. 5. 6.
( b) And again in the Rig-Veda (1.66.2), itis said
thai Agni is most useful. like the ripened barley ( .n
'" 1Qi: ).
( c ) While in Rig-Veda V. 85 3, the Poet deolares
that, "the Sovereign of the Universe (q~:) waters
the Earth, as the shower of the rain bedews barl9Y orops
"fit" <fit: ). I give hereinbelow, the full text of latter half
of the- verse, for faoility of referenoe:~ Iii,," ~-
~ mn .. " 'll~ ~ I ~o "'0 '-\. ~'+-\.
3 The following are a few ef the instanoes of the kind:
(a )g,,~: •••~ 1\ ~~ ~ I R. VII. 93.3.
" This Dldra••.sends us in a full broad stream. ( riohes
in horses, kine. and barley ••'
eb ) _ ~ 'fiPI~~ .•••R. v. x. 42. 7; ,'() rndra
.give us wealth in barley ( ~ ) and kine " ( ~ ).
( e ) cr4ftr lim ~ 8ftq ~ tr.i" ':f~,.q" ~ II
~. V.X. 43. 7; .. In plaoes of saarifioe, Bage8 exalt ~
( Indra's) might, as the shower (of rain) no1U'ishes
barley ( orops·)"
 21
riches, or at any ra.te agricttlturalu·ealth, during the
Vedic and the Pre-Vedic period; and this wealth in
cattle was asked every now and then, by our Primi.
tive Ancestors, from Indra and other Gods. (R. V.
I. 29. 1-7; III. 23.5; Ill. 26-3).
In like manner, the God of Agriculture or the:
Presiding Deity of the }i'ield (~qiit: R. V. IV.
57-3) seemli to have been surrlicated to be ever
full of sweetness, in order· that our Primitiv&
Ancestors may follow Rim uuinjured (~ ...,.."-
~oc;+t.mIlR. V. IV. 57-3). Further rrayors
seem still more flreguant· with meaning, as the
flJeU-being of agricultural cattle (p 1!IItl:) and of the
husbandman (~: ), the fertilizatiim of the land
and the pt'Osperity caused by plou.9hin9 and cultivating
it (grt ~ ~.I R. V. IV. 57.4), have also been
nrgently solicted. Nay, ou!" Primitive Ancestors
had even bowed their necks to the personified Land'
Agriculture, or S;ta (~Tif ~ ""), had solicited
her to favour them with her presence (arciNl gllit ~),
and had, moreover, ask.~d her blessings, in view ot
enabling them to enjoy the fruits of their labour
(fJlIf'F: ~~T'?r~Pr: ~~r~m II R. V. IV. 57.6).
Evidentl y, they were fully aware of the ad van,..·
*ages reaped fr{}jJt tlte cltltit'ation i~f land, and had'
eJen app'reciaf.ed tTte increasing annual yield which
the rloughing of the finld and the improved agricul.;
ture unremittingly" offered. For, says the Rik-Poet,
as if fully cognisant oj, and t!lO'roughly acquainted with,
the agricultural operations in aU their- aspect8 and ~8"
as follows:-
 22
~:~f'f~m 'l"~1
"''':~~~~" t~o;lO V·"\IS-It.)
" May Indra flre88 the furrow down (by making
'the earth soft through showers of rain ), may P~shan
.guide its course aright".
" May she ( Slta or Land ), as rich in milk, be
drained for us through each succeeding year".
And above a.ll, the recurrence of 'floughing
<Jperations (~'f: ~ fer ~i'J ~), the well-being
of husbandmen with the agncultural livestock (!I't
~ 81ftf ~~: I), a.nd the showers of rain suffi-
cient for the growth of croflS (~~ ~ ~: )
are also Mked of the Agrieultural Gods-Shuna and
Beera(~~~11 R. V.IV,57.1).
It, therefore, clearly appears from the evidence
flrodnced heretofore, that thc Primitive Ancestors
·of our Rip·Vedic Fore-fathers were not only not
Nomads, nor ignorant of tlle cultivation of land even in
those primitive times,but having been autochthlmous
in Aryavarta, they therl'tselves had actually practised
agriculture, there. Nay, they had, it seems, made.
gradual, yet rerltarkable progl'ess therein, as there is
,abundant and flositive flrOO[ to show that, they were
aware even of tlte 1'otation of crops, and were eiree-
i;vely making the o!"erations, by sowing the various
seeds, alternately and in succession (~~ ~
~ I Rig-Veda X. 131.2 ), thttt is to f'tl.y, one after
the other, and then taking the produce in time. For,
they knew we-Il, that different kinds of seeds were to
be sown at different periods, and that the produce
 23
thereof was to be taken at the profler season whell'
the crops were ripe, as would appear from the-
following verse.
~ qqilat qcj t"tNt ~r~ "'Til
(R. V. X. 131. 2).
" As men, whose fields are full of barley t-
reap the ripe corn, removing it, in order. "
Besides, the faot that our older ancestors had'
-frimary knowledge or original idea of Agriculture,
appears to have been admitted even by Professor-
Macdonell. For, says he, "They (the Veclic
Aryans) had ...... at least a primitive knowledge of
agriculture, as is shown by the Indians and'
Iranians having such terms as "to plough" (krish)
in common. This had, indeed, by the time of the,
Ri!J-Vdea, become an industry second only to cattlo-
breeding in importance." (Vide History of Sans-
krit Literature. By Arthur A. Macdonell. p. 166.
Edition 1900).
Thus, the whole thing in a nutshel is simply'
this : that agriculture has been indigenous in the Lana
of the Seven Rivers; that as suoh, it was primarily
lcnown to auf' Primitive Fore-Jathers (ante pp. 14-23);
that even our most ancient Gods had taken deep inter-
. est in the cultivation of the land of our hirth, for
-giving, as it were, practical lessons to our ancient
Sires, in agriculture (p. 18 ); that agricultural opera-
tions were in full swing, during the Vedic and Pre-,
Vedic times; that our Primitive Ancestors huno,
:oery well the 1'Otations of crops (P. 22); that they
 :.&4

'Wa"e practising it with great tact and skill (pp 23,

24); and that there was gradnal and yet material
flrogress in agriculture.
Apart from this, there is yet ,One more ~mport­
ant thing which must always be borne in mind; and
it is this. That during the Vedic and even Pre-
Vedic fleriod, the cow and the lIfYl'se were ever deemed
:to be the chief toealth (vide Rig-Veda I. 29. 1 CiY 7;
ill, 23. 5. TIl. 26. 3; IV. 57. 1;). Nay,
~ven in modern times, the Cow has been
deemed to be so, by the agricultural class, though they
be Brahmsns, Kshatrias, Vaishyas, and Shudras;
as some of these have a special liking for, and have
therefore stuck to, the agricultural pursuits. In fact,
vast importa~ce seems to ha~e been attached to the j
Cow; and thIS WaS certamly a factor of great!
magnitude in the life of our P.rimitivc Aryah
Ancestors. But, the cow, as we all know, is an
ani.nal that cannot stand nomadic life, nor can i
bear the toils of wandering, and fatigues of ion
journeys; from place to place, in search of pasture
Besides, this animal, not to say the ox as well
'Seems to be so very fastidious as regards its foo
and drink, that the least Mglect in its care be
-comes the source of its illness, and eventually
-causes death. It would, therefore, not be out 0
place to bring forward, in this respect, the testi
monyof the West and of a European scholar, for
the verification of my statement. " Because " ,
flays Zenaida. A. Ragozin, " The cow, unlike
 25
the sheep, is unfit for a nomadic life and in-
capable of bearing the hardship of continual change
:!\nd marching. Those who use oxen as beasts of
burden and draught, know very well that they
have to be driven at an easy pace, by short
stages, and moreover positively require one full
day of rest at least in seven or eight, if they are
to be kept in anything like tolerable condition.
They are also very fastidious as to their food, and
the least neglect in the care of them, the least
pressure of over-work, causes loss of flesh and
spirits, agonizingly sore hoofs, then illness and
,death in a very short time:'- (Vide" Vedic India",
By Zenaide A. Regozin. 1). 63. Edition 1895 ).
The Cow, evidently, has been Our very ancient,
~aC'l'ed,a.nd muoh esteemed wealth, and we have been
deeming it so, £01' more reasons than one. In the
first place, it has been the givet' of manifold riches
and prosperity, that we desire (~"r ~: ......~...
~~Iit II R. V. II, 2. 9.); secondly, it has been
the sou,roe of t'l'lilk, curds, and Ghrita or clarified
butter, required for the Soma-juice and Soma-sacri-
fi(jC [ ...~.... ..~d qlJ: II R. V. IX. 62. 9 ;
..:..~. rr·.... ".......
qn
....... lIr~{i!JJ" aTI!fnJ 1...... ( ~riJr ) {l{: II R. V; IX;
103. 2]; and thirdly, it has been instrumental in
~ieldillg produot of the bovine kind
wanted £01' tillage
and other agricultural purposes, as earnest prayers
~eem to have been offered for the well-being of the
cattle required for husbandry ( g;f -mrr: R. V. IV.
57.4).
3
 26
In the Yajur-Veda also, We find the a[fticul-
tural operations in full swing. As such, therfore, am.rle
scope seems to have been given to the cultivation of
land and the ploughing of finlds. (Vide white Yajur-
Veda. Book XII, verses 68, 69, 70, 71). Nay,
even the blessings that accrue from agricultue scem
to have he!>n fully aPl"reciatcd, as it is said there
in ( XII. 71) that " the keen shared plough
bringeth bliss. "
Moreover, the nwst ancient t'raciit'ions in res.rect
of our primary agricultural occupation, nay, of the
agricultural pursuits having been indigenous in the
Land of the Seven Rivers, aFlFlear not only in the Rig-
Veda, scattered everywhere, but seem to have had
their course continued with great~r vigour and fuller
sFleed, even during the period of Atharva-Veda and
still later times. For instance, in the Atharva-Veda,
it is said with decision and persl"eeuity, that " Mis
Land of the Indus", (that is, the bnd watered hy
the Indus: ~~...... 1~~: .•..•. XII, 1. 3), the laud
" of the Snow-clad Mountains" (m~~~ tr.im ~:
... ~~ .... XII. 1. 11 ) and " of Sacrifices" ( q~f
~~,,: .••.• .1 ~,. q~'iI~~: ~$ ~Eht: 1.. ...•
XII.l. 38) had her indigenous IJWughing and agriculture
(~~uq: ~~: 1 XII. 1.4), as also her seeds, and
food-grain (~PNf ...... 1 XII. 1.4); which evidf'ntly
means, that husbandry hag its origin and growth in
Aryil, varta itself, that is, in the Vedic Sapta-Sindhus
(~ij~:, or the Land of the Seven Rivers. )
Agriculture, therefore, it will be "easily percei·
ved. was not at ail exotic in the limd, but was sim-
 27
ply indigenous here. Neither was the conception
-Qf the rotation of crof>S, nor for the matter' of that
the Science of agriculture itself, foreign,· in any
way, to the soil. Na.y, these, as also other agri-
cultural improvements, Were all originally concei-
ved in the country, and as such, were, tlw product of
the Land.
All this, obviously, will tell its own tale, and
will show withal that, Our Primitive Ancestors
having had, from the remotest times, so much
natura\ love of agriculture, could never be expected,
to do- aught that would thwart tillage' or de.'3troy
.fields. Nor is there any the least ground to suppose
t~t "ey had ever leti. nomadic U/e, during Vedic
times, or the earlier Rig-Vedic and rre-Rig-Vedic
period.
Professor Wilson therefore sa.ys, "They ( the
Primitive Rig-Vedic and Pre-Rig-Vedic Aryans),
were ( not only agriculturists, but also). a manufa-
cturing people; for, the art of weaving, the labours
of the carpenter, and the fa.brication of golden and
of iron mail, are alluded to; and, what is more
remarkable, they Were a maritime and mercantile
people." Moreover, they had made an " advance
in astronomical computation. " (p XLI Ibid. )
Because, the Professor adds, "Not only
-Re tbs Suktas familiar with the Ocean and its phe-
nomena, but we have marchants described as pressing
earnestly on board ship, for the sake of gain (p
!
r52. ;a.ndwe have. naval exp~dition against a £o're~
~gn .J§land, or contment ( dwtpa), frustrated bya
 28
shipwreck (p 307 ). " [ Vide Wilson's Translation
of the Rig-Veda. Introduction. p XLI. Second
Edition. 1866. ]
These antecedents of our Primitive Aryan Sires,
therefore, do not in the least, betoken a nomadic
life, which, on the contrary, has always been found
altogether different from that of our Primitive An-
cestors, as pictured in the Rig-Veda. In fact, We
never find Nomads as (aj Primitive poets and philo-
sophers, (b) supremely religious and naturally
given to contemplation, (c) sacrificers and de.votees,
(d) astronom('rs and keen observers of Nature, (e) scien-
tists and lovers of peaceful and fine Arts, (f) a.
mercantile people and· Ii maritime power, (ff)
advanced in eivilization and in the art of
Government, (II) well versed in the powers oj
organisation and flossessed of legitimate pride in the
superiority of their race and nation, as our Primi-
tifJe Ancestors and Vedic Fore-fathers have ever
been describ~d to be. ( Vide pp. 39, 40, 41, 51,
52, 65, 90, 91, 97, 273, etc, of my work Ar;ravartic
Home and Its Arctic Colonie.•• Ed. 1915).
Evidently, theirs was the life that was more seclatt
and given to I contemplation. They, therefore, could
not certainly be expected to have had liking in the
least for itinerant life, or for wandering from
place to place. Thus, there is absolutely no evi-
l This is admitted even by foreigners. For says Max
MnI.ler ... " His ( Hindn ) oharaoter remained the same.
pal!8ive, meditative. quiet, and full of faith "( History
of Anoient SanSKrit Literature p J 6 Edition 1859 ).
 29
dence whatever in respect of our Primitive Ances-
tors having ever been" Nomads". ( Vide ante pp.
13,14,22, et seq). Oonsequently, "NO!1tads" is
a term, which, as applied to our Primitive Aryan
Ancestors, and our Vedic Fore-fathers, appears
undoubtedly to be a misnomer.
:But, notwithstandiug these fa.cts, many scholars
of note have stamped Our Indo-Arya.n primitive
ancestors as 2nomads for which, however, not only is-
there no evidence wha.tever, but in respect of which ,
a.s described before in detail, quite the contrary
seems to hllve been proved, by the testimony of
the admittedly genuine and the "oldeste:ctant re-
cords of the ancient world."-the Rig Veda. ( ante pp.
18, 19, Foot-notes, as also pp. 13, 14.).
Yet, . r~lying mainly on the Avestic Scriptures,
of which the Vendidad forms but a.n importl'tnt pa.rt,
Dr . .JIaug ha.s, in his" Essays On the ParseeReli.
gion '_', intimated, tha.t the Vedic BrAhmans
2 ( a ) For instance, Max Muller oalIs them " adven'
turous nomands. ( History of anoient sansKrit LiteMmre-
p 12. Edition 1859 ).
( b ) Martin Hang says that. ., the ancient Arian so-
oiety. throughout the earlier 'Vedio period and the Bra-
hmanio tribes, were given to the nomadio life, as long 3-
they oooupied the upper part of the Panjab, whenoe they
immigrated into Hindnstan Proper " ••.••. ( ;Religion ~
the"Parsees. p 249. Edition 1862). ,
( 0 ) While I8aaO Taylor de()lares them to be "nomads'
at no very dirtant time. '~ ('rhe Origin of the Aryans. p
23. Edition 1906.)
Compare all these baseless SSStlrtions With what H. H.
Wilson has said on the subject. Vide ailtepp 13,1••
.-~.
 30

tCere tnimical to agrtt,ulture (Vide p. 161. Foot:'

note. Edition 1862). This, however, has been·
fully refuted and disproved by the very evidence
in the Rig-Veda, cited hereinbefore (ante pp18;.24).
Besides, our st1'id Vedic injunction has bun to ever
nick to a,!friculture (~x. 34-13); and
apart from this, we have yet to remember the
fact, that. the Avestic testimony must always be-
received with tile greatest caution, and must ever be
taken for what it is worth, especially in regard to-
baseless allegations 1ltade by Iranic Aryans, owing to-
unfriendlY feelings against our Vedic Aryans, for
the one main reason, that this Iranian Scripture-
the Vendidad-was, as its very name indicates s
composed for the e:epress purpose of giving vent to
all the wild talk, poisonous calumny, groundless
charges, and violent aspersions against, our Vadic
Fore-fathers, who wore dnbbed Devas in, tontempt by
the Iranians, a fact but candidly admitted by eveR
Western scholars. For, says Dr. -Hang thus: "In
the confession of faith as recited even up to this-
day, the Zoroastriari religion is distinctly said to
be fIi-da-eoo, i. e. against the Devas, opposed to
them, (soo Yasna 12 page 164); and one of their
most sacred books is called vi-daeoo-data ( now
corrupted into Vendidad ), i. e. what is given
against, or for the removal of, the devas. " ( ~ide
Dr. Haug's "Essay's On the Religion of the Par--
sees". p. 226. Edition 1862). This, therefore~
..ill speak for itself.
 31
Now, for the conviction of the Reader, and in
view of bringing home to him the truth of my
statement that the Iranian charges, levelled at our
Vedic Ancestors, are totally false and without any
foundation at all, I venture to give from the
A vestic Scripture ( Yasna 12) a sample of the 11':\-
nian v.itu~erations. For, says Zarathusira Spitama
liS follows :-" I forsake the Devas, the wicked
bad, false, untrue, the originators of mischief,
who are most baneful, destructive, the basest of all
beings. I forsake the Devas and those who are
Devas-like ...... r forsake them with thoughts, words,
and deeds; I forsake $em hereby publicly" ..... .
(Vide Dr. Haug's" Parsee Religion".p. 164.
Edition 1862 ).
ObvioUFlly, all this was thi"!' outcome of malice
and enmity, that had originated '1ft the religions
schism, of which We have already. given the requi ..
site details ( Vide Chapter Vln and1Jp. 205, 209,
210) of my work "Aryavartic Home and Its Ardic
colonies." Ed. 1915). The <-'harges, therefore, made
1ltala fide, against our Vedic Fore-fathers as . dCfl_
troyers
. of fields, deserve nO credence whatever,
especially, when there is bona jide evidence to tha
contrary, in the Rig-Veda ( Vide ante liP. 14, 15,
~t seq.), which proves our inborn love of agri-
. culture, and shows withal, that we were never
" noma d" s ,wh'10h t erm . IS .
SImp1y a nnsnomer,
. as
shown before.
Yl·A,
FC
134 (057