1920.] Hindu Astronomical Deities. 61 
, n th 
kind, which found plenty of justification in the Vedas, but 
which was probably not altogether indigenous, was in vogue 
in northern India for a fairly long period. 
AstronomicaL Mytus. 
9. Some of the astronomical myths show Vedic origins 
but most of them belong in spirit to the epic age and some of 
them show no Vedic relationship at all? The most important 
of these myths naturally relate to the sun and moon; but, 
judged by the references in popular literature, by far the best 
known were those relating to Rohini? and Rahu.* In very 
brief outline the more important myths are as follows :— 
offspring were ‘the two Asvins. Safijfia’s father, in order to 
reduce the Sun’s power, placed him on a lathe and cut away an 
eighth part. From the fragments cut off were produced the 
discus of Vishnu, the trident of Siva, the lance of Karttikeya, 
etc. The sun was also a great scholar: he taught the Vedas? 
to Yajfiavalkya,® and to Maya the system of the planets.’ 
hence the waning and waxing. A second lunar myt) relates 
that the Moon carried off Tara, thereby causing a wide-spread 
1 The Gayatri (RV iii, 62!0) is really a Savitri mantra, and it is 
doubtful whether it originally referred to the sun. Y Se 
2 The o edic solar myth relates that Indra stole Sarya’s wheel. 
RV i, 754; iv, 304, 
3 e.g. ** For blest with Rama’s love is she, As with the Moon’s sweet 
Rohini.”” Valmiki’s Ramayana ii, 16. 2 j 
4+ e.g. ‘Like the fair moon from R&hu’s jaws set free. Mrichch- 
hakatika iv. See also Jatakas nos. 25, 481, 490, 537; Ramayana ii, 4, 
114; iii, 27, 37, 64; iv, 22; vi, 71, ete. ‘ : 
5 ef. “Thus the adorable sun, whose self is the Veda, who abides in 
the Veda and whose self is Vedic knowledge, is called the supreme soul. 
Mark. Pur. cii, 20. é 
6 AtBirvni India i, 129. 1 Sirya Siddhanta i, 1 f. 
8 VP iv, 6, ete. 
