Dirghatamas

Dirghatamas, whose name means 'long darkness,' was an ancient Indian sage and a significant figure in Vedic literature. He is credited with composing hymns 140 to 164 in the first mandala of the Rigveda. He belonged to the Angirasa rishi family and is considered a predecessor to the Gotama family of rishis. He is also noted as the reputed purohita (chief priest) of King Bharata, a significant early king of India. The legend of Dirghatamas's birth, as narrated in the Mahabharata, states that he was the son of the sage Uchathya and his wife Mamata. His uncle, Brihaspati, desired Mamata, and despite her reluctance and the protestations of the child in her womb, Brihaspati proceeded. The child, who had already learned the Vedas within the womb, cursed Brihaspati, leading to Brihaspati cursing the child to be born blind. Thus, he was named Dirghatamas. Despite his blindness, Dirghatamas married Pradveshi and had children, including Gautama. However, his life was marked by hardship. His sons were described as covetous, and he was eventually abandoned by his students and the community. His wife, Pradveshi, also expressed dissatisfaction with him as a husband. In a dramatic turn, his sons tied him to a raft and cast him into the Ganga River. He was rescued by King Bali, who then asked Dirghatamas to engage in niyoga (a practice to beget children for a family) with his queen, Sudeshna, to have heirs. However, Sudeshna sent a low-born woman instead, by whom Dirghatamas sired Kakshivan and ten other sons. Later, Bali persuaded Sudeshna to sire children with Dirghatamas, resulting in six sons who became the progenitors of the kingdoms of Anga, Vanga, Kalinga, Pundra, Cumbha, and Odra. Dirghatamas is significant for his philosophical contributions, particularly his paradoxical apothegms found in the 'Asya Vamasya Hymn' (Rigveda 1.164). These hymns have been subjects of scholarly debate regarding their date and interpretation, with some seeing them as evidence of early monistic thought. Furthermore, some scholars attribute the earliest mention of the zodiac to his hymns, citing the prevalence of numbers like 360 and its multiples in Vedic symbolism, which aligns with the concept of a 360-degree zodiacal circle. His verses are also found in some Upanishads, indicating his lasting influence on Indian philosophy.