November flames

[Georg von Simson]

Dominik wrote:
>November has traditionally been a bad month for flames and arguments on
>INDOLOGY.  Things build up in October and get nasty in the following
>month.
>
An interesting observation, and quite in accordance with hoary tradition:
The Vedic zrautasUtras prescribe the sAkamedhAH, "the simultaneous kindling
of fire" (one of the three seasonal rituals called cAturmAsya) for the
KRttikA fullmoon night, and the nakSatra kRttikA is indeed associated with
agni, fire. And the outbreak of the MahAbhArata battle is traditionally
placed in the month of MArgazIrSa, quite understandably, because after the
end of the rainy season the cool weather of late fall invites to warfare.

Hope that this message meets the demand of pithiness,

Georg v. Simson