Atri is, I believe, a personification of the _New Moon_, and thus we may understand how he is sometimes described as hidden in a dark cave, while at other times he is spoken of as in a fiery chasm, when the uppermost thought in the Vedic poet’s mind is the close conjunction of the moon at that time with the burning sun. From his dark cave, or burning chasm, Atri is delivered by the “hundred acts” of worship and sacrifice which it was the custom in India, as in many other countries, to offer up at the time of New Moon, especially at the marked festivals of the winter and summer solstice, or the beginning of the calendrical year. On one occasion[94] we hear of Atri coming to the assistance of the sun, which had been hidden by the demon Swarbhānu. This darkening of the sun is generally understood to refer to a solar eclipse. A solar eclipse can only take place at the time of new moon. It is a little puzzling to find Atri, if Atri personifies the new moon, saving the sun from eclipse instead of being the cause of the disaster; but as in the Rig Veda Atri always appears as a friend, not an enemy, of the gods of light--Agni, Indra, and the Aswins--we may suppose that the Vedic bard chose to represent him as being present at, rather than causing the sun’s eclipse. It may also be that a certain number of divisions of lunar time were considered as personified by Atri, and that an eclipse terminated in the third or fourth of those divisions; so that it could be said that Atri “by his fourth sacred prayer” discovered the sun. The passage is no doubt a difficult one; still the fact that Atri was present at the eclipse of the sun seems to tell rather in favour of than against the supposition that Atri was a personification of the time of new moon. [94] Wilson’s _Rig Veda_, vol. iii. p. 297, _Maṇḍala_, V. xl. “5. When, Súrya, the son of the _Asura_ Swarbhánu overspread thee with darkness, the worlds were beheld like one bewildered, knowing not his place. 6. When, Indra, thou wast dissipating those illusions of Swarbhánu which were spread below the Sun, then Atri, by his fourth sacred prayer, discovered the Sun concealed by the darkness impeding his functions. 7. (Súrya speaks) Let not the violator, Atri, through hunger swallow with fearful (darkness) me who am thine; thou art Mitra, whose wealth is truth; do thou and the royal Varuna both protect me. 8. Then the Brahman (Atri), applying the stones together, propitiating the gods with praise, and adoring them with reverence, placed the eye of Súrya in the sky; he dispersed the delusions of Swarbhánu. 9. The Sun, whom the _Asura_, Swarbhánu, had enveloped with darkness, the sons of Atri subsequently recovered; no others were able (to effect his release).”