Re: Mitanni and Matsya

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Patrick Ryan" <proto-language@...>
wrote:

> [David had asked:]
>
> > To what degree is Varuna associated with the sea in the
> > Rig Veda? His primary and original functions are quite
> > different, and it is to the latter we must look in order
> > to understand his name.
>
> ***
>
> APAM PITAH

It is, in case, 'apam patih' (Master of Waters). The term apam does
not denote the sea or ocean in Vedic Sanskrit. I am personally among
those who think that the Rigvedic Aryans were not familiar with the
ocean because their settlement areas (the Greater Panjab, including
parts of Afghanistan) were very far from the nearest seashore.

> > Mitra's function in the Rig Veda, likewise, has little
> > to do with the sun. He and Varuna are mentioned together
> > in the Vedas again and again, even employing a special
> > compound word of their two names, as the joint protectors
> > of the contract, friendship, all human social bonds in
> > general.
>
> ***
>
> While Mitra has little to do with the sun in the Rig Veda, the Rig
> Veda is only one voice in the colloquy. Mitra was identified with
> Helios by the Greeks and Romans who probably understood more about
> their religion than your 'experts'.

The Greek and Roman 'solar' and 'astral' cult of Mitra evolved from
the Mazdean (Iranian) cult of Mithra. In Zoroaster's religion,
Mithra had the status of leader of the lower angels (yazata-s) under
the final governorship of Ahura-Mazda. There are, however, a number
of references in the Zend-Avesta that portray Mithra as second only
to Ahura-Mazda in glory, and as official mediator and protector of
Ahura-Mazda's creation. This later Mithra was far removed in
conception from the Rigvedic Mithra and, more so, from the common
Indo-Iranian *Mitra (?), who was the "progenitor" of both the Vedic
god Mitra and the Mazdean angel Mithra.

Regards,
Francesco