--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Francesco Brighenti" <frabrig@...>
wrote:
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>
>
>
> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "mkelkar2003" <swatimkelkar@> wrote:
>
>
> > I do not think Vishnu has any IE analogies.
>
> I agree. Vishnu is a purely Brahmanical Hindu development of a figure
> of Vedic solar god, just one out of 12 Adityas, whose most celebrated
> feat in the Vedas is the 'three steps' by which he strode over the
> entire universe (with this anticipating his later personality as
> the 'Ruler of Space').
>
> Regards,
> Francesco
Vishnu though lacking in IE analogies is definitely among the Rig
Vedic Gods. Books 7 and 1 of the Rig Veda has some hymns addressed to
Vishnu
http://www.haryana-online.com/History/rig_veda.htm
"The Rig-Veda has been translated into English by Ralph T. H. Griffith
in 1896. Other (partial) translations by Maurice Bloomfield and
William Dwight Whitney. Linguistic (as well as content-related)
evidence suggests that books 2-7 are older than the remaining books.
Books 1 and 10 are considered the most recent."
" * Book 7
104 hymns, to Agni, Indra, the Visvadevas, the Maruts,
Mitra-Varuna, the Asvins, Ushas, Indra-Varuna, Varuna, Vayu (the
wind), two each to Sarasvati and Vishnu, and to others."
" * Book 1
191 hymns. Hymn 1.1 is addressed to Agni, arranged so that the
name of this god is the first word of the Rig-Veda. The remaining
hymns are mainly addressed to Agni and Indra. Hymns 1.154 to 1.156 are
addressed to (the later Hindu god) Vishnu."
"The chief gods of the Rig-Veda are Agni, the sacrificial fire, Indra,
a heroic god that is praised for having slain his enemy Vrtra, and
Soma, the sacred potion, or the plant it is made from. Other prominent
gods are Mitra, Varuna and Ushas (the dawn). Also invoked are Savitar,
Vishnu, Rudra, Pushan, Brhaspati, Brahmanaspati, Dyaus Pita (the sky),
Prithivi (the earth), Surya (the sun), Savitar, Vayu (the wind), the
Maruts, the Asvins, the Adityas, the Rbhus, the Vishvadevas (the
all-gods) as well as various further minor gods, persons, concepts,
phenomena and items."
M. Kelkar
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