Re: Mitanni and Matsya

----- Original Message -----
From: "Francesco Brighenti" <frabrig@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2008 7:31 AM
Subject: [tied] Re: Mitanni and Matsya






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

> [David had written:]
>


> You [i.e. David] are the one who introduced the word 'confine' in
> connection with your proposed root for Varuna: *vR-. I continue to
> think the suggestion purely idiotic. No one familiar with divine
> nomenclature practices would believe 'Confiner' as a meaning for a
> sea-god!

The derivation of the name Varun.a, like that of the name of the
primordial serpent Vr.tra, from the Sanskrit verbal root vr.- 'to
cover, enclose, hide away, confine' is a very old and respectable
etymological hypothesis to which I, however, prefer the derivation
of the name Varun.a (not of Vr.tra, which is certainly from vr.-)
from PIE *u_erh1- 'to speak (solemnly, or with truth)'. This
etymology, repeatedly cited by David, was the standard one among
Indologists and Vedicists in times past. Currently there seems to be
an increasing consensus on the alternative etymology from PIE
*u_erh1-, making Varun.a the god of 'true speech'. Thus, David's
suggestion is not at all "idiotic". What is idiotic is to regard the
R.gvedic Varun.a as a sea-god instead.

Regards,
Francesco

***

Well, I disagree.

No matter how many eminent scholars accepted 'confine', it was, and remains
an idiotic idea.

And David's subscribing to it, well . . .

Your proposal to derive it from *werH- is far less objectionable; and in
view of Varuna's usurpation of solar prerogatives in the R.gveda, just fine
and dandy _ if _ Varuna was originally a solar deity.

To regard R.gvedic Varuna as a sea-god is idiotic since syncretism has
massively affected his persona! But I believe post-R.gvedic developments
represent the true, original line of development.

Surely, you do not consider that 'idiotic', too, do you?

As for Vr.tra, I favor a derivation from 3. *wer-, 'turn, bend'. Vr.tra is
the Indian representative of a malefic aspect of the weather-god in the form
of a twisting constrictor snake, representing cyclones, tornadoes, and
hurricanes (Greek Python, Egyptian 'apep).


Patrick

***