Re: Mitanni and Matsya

----- Original Message -----

From: david_russell_watson

To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, April 04, 2008 5:31 PM

Subject: [tied] Re: Mitanni and Matsya

--- In cybalist@... s.com, "Brian M. Scott" <BMScott@... > wrote:
>
> I don't pretend to know much of anything about Sanskrit;
> does it have any identifiable semantic content?

<David wrote:>

I can't tell you more about that than my own sources,
I'm afraid.

<snip>
 
By the way last night I came across another etymology for
Varuna, from 'The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-
European Roots':

wel-¹. To see. 1. Suffixed zero-grade form *wl-id-
in Germanic *wlituz, appearance, in Old Norse litr,
appearance, color, dye, akin to the source of LITMUS.
2. Suffixed form *wel-uno- perhaps in Sanskrit Varuna,
"seer, wise one", sovereign god: VARUNA.
[Pok. 1. uel- 1136.]

I think I may favor this one, considering Varuna's role
in the Rig Veda, described by Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty
as:

"a god whose primary role was watching over the deeds
of men (as a sky god is well placed to do) and punishing
those who violated the sacred law (rta) of which Varuna
was the most important custodian."

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So, with all of that, what do you propose for the meaning of Varuna if based on the root you formerly favored: <vR>.

 

Are you now switching to the AHD etymology?

 

Patrick

***