"Many modern historians held the idea that it was the Aryans who invaded India in the second millennium B.C. that were the founders of the Indian culture and Vedic traditions. They say that the Aryans came from somewhere near the southern part of Russia bringing their Vedic rituals and customs with them." …. (1)

COMMENT

The above (1) does not seem right considering the circumstantial evidence. For example, there are several Vedic hymns (as the following) which talk about six seasons, and no place in Russia has six seasons to talk about.In fact, there is hardly any place / area in Europe and Russia which has more than four seasons.

"'O Agni, strength and fame are thine', (with these words) he scatters sand; that is the hymn of Agni Vaicvanara; verily with the hymn he wins (Agni) Vaicvanara. With six (verses) he scatters; the year has six seasons, ..." ........ Yajur Veda (Kanda V, Prapathaka II,hymn v.2.6.1)

Thus it seems that the original home of the Vedas (2) is India which has many areas (including in Himachal etc.) where people still talk about six seasons and for good reason.

Those who think that Vedas might have come from outside (southern Russia etc.) seem to do so mainly on the basis that Vedas talk about horses, 'aswa'. And horses, according to them, originated (were domesticated) long ago in the southern areas of Russia. Thus they use the Vedic hymns, mentioning the word 'aswa', as the circumstantial evidence to create a link of the Vedas with Russia and Central Asia. But this seems like a weak link, and there are many possibilities to override this evidence favoring the Vedic origin outside India

For example, even considering that horse was indigenous to Central Asia long ago, it is not definite how long the horse has been there. The date on horses in Central Asia keeps on getting revised all the time – even recently it was updated to about 2000 yrs earlier than that before. Moreover, even if horse had originated in Central Asia, it could have reached India long ago either with outsiders or Indians returning from abroad, and eventually horse could have found a mention in the Vedic hymns.

In addition, there is the possibility that there indeed was an 'aswa' like equine animal in India which Veda talk about and which later came to be identified with Central Asian horse (azva). In other words, horse (aswa) could have originated in India and moved with people from India to other parts of the world (including Central Asia and Russia). Needless to say, all this indicates that there are many possibilities and doubts on the Vedic origin if horse is to be considered as the evidence.

On the other hand, the Vedic hymns that talk about six seasons in a year seem very specific to India, as indicated above. Needless to say, they establish a very close link of Vedas to India as far as the origin of Vedas is concerned. Note that this type of evidence (related particularly to six seasons in a year) cannot be misconstrued and cannot be tied easily with any geographical location around the world. The talk of six seasons seems unique to India and Indian Texts (Vedas etc.). Moreover, since the climatic patterns (e.g. six seasons in a year), unlike a horse (ordinarily a moving and grass eating animal), are usually a long-term phenomenon and region specific, there is a less chance of them, than a wandering horse, leading to any confusion or getting mixed up with unrelated places, areas and regions.

Thus the mention of six seasons in a year in the Vedas seems to be a stronger case to consider the Vedic origins in India, than the mention of 'aswa' in the Vedas which makes it difficult to pinpoint the Vedic roots (in Russia, Central Asia or India).

References

(1) http://www.hknet.org.nz/History-and-Source-of-Vedas-page.htm

(2) Dr. Subhash C. Sharma, "How old are the Vedas and who can read them?",Aug. 23, 2006, http://www.geocities.com/lamberdar/vedas.html

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By: Dr. Subhash C. Sharma
Email: [email protected]
Date: Apr. 21, 2009

link to: Related topics by the author