Previous articles in this series can be read here.
In the last post, we saw how the Cretan goat, Kri-Kri
fits with the description of Mesha, the ram signifying Aries. One of the main
significances of Mesha rashi is that it denotes a quadruped that resides in the
east and is a wanderer in the mountains. In tune with this concept, the Tamil
Cheran King of the 3rd century BCE, (read
here for details) housed the Mesha, the Nilgiri Tahr
(Varudai) in the eastern section of his kingdom in the Western Ghats.
The conceptualisation and symbolic representation
are very much clear in Vedic astrology. In contrast to this main feature, the
Hellenistic conceptualisation of Aries was a ram that rises from a ship-wreck!
This ram has a rich wool cover whereas the Vedic Mesha does not grow fur. Vedic
astrology was in use from Tamil lands to Himalayan cold climes, but the
conceptualisation of the ram was taken from the non-fur variety of the tropical
region. It is because only such a quadruped fits with the significances of
Mehsa. Another important significance of Mesha is the fighting spirit as signified
by Thagar,
the fighter ram. The fighter ram that hits the opponent with its strong head is
an important feature of Mesha. In Part
14 we saw how this feature was related to Lord Skanda
The mountainous goat Kri-Kri found since the Minoan
times in Greece seems to have lent its name to Krios. Initially Krios was held
as a Titan God perhaps based on the predominance of Kri-kri in Crete in the
direction of the south. But it was not considered as a zodiacal constellation.
When Hellenistic astrology was developed, a plethora of ideas (1) were incorporated
related to ram which were mutually conflicting or irrelevant to the idea of the
fighting spirit signified by Aries. The Greeks named it Krios but the idea of
the ram was one that fled from the clutches of the step mother of Phrixus by
carrying him and his sister on its back but to be eventually sacrificed by
Phrixux whom it saved. (2)
. In what way such a ram can be equated with Krios, the Titan God that stood as
a pillar to stop the sky God and even succeeded in doing that ? We find a mismatch between conceptualisation and
the name Krios.
The earliest recorded name for Aries was a-re in Mycenaean Greek in
Linear B script. Check here. I wonder if this was pronounced as “a-du” –
from the Tamil word Aadu for goat / Mesha! (Mycenaean Greece was occupied by
Tamil Tiryans according to my research). From this the Greeks built up a story
of Ares as a God of war born to
Zeus and Hera. Hera as one travelling on a chariot pulled by peacocks, a bird
unknown to Greece but was a native of South Asia and Congo in Africa is a clear
proof of borrow of idea from outside.
Peacock was the mount for Skanda who was identified
with Mars in Vedic astrology. It is reasonable to theorise that his mother also
used peacock for transportation. Please note the basic idea is in Tamil Vedic culture
and not in Greece.
The Roman concept of Ares was also that of Mars. The
Romans had a term Mesarthim
with no etymological traces but as a borrowed idea, to signify the first point
of Aries or Mesha.
The point of interest is that Mesarthim or Mesartham
as it is found in Roman is Tamil word
“Meshaththam” = Mesha + attham where attham
means year.
“Attham” is Tamilsed word for Sanskrit “abda”( अब्द) for year. Abda is pronounced as attham in Tamil. The
tradition exists in Tamil lands to call the year as “Goat
Year” – which is what Meshaabda (Mesha +
abda) means. The exact Tamil word for Meshaabda is “AattaaNdu”
(ஆட்டாண்டு) and this
exists in old inscriptions in Tamilnadu.
AattaNdu means Aadu + aaNdu meaning goat + year. The Etruscans who
identified themselves as Rasna (Sanskrit word for resin producing guggul) must
have spoken Tamil blended with Sanskrit language
which is what Tamil is. (3).
The start of the year at Mesha could have been called as “Meshartham”. It was
retained by Romans who occupied their territories.
The influence of Etruscan on Roman culture is hardly
disputed. Mesarthim is one of the influences from Etruscans. The Mesha ram
influence entered the Roman and Greek society as a fighting ram much before
Hellenistic astrology was developed. The Tamil equivalent for ram is Thagar which
by itself means breaking or thagarththal (தகர்த்தல்). Similarly the word ram in English having no known etymological roots simply is related to ‘ramming’ or breaking or
beating. Perhaps the word ram (for goat) was formed from the ramming activity –
like how Thagar was formed from the Thagartthal activity.
Basically what is conveyed is that a ram stands for fighting by
colliding its head on the opponent and thereby gaining a signification for wars
and Mars.
The
idea of Battle ram or Battering ram was
born from this nature of ram. The battle ram was originally shaped like a ram’s
head to be used to hit the target. A recent marine excavation off Sicily has
spotted sunken parts of Battle ram supposedly used in a war in the 3rd
century BCE.
Battle
ram [Credit: RPM Nautical Foundation]
Dr
Jon Henderson (right) with the ram [Credit: RPM Nautical Foundation]
Source:- http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.in/2013/11/ancient-naval-battle-site-yields-relics.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+TheArchaeologyNewsNetwork+%28The+Archaeology+News+Network%29#.Us6LNLRbbkv
Source:- http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.in/2013/11/ancient-naval-battle-site-yields-relics.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+TheArchaeologyNewsNetwork+%28The+Archaeology+News+Network%29#.Us6LNLRbbkv
The
above shown battle ram was supposed to have been cast on the bow of the ship of
the naval force. It would ram into enemy’s
ship or would be shot with mechanical force to hit the enemy’s vessel. This
kind of rams had existed in Tamil society.
According
to the 1st century AD text Silappadhikaram, devices shaped with the
head of ram, tiger and elephant were found in the walls of the fort of the Pandyan king in Madurai
(chapter 15 – lines 207 to 217). More than a dozen mechanical devices of
different types are mentioned in these lines. Of them, the devices having heads
of animals have specific functions similar to the mode of attack of the
respective animal. As such a
Thagar-p-poRi fitted on the wall of the fort would suddenly surge forward the
approaching enemy and hit him with the head of the ram (shaped like a ram). The
Puli-p-poRi would suddenly pounce on the approaching enemy like a tiger. The
KaLiRRu-p-poRi would from nowhere stretch an arm / trunk like an elephant and
lift the attacker and throw him out.
It
is difficult to say where these ideas originated or who got these ideas from
whom. What we must see here is that the presence of the idea of battle ram in
the shape of ram covered with hides was found in Rome or Greece centuries before
the birth of Hellenistic
astrology. If Krios was the original idea of zodiacal sign, their astrology
could have taken shape much before. There would not have been a need for a story
of the zodiacal ram carrying Phrixux and his sister or of a ram fighting to
die. The battle ram easily fulfils the basic idea of the zodiacal ram. That they
could not bring out a connection is because none of them are their original creations.
With
such a background, the opponents are trying to ‘connect’ Krios with Kriya. This
attempt to relate Krios
with Sanskrit Kriya, the synonym for Mesha rashi is against the norms of
comparison. Phonetic comparison is done with words having similar
meanings. Kriya and Krios cannot be compared for phonetic similarity because
Kriya does not mean ram. Kriya is
another name for Mesha rashi, with a different meaning but having significance
to Mesha rashi.
Mesha
rashi has other names each with a significance related to that rashi. They are Aja, Chaga, Basta, Adya, Viswabheshaji and Kriya. (There
may be other names too.)
Of
these Aja, Chaga and Basta can be compared with Krios as they all mean the
same, the goat. It is same as “aadu”, “varudai” and “thagar” for goat in Tamil.
Adya means the first rashi whose equivalent is found in
Tamil Naadi texts as “thalai” or “Mudhal” rashi.
Viswabheshaji is related to the healing
property signified by the Aswin connection to Mesha rashi. There are many
verses to this effect in Rig Vedas.
The
term Kriya refers
to the rites or sacrifices to be done at day-break or at the beginning and
therefore the connection with Mesha rashi, the beginning of the zodiac or
Kalapurusha.
Rig Veda 5-77-1 makes a reference to this “The Asvins claim the
sacrifice at daybreak: the sages yielding the first share extol them.”
There
is another from R.V. 1-161-6 “ Indra hath yoked his Bays, the Asvins' car is horsed, Brhaspati hath brought
the Cow of every hue.”
The sacrifice at day-break involving Asvins and Indra makes it Adya rashi and
also the Kriya rashi.
Indra is called as Mesha in the context if hymns or prayers addressed to him in
Rig Vedas. RV 1-51-1, 1-52-1 and 8-97-12 refer to Indra as Mesha. The symbolism is to the fighting nature according Sayana. (4). Mesha rashi relevance is deduced from these riks.
अभि तयं मेषं पुरुहूतं रग्मियमिन्द्रं गीर्भिर्मदता वस्वो अर्णवम |
यस्य दयावो न विचरन्ति मानुषा भुजे मंहिष्ठमभि विप्रमर्चत || (RV 1.51.1)
यस्य दयावो न विचरन्ति मानुषा भुजे मंहिष्ठमभि विप्रमर्चत || (RV 1.51.1)
(MAKE
glad with songs that Ram
whom many men invoke, worthy of songs of praise, Indra, the sea of wealth;
Whose gracious deeds for men spread like the heavens abroad: sing praise to him the Sage, most liberal for our good.)
Whose gracious deeds for men spread like the heavens abroad: sing praise to him the Sage, most liberal for our good.)
तयं सु मेषं महया सवर्विदं शतं यस्य सुभ्वः साकमीरते |
अत्यं न वाजं हवनस्यदं रथमेन्द्रं वव्र्त्यामवसे सुव्र्क्तिभिः || (RV 1.52.1)
अत्यं न वाजं हवनस्यदं रथमेन्द्रं वव्र्त्यामवसे सुव्र्क्तिभिः || (RV 1.52.1)
(1 I
GLORIFY that Ram who
finds the light of heaven, whose hundred nobly natured- ones go forth with him.
With hymns may I turn hither Indra to mine aid, the Car which like a strong steed hasteth to the call.)
With hymns may I turn hither Indra to mine aid, the Car which like a strong steed hasteth to the call.)
There
is also a story in BAskalamantra Upanishad of
Indra coming to MedhyAthithi, the son of Kanva as a ram and carrying him to the
heaven. The allusion is to a sacrifice. Therefore Kriya
rashi refers to another significance of Mesha rashi. The Greek myths
come nowhere near these concepts or the interpretations of Mesha and its
synonyms as found in Vedic Thought.
Before
ending this post, let me say that there
is an unbelievable connection of the Etruscans with the Vedic society that had
its resonance or presence as far as Oceania. The connected links are Athiratra
homa of the Vedic society, Athiratu Yammi of Tiryns and the Sun God of
Etruscans. These connections would
reveal the travel of Vedic Thought from Indian Ocean region rather than from
anywhere in Europe or through the so-called Indo-European links.But before that let me also show that Minoan Crete - the supposed pillar of Krios was very much related to the Tamil society from whom the Athirathra connections were taken to Greece.
We
will see them in the next post.
(continued)
Notes:
Legend:
Aries
represents the ram with the golden fleece, a gift from Mercury, upon which
Phrixus and his sister Helle escaped through the air from their step-mother
Ino. On arriving in Colchis, Phrixus sacrificed the ram to Jupiter and its
fleece was hung in the Grove of Mars, whence it was subsequently carried away
by Jason (see Argo).
According to another account it was the ram that guided Bacchus to a spring of
water in the Libyan desert. [Robson, p.31.]
Influences: Ptolemy's observations are
as follows: "The stars in the head of Aries possess
an influence similar in its effects to that of Mars and Saturn: those in the
mouth act similarly to Mercury, and in some degree to Saturn; those in the
hinder foot, to Mars; those in the tail, to Venus." By the Kabalists Aries
is associated with the Hebrew letter He and the 5th Tarot Trump "The
Pope." [Robson, p.31.]
"All the Aries stars have been in the sign
Taurus for 200-300 years now. Hamal just over 600 (Botein actually entered Taurus
in year 505AD), and in this same period we have seen large-scale aggression
change its nature from barbaric raiding and migration of earlier centuries to
the building of large empires which had to be administered and kept in peace
and good order, as well as exploited by their conquerors. This is typical both
of the sign Taurus and of the planet Saturn". [The
Living Stars, Dr. Eric Morse].
"The Ram, who is rich with an abundance of
fleecy wool and, when shorn of this, with a fresh supply, will ever cherish
hopes; he will rise from the sudden shipwreck of his affairs to abundant wealth
only to meet with a fall, and his desires will lead him to disaster; he will
yield his produce for the common benefit, the fleece which by a thousand crafts
gives birth to different forms of gain, now workers pile into heaps the
undressed wool, now card it, now draw it into a tenuous thread, now weave the
threads to form webs, and now they buy and sell for gain garments of every
kind; no nation could dispense with these, even without indulgence in luxury.
So important is this work that Pallas herself has claimed it for her own hands,
of which she has judged it worthy, and deems her victory over Arachne a token
of her greatness. These are the callings and allied crafts that the Ram will
decree for those born under his sign: in an anxious breast he will fashion a
diffident heart that ever yearns to commend itself by its own praise.
"When the Ram emerges above the surface of the
waves (rising) and the curve of his neck appears before his horns, he will give
birth to hearts that are never content with what is theirs; he will engender
minds bent on plunder and will banish all sense of shame: such is their desire
for venture. Even thus does the ram himself rush forth with lowered horns,
resolved to win or die. Not for them the gentle ease of a fixed abode with none
but peaceful cares; it is ever their delight to travel through unknown cities,
to explore uncharted seas, and enjoy the whole world's hospitality. The Ram
himself gives you evidence of this: once furrowing a trail through the glassy
sea, he tinged it with the gold of his fleece, when on his back he carried Phrixus,
bereft of his sister (Helle) by fate's decree, and brought him to the banks of
the Phasis and to Colchis". [Astronomica, Manilius, 1st century AD, book 4, p.233].
(2) Aries
is the first sign of the zodiac. The Greeks associated Aries with the Ram
who carried Phrixus and his
sister Helle on his back
to Colchis (the Georgian region of the Caucasus) to escape the evil designs of
their stepmother, Ino, who was about to kill them. In crossing the strait that
divides Europe from Asia, Helle became giddy and lost her hold, falling off the
Ram into the sea when she disobeyed a warning not to look down, the place
thereafter became the Hellespont which today separates Greece and Turkey.
Continuing his flight, the ram bore the boy to Colchis, at the eastern end of
the Euxine or Black sea. On reaching his journey's end Phrixus sacrificed the
ram and hung its fleece in the Grove of Ares where it was turned to gold
and became the object of the Argonauts' (Argo
Navis) quest.
I suggest that one possible
consequence of Helle falling off the Ram might be symbolic over-representation
of the masculine element in the Arian psyche.
According to Apollonius Rhodius,
Phrixos had journeyed to Aia (better known as Kholkis, or Colchis);
"bestriding a ram which
Hermes had made all of gold" (2.1143-45; Seaton 1912)
(3) Tamil
is blended with Sanskrit words to a greater extent. To give a basic example let
me express a few points from the famous grammar book of the 3rd Sangam
age, Thol-kappiyam. The name of this book is a mix of Tamil and Sanskrit words –
Thol is Tamil word for ancient and Kappiyam is a Sanskrit word for Kavya. The
author of this book was given a generic
name as Thol-kappiyar – meaning the Kavi of the ancient. This author was the
son of Jamadagni from somewhere in Aryavarta. His original name was
TruNadhoomagni, not a Tamil name. This author says in the very first verse of
Thol-kappiyam that he as one qualified in Aindra Vyakarana had written this
grammar book. There are many Sanskrit terms such as Pinda, Mantra etc which are
beautifully explained in this book which we may not be otherwise aware of. In
the chapter on how sounds are born within the body, say from stomach, chest and
nose, he concludes that the letters whose sounds are not explained can be known
from the Vedic chants.
