There are some Vedic texts which are similar to (or same as) those of Avesta (just like some Sikhism scriptures also do have references to Vedic stories, Vedic names like Prahlad, Hari etc.). For example:
- yad antarikshe yadi vata asa yadi vriksheshu yadi volapeshu yad ashravan pashava udyamanam tad brahmanam punar asman upaitu (Atharva Veda 7:66)[7]
- yadi antareekshe yadi vaate aasa yadi vriksheshu yadi bolapashu yad ashravan pashava ud-yamaanam tad braahmanam punar asmaan upaitu (Zend Avesta Prishni, Chapter 8, Gatha 12)
Has the same translation to English:
- O Lord! Whether you be in the sky or in the wind, in the forest or in the waves. No matter where you are, come to us once. All living beings restlessly await the sound of your footsteps.[8]
Another example:
- mahaantaa mitraa varunaa samraajaa devaav asuraaha sakhe sakhaayaam ajaro jarimne agne martyaan amartyas tvam nah (Rigveda: 10:87:21. Translation: O Supreme Being, you are fire, you are the sun, you are water. You have appeared to us as Father, as our ruler, as our friend and as our teacher. O Great Father, you are beyond aging but we are not. You are beyond death but we are not. In spite of that you have given us the great fortune to call you our friend.)
- mahaantaa mitraa varunaa devaav ahuraaha sakhe ya fedroi vidaat patyaye caa vaastrevyo at caa khatratave ashaauno ashavavyo (Gatha 17:4 Yashna 53:4. Translation: Translation: O Ahura Mazda, you appear as the father, the ruler, the friend, the worker and as knowledge. It is your immense mercy that has given a mortal the fortune to stay at your feet.)
Monism in Zend Avesta and Vedas:
- Veda: majadaah sakritva smarishthah (Only that supreme being is worthy of worship.)
- Zend-Avesta: madaatta sakhaare marharinto (Gatha 17:4 Yashna 29. Only Ahura Mazda is worthy of worship.)
Also:
- kasmai devaaya vidhema (From Atharva Veda)
- kamhai devaaya vidhema (From Zend Avesta)
Both mean “to which God should I sacrifice?”[9] Vedas also have some reference to ancient Persia. In Sanskrit its name is Paarasya, and Zoroastrian name was Paarada. Manu Samhita the following quote on the subject:shanakaistu kriyaalopaadimaah kshatriyajaatayoh vrishalatvam gataaloke braahmanaadarshanena ca poundrkaashcodradaavidaah kambojaah yanaashokaah paaradaa pahlavaarshceenaah kiraataah daradaakhashaah (On breaking down of the family and other social structures, a section of kshatriyas came to be called as shoodra at first and yavana later. The inhabitants of Persia belong to that group.) Four varnas (castes) in Avestan and Sanskrit:
- atharva (the priest, vedic Brahmana)
- ratheshtan (the warrior, rath means ‘chariot’ in Sanskrit - kshatriyas)
- vastriyoksiya (the agricultural labourer, vaishyas)
- huits (the labour class, shudras).
Who were the Aryans?
Aryans of the Avesta and Rig Veda
The Indo-Iranian group whose members composed the Zoroastrian scriptures, the Avesta, and the Hindu scriptures, the Rig Veda, called themselves Aryans (Airya/Airyan in the Avesta and Arya/Aryan in the Vedas).
The Rig Veda is the older portion of the Vedas. The Avesta and Rig Veda are the only known ancient texts that contain references to Aryans.
The next contemporaneous references are in the inscriptions of the Achaemenian Persians (see Achaemenian History as well as our page on Naqsh-e Rustam), and classical Greek texts such as those of Herodotus and Strabo, where the the references are exclusively regarding the Medes' and Persians' ancestry and their Central Asian connections.Similarity in Avestan & Rig Vedic Languages
The languages of the two scriptures, the Zoroastrian Avesta and Hindu Rig Veda, are similar but not identical, indicating that at the time of their composition, the people of the Avesta and the Rig Veda were related and close neighbours - in a fashion similar to two provinces within one country - provinces where the people spoke two dialects of the same language.
The following is an example of the closeness of the Avestan Old Iranian and Rig-Vedic (Sanskrit) languages:
Old Iranian/Avestan: aevo pantao yo ashahe, vispe anyaesham apantam (Yasna 72.11)
Old Indian/Vedic: abade pantha he ashae, visha anyaesham apantham
Translation: the one path is that of Asha, all others are not-paths.
[The Rig-Vedic (Sanskrit) translation of the Avestan was provided to this writer by Dr. Satyan Banerjee.]
For further information, please see the Avestan Languages page.Aryan Homeland
At the time the earliest sections of the Avesta and Rig Veda were composed, the Aryans were residents of the Aryan lands or Aryan nation, called Airyana Vaeja or Airyanam Dakhyunam in the Avesta and Arya Vartain the Vedas. In the Avestan and Vedic texts, Airyana Vaeja or Arya Varta was a beautiful but mysterious mountainous land (see Airyana Vaeja as Paradise). While the precise location of the original Aryan homeland is lost to us, we have been left with ample clues which allow us to draw reasonable conclusions about its likely location, the mountain regions of Central Asia.
We further discuss the possible location of Airyana Vaeja in our Aryan Homeland Location page. Airyana Vaeja and the other nations of the Avesta are further referenced and listed in the Aryan Homeland in Scripture page.
The name Airyana Vaeja was contracted over the years to Airan Vej, Iran Vej (in Middle Persian texts) and finally to Iran.
The two Indo-Iranian Aryan groups eventually ceased to be close neighbours. They separated and migrated to present day India and Iran, becoming Indians and Iranians in the process.
Therefore, as an added definition, the Aryans were those members of the Indo-Iranian family who originated in Airyana Vaeja or Arya Varta, the Aryan homeland.Reasons for Aryan Migration
The reasons for the migration of the Aryans are discussed in the Aryan Homeland in Scripture page. The reasons for the separation of the two Aryan groups could have been a widening difference in their religious beliefs - beliefs that were antithetical to one another, but beliefs that nevertheless shared common roots. The separation is discussed further in the page on Aryan Religions. Climate change and a degradation of the food production capability of the original homeland could also have been a reason or an added reason.Aryan History
The history of the Aryans is found in the scriptures of the original Aryans, the Avesta, the Rig Veda, supporting religious texts, and the legends as well - legends such as the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi. Historical evidence of Aryan trade and conquests provide supporting information.
The early history of Zoroastrianism is closely intertwined with the history of the Aryans - a history we examine in some detail starting with our page on the Prehistory of the Aryans.
» TopFurther reading:
» Aryan Prehistory
» Aryan Homeland in Scripture
» Aryan Homeland Location
» Aryan Religions
» Aryan Trade
» Western Views on Aryans
Sanskrit and Avestan (Old Persian) |
It is generally believed that the language that evolved into the Indo-European languages originated in the region in the vicinity of the Caspian Sea. There is some evidence that it arose as a result of the amalgamation of three tribes; one pastoral/militaristic, one agricultural and one metal-working. The metal workers provided the weapons for the militarists and tools for the agriculturalists. The militarists conquered areas for the agriculturalists to farm and feed the warriors and the metal-workers.
Some of the Indo-Europeans migrated into the Oxus River Valley and the Iranian Plateau. Others migrated to the north and west where their language evolved into the languages of Europe. Some went northeast where their language evolved into Tocharian. From Iran there were migrations into North India to the east and west into the Tigris-Euphrates River Valleys where they established the Mitanni Empire. Later there were migrations that accounted for the Scythians and Sarmations of Central Asia.
The migration into North India was, of course, the far most important of the migrations from Iran. The languages of Iran and North India underwent evolution so it was not immediately obvious that they were related. Thanks to the detailed preservation of the exact language of religious encantations and texts a comparison can be made. The religious tracts of Ancient Iran are known as the Avesta. Some of these are believed to have been composed by Zoroaster. The religious tracts of North India are the Vedas.
Grammatically there is little difference between the languages of the Avesta and the Vedas. Both languages underwent systematic phonetic change. However, according to Thomas-Burrow, in his book, The Sanskrit Language
It is quite possible to find verses in the oldest portion of the Avesta, which simply by phonetic substitutions according to established laws can be turned into intelligible Sanskrit.
The languages of the Avesta and the Vedas shared some vocabulary that is not shared with the other Indo-European languages. Some examples are shown below.
| Word | Sanskrit | Avestan |
| gold | hiranya | zaranya |
| army | séna | haena |
| spear | rsti | arsti |
| sovereignty | ksatra | xsaθra |
| lord | ásura | ahura |
| sacrifice | yajñá | yasna |
| sacrificing priest | hótar | zaotar |
| sacrificing drink | sóma | haoma |
| member of religious community | aryamán | airyaman |
| god | devá | daeva |
In the field of religion there are some interesting contrasts. Words such as devá have the meaning of god in the Vedas have the meaning of devil in the Avesta. Likewise some names for Vedic gods show up in the Avesta as evil spirits. This is likely due to the ancestors of the migrants to North India being a competing tribe of the tribe responsible for the creation of the Avesta.