Friday 22 March 2013

ANCIENT INDIA'S CONQUEST - 'POR BAJIN' (BAJRAPUR), SIBERIA

Bajrapur is mentioned as Vajrapur in the Harivamsa Purana. The story of Vajrapur was revealed by the ruler of Jaiselmer in the 1790s to Lt. Col. James Tod, Political Agent of the East India Company, who was researching the Rajput tribes of India which included the Yadhu tribe, of which Sri Krishna and his son Pradyamna are the most well known.

James Tod had befriended the ruler of Jaiselmer who as a result shared information from ancient Rajput and Yadhu manuscripts that he possessed. In the royal Rajput families of Jaiselmer, the story of Pradymna's city of Bajrapur in Siberia was well known. Here is a look:

The ruins of Por Bajin or Bajrapur
surrounded by Lake Tere Kol
Siberia

1. The ruins of the City of Por Bajin located in Siberia bears an uncanny resemblance to the design of Dwarka City, which was the city that Sri Krishna had built earlier.

Sri Krishna's Dwarka,
Submerged under the sea, off the coast of Gujarat, India


2. James Todd traced the history of the Rajput tribe 'Yadhu' to Sri Krishna's times. He found that one of his sons, Pradyamna had conquered an 'Asura' city in Vajrapura in a foreign land far away in Siberia.

3. The Harivamsa Purana describes the conquest of Vajrapuram in the Vishnu Paran section. It says that a city was built by the architect Nikumba, for King Vajranabha, with the name Vajrapuram (later Bajra Pur). The city was an 'Asura' city in a far off land.

4. In his work 'The Goose in Indian Literature and Art' (Volume 2 of Memoirs of the Kern Institute), author Jean Philippe Vogel writes that the ancient Vajrapura was surrounded by a huge lake. Por Bajin, as it is called today, is surrounded by a lake called 'Tere Kol. 'Kul' (कूल) in Sanskrit means 'lake', 'pond' or 'pool'. Or else, 'Tere Kol' may be a distortion of 'Tri-Kut' (त्रिकूट) meaning 'Three Peaks or Ranges' which maybe a reference to the surrounding Altay, Sayan and Tochi Mountain Ranges.

5. As per various ancient Indian sources, Sri Krishna's son Pradyamna is known to have extended the Yadhu Empire north of what is present day India. He had attacked the city of Vajrapura and defeated King Vajranabha. Later a truce was called and Pradyamna married the king's daughter Prabhavati. The poetic versions of this war say that Pradyumna is transported by geese to a land far far away.

Even the poetic versions of this story above, as in Vogel's 'The Goose in Indian Literature & Art', say that the powerful geese fly in military like formations leaving behind what Vogel describes as 'strips of white sandalwood paste emitted from the golden tips of the wings'. This could well be the description of airplanes leaving behind chem trails.

The entire Vajrapura mission of Pradumna is carried out with the help of flying 'geese' - but the description of power of their wings is what will appear to the present-day reader as equivalent to the power of airplanes.

7. The 'Pingali Surana' (The Demon's Daughter), a Tamil version of the above story, describes Pradyumna's quest for 'Vajrapura' as if it was entirely a quest for the beautiful Padmavati, the daughter of the King of Vajrapura. The truth is that the Yadus traveled in all directions and expanded the Yadu empire from Turkmenasthan to Samarkhand including Siberia -'the beautiful land'. Siberia translates as 'the beautiful land' from Sanskrit. In Sanskrit 'Su' (सु) means 'good' or 'beautiful' and 'Pura' (पुरा), 'Puri' (पुरी) or 'puram' (पुरम) all mean 'land' or 'city'. It may well have been the quest for this land, rather than the quest for a woman, that attracted the Yadus to Siberia.

Many rivers in Siberia still bear Sanskrit names - examples include: Tara (तारा), Om (ओम्), 'Apa' (आप) and the 'Angara' (अङ्गार). For a note on the Sanskrit Connection to the names 'Angara' and lake 'Baikal' click here.

8. According to some ancient Indian history annals, in around 6220 B.C, there existed six Asura cities of which two were in VajraPura and Supura. (Por Bajin and Siberia). These were ruled by the Asuras (not Devas). The Asuras had attacked and defeated the Devas.

But the final battle (the Sixth Devasura Sangrama) between the Devas and the Asuras was fought in Mandranchal Mountains (Tibet) and further north. This battle was won by the Devas, who then took over Vajrapur and Supura. J.P.Mittal describes the details in his History of Ancient India (7300 BC to 4250 BC). To read this book click here.

Friday 15 March 2013

POR BAJIN, SIBERIA IS THE CITY OF SRI KRISHNA

About a hundred years ago an archaeological site by the name 'Por-Bajin', also spelled 'Por Bayzn' was discovered in the Tere-Kol Lake, located across the Altai Mountain Range in Tuva, Southern Siberia. The secret of the fort at Tere Kol lake in Por Bajin has never been solved. But the answer to the many questions about Por Bajins history may lie in the story of the asura Vajranabha described in the Harivamsa Purana of India. In fact it may be asserted here that the ancient history of Por Bajin may be revealed by tracing the etymology of the name 'Por Bajin' itself, which can be decoded by studying the history of a city by the name Bajrapur, mentioned in the annals of ancient Indian history and literature. Many of these elusive texts are held by descendants of past royal families or by pandits in-charge of ancient Hindu temples.

Lt. Col James Tod, the Political Agent of the East India Company, who was stationed in India in the latter part of the eighteenth century had befriended the Maharaja of Jaisalmer and gained access to the ancient annals of Rajasthan and western India that had been handed down to the Maharaja by his ancestors. James Tod researched these ancient texts and in 1790 summarized his findings in his 'Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan'*, which is now regarded as one of the major works that the British produced during their raj in India.

What James Tod wrote reveals interesting information about ancient tribes of India, their activities, their emigration to other countries and their conquests. In his study Tod found that the 'Yadhu Tribe', of whom Sri Krishna and his three sons were the most prominent members, spread the Yadhu empire westward and northwards, beyond the geographical boundaries of present-day India. One of the cities that was conquered by the Yadhu tribe was called Vajrapur 
(वज्र-पुर्), later called Bajra-pur. The city was located far away from Bharatvarsha. This magnificent city was known as the city of jewels and was located far beyond north of the Himalayan range. The Harivamsa Purana describes this city in some detail and states that it was surrounded by a lake.

Various ancient Indian sources, in particular the Harivamsa Purana, describe the conquests of Sri Krishna's son Pradyumna who extended the Yadhu Empire in the northern direction. One of the cities that he had had attacked was the city of Vajrapura, where he had defeated its king, known by the name Vajranabha. After his defeat, a truce was called and as a peace gesture Pradyumna married Vajranabha's daughter Prabhavati. The poetic versions of this war say that Pradyumna is transported from Dwarka by geese to a land far far away before he attacked the destination city of Vajrapur, indicating the great distance he had to travel.

Is it possible that 'Por-Bajin' is a distortion of 'Pur-Bajra', that is 'Bajra Pur' in reverse. That perhaps is the only explanation. As mentioned above, the ancient name '
Vajra', is commonly pronounced as 'Bajra'. In Sanskrit, 'Vajra' (वज्र) means 'impenetrable', 'Pur' (पुर्) means a city. Archaeologists at 'Por Bajin' have described the fortress there to be amazingly sturdy and have stated that in ancient times the fortress must have been almost 'impenetrable'.

In the local 'Tuvan' language 'Por Bajin' translates as 'Clay House' which does not describe the sturdiness of the Por Bajin structure at all. In fact, the Sanskrit 'Vajra Pur' is a much more apt word for describing an 'impenetrable fortress'. It therefore becomes evident that the name Vajrapur distorted to Bajrapur and then transposed to Pur Bajra before taking on the form of Por Bajin which could be explained by the local Tuvan language. 

The existence of a Sanskrit name at this site is not surprising. Por Bajin lies close to Mongolia, and there is a huge influence of Sanskrit on the Mongolian language. For example, in Mongolian, Sanskrit weekdays name are still in use, such as Adiya for Sunday (derived from Aditya-Sun), Soumiya for Monday (derived from soma- moon), Angarag for Tuesday, Bud for Wednesday, Barasbadi, derived from Brhaspati - Jupiter, Sugar for Friday, derived from Shukra or Venus and Sanchir derived from Sanischar or Saturn four Saturday. The ancient name of Mongolia is supposed to have been Mangala, Sanskrit for prosperity. It is obvious that in antiquity Por Bajin must have been influenced in a similar manner.



The Por-Bajin Structure at 'Tere Kol Lake', Siberia
Could this have been Lord Krishna's City of Vajra-Pur
or Bajra-Pur mentioned in ancient Indian annals
.

Now a look at the name of the lake that surrounds Por Bajin. The name is Tere-Kol. Kol is an obvious distortion of Sanskrit 'Kula' (कूल)  meaning 'lake', 'pond' or 'pool'. ' In fact, the word kol appears in the names of many lakes in the region such as Ssayakol, Koshyarkol and Ala Kol. The name Tere of the lake can be explained by 'Teer' (तीर) is Sanskrit for 'shore' or 'bank' of a river, or the 'edge' of a pool or lake, or it may be a truncated form of a combination word.

Until now, the archaeologists have dated Por-Bajin site to only 8th century AD, but have not been able to figure out much else about it. Is 'Por Bajin' the Yadhu city that was established by Sri Krishna's sons in Southern Siberia? Could it be that traces of the city of the Yadhus still exist somewhere deep among the ruins of 'Por-Bajin'?

A look at ancient Dwarka, the city from where Sri Krishna ruled and was built prior to Bajra-Pur, may reveal the answer. Dwarka located off the coast of Gujarat is now submerged. What is uncanny though is the close resemblance of the foundation structure of Dwarka as described in the Harivamsa Purana and to that of Por Bajin.


An artist's conception of Sri Krishna's city
of 'Dwarka' based on descriptions in Hindu texts.
The city is now being explored by marine archaeologists
off the coast of Gujarat in India.

Aerial views of Por Bajin are almost identical to that of the description of Dwarka in Indian scriptures. Though artifacts found at Por Bajin have been currently dated to no earlier than medieval times, and though they reveal some links to China, it is also evident that if there were links to the Yadhu tribe of India as recorded in the Puranas, then the medieval structures that exist today at the site were constructed above or on top of  what was built by the Yadhus in about 3000- 4000 BC. However, the foundations must even today be the same as that of the earliest structure and can be studied to reveal the truth about the antiquity of this structure.

The name Siberia, it is said, originates from the Tatar-Bashkirs word for 'sleeping land' (Sibir) or 'beautiful 
land' (Siber). 'Siberia' translates as 'the beautiful land' from Sanskrit. In Sanskrit 'Su' (सु) means 'good' or 'beautiful' and 'Pura' (पुरा), 'Puri' (पुरी) or 'puram' (पुरम) all mean 'land' or 'city'. These is widely accepted in the Indian circles. The reason is that the Harivamsa Purana clearly states that Supura was a dependent city of the city of Vajra. In fact, when Pradyumna attacks the city of Vajra, the Harivamsa Purana states that Pradyumna made a stop at Supura before proceeding to Vajrapura. This perhaps explains the etymology of Siberia the best.

Others have contended that 'Sibir' (शिबिर) means 'camp'. Archaeologists have conjectured that, in antiquity, Por-Bajin was possibly used only as a summer residence, or a camp, given the extreme weather conditions of Siberia. Some have therefore contended that the name of Siberia in ancient Indian texts is 'Shibir', in reference to the temporary 'camps' that were set up there by travelers, but this view is not accepted for lack of authenticity. there is no text that states this in an obvious way, though places in Siberia may have been used temporarily during summer as a camp.

Some consider Por Bajin stronghold to be a temple and call it 'Russian Shaolin'. Others believe that this construction serves as the northern gates to sacred place Shambala, but no other text gives us more details than the Harivamsa Purana does.

Suggested Links
*Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan' (published- 1829 AD) by Lt. Col. James Todd of East India Company.
1. Lake Baikal and Angara River, Siberia - The Sanskrit Connection
2. Dwarka or Por Bajin
3. Yoni Worship in Siberia

4. Por Bajin - Fortress of Solitude
5.
Pradyumna: Son of Krishna - Usha Narayanan

POR BAJIN, SIBERIA IS THE BAJRAPUR OR VAJRAPUR OF HARIVAMSA PURANA

About a hundred years ago, an archaeological site by the name 'Por-Bajin', also spelled 'Por Bayzn', was discovered in the Tere-Kol Lake, located across the Altai Mountain Range in Tuva, Southern Siberia. The secret of the origins of the fort at Tere Kol lake in Por Bajin is lost in history.

But the answer to the many questions about Por Bajin's history may lie in the story of the conquest by Pradyumna, Sri Krishna's son, of a city by the name Vajrapur which existed during the times of the Mahabharata. The city of Vajrapur was constructed by an asura architect Nikumba for the  asura Vajranabha described in the Harivamsa Purana - which consists of the description of Sri Krishn'a life after the end of the Mahabharata war.

The ancient history of Por Bajin may be revealed by tracing the etymology of the name 'Por Bajin' itself, which can be decoded by studying the history of Vajrapur, later called Bajrapur, mentioned in the annals of ancient Indian history and literature. Many of these elusive texts were held by descendants of past royal families or by pandits in-charge of ancient Hindu temples, and some information from these texts has trickled down to us.

Lt. Col James Tod, the Political Agent of the East India Company, who was stationed in India in the latter part of the eighteenth century had befriended the Maharaja of Jaisalmer and gained access to the ancient annals of Rajasthan and western India that had been passed down to the Maharaja by his family. James Tod researched these ancient texts and in 1790 summarized his findings in his 'Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan'*, which is now regarded as one of the major works that the British produced during their rule in India.

What James Tod wrote reveals interesting information about the ancient tribes of India, their activities, their emigration to other countries and their conquests. Colonel Tod says: “ The Jaisalmer annals assert that the Yadu and the Balica branches of the Indu race ruled Korassan after the Great War, the Indo-Scythic races of Grecian authors. Besides the Balicas and the numerous branches of the Indo-Medes, many of the sons of Cooru dispersed over these regions : amongst whom we may place Ootooru Cooru (Northern Coorus) of the Puranas, the Ottorocurm of the Greek authors. Both the Indu and the Surya races were eternally sending their superfluous population to those distant regions.” 

The Great War is a reference to the Mahabharata war fought between the Kurus and the Pandavas. Cooru refers to the Kurus, Ootooru Cooru and Ottorocurm is Uttara Kuru of the Puranas, which is identified as the region beginning north of the Himalayas, right up to the Artic circle. The Yadhus are also known as the Yadavas. The Balicas is the Balikha tribe of Mahabharata and Korassan is Khurasan, a region in eastern Iran.

In other words, in his study of the Rajasthan annals, Tod found that the 'Yadhu Tribe', of whom Sri Krishna and his three sons were the most prominent members, spread the Yadhu empire westward and northwards, beyond the geographical boundaries of present day India. He states that one of the cities that was conquered by the Yadhu tribe was called Vajrapur (वज्र-पुर्), later called Bajra-pur. The city was located far away beyond the Himalayan range. Col. Tod states in his Annals and Antiquity, Vol 1, page 85, “The sons of Krishna eventually left Indus behind and passed into Zabulisthan, and peopled those countries, even to Samarkand.” Zabulistan is the present day region of Kabul and Ghazni in Afghanistan. They also peopled territories north of Afghanistan.

Other ancient Indian sources such as the Harivamsa Purana state the same story. Sri Krishna's son Pradyumna extended the Yadhu Empire in the northern direction. One of the cities that he had had attacked was the city of Vajrapura, where he had defeated its king, known by the name Vajranabha. After his defeat, a truce was called and as a peace gesture Pradyumna married Vajranabha's daughter Prabhavati. 

The poetic versions of this war says that Pradyumna is transported from Dwarka by geese to a land far far away before he attacks the destination city of Vajrapur. The Harivamsa Purana describes this city in some detail and states that it was a magnificent city, known as the city of jewels. It was located far beyond the Himalayan range and was surrounded by a lake. That Pradyumna is carried by geese to this city indicates the great distance he had to travel. An analysis of the description in the verses reveals that the geese were aerial cars or vimanas.

For example, in Vogel's 'The Goose in Indian Literature & Art', the author says that the powerful geese fly in military like formations leaving behind what he describes as 'strips of white sandalwood paste emitted from the golden tips of the wings'. This undoubtedly is a description of airplanes leaving behind chem- trails.

Scholar Hari Bilas Sarda arrived at the same conclusion in his research. In his book 'Hindu Superiority', Har Bilas Sarda, quoting Harivamsha Purana states that a band of Hindu settlers left India for Siberia, where they founded a kingdom, with Vajrapur, which later came to be called Bajrapur, as its capital. It is related that on the death of the king Vajranabh of that country in a battle, Pardyumna, Gad and Sambha, three sons of Sri Krishna, with a large number of Brahmans and Kshatriyas went there, and the eldest brother succeeded to the throne of Vajrapur. On the death of Sri Krishna, the three sons paid a condolence visit to Dwarka.

As mentioned above one of the cities that was conquered by the Yadhu tribe was Vajra-pur (वज्र-पुर्), later called Bajra-pur. An analysis of the verses of Harivamsa Purana and the location of 'Por-Bajin' bring us to the conclusion that the name Por Bazin is a distortion of 'Pur-Bajra' - or 'Bajra Pur' in reverse. That perhaps is the only explanation. The ancient name 'Vajra', is commonly pronounced as 'Bajra' in India. In Sanskrit, 'Vajra' (वज्र) means 'impenetrable', 'Pur' (पुर्) means a city. Archaeologists at 'Por Bajin' have described the fortress there to be amazingly sturdy and have stated that in ancient times the fortress must have been almost completely 'impenetrable'. That is exactly how the city is described in the Harivamsa Purana.

In the local 'Tuvan' language 'Por Bajin' translates as 'Clay House' which contradicts the fact that the one feature that stands out is the sturdiness of the Por Bajin structure. In fact, the Sanskrit 'Vajra Pur' is a much more apt word for describing an 'impenetrable fortress'. It therefore becomes evident that the name Vajrapur distorted to Bajrapur and then transposed to Pur Bajra before taking on the form of Por Bajin which could then be explained by the local Tuvan language. 

The existence of a Sanskrit name at this site is not surprising. Por Bajin lies close to Mongolia, and there is has been a huge influence of Sanskrit on the Mongolian language. For example, in Mongolian, Sanskrit weekdays name are still in use, such as Adiya for Sunday (derived from Aditya-Sun), Soumiya for Monday(derived from soma- moon), Angarag for Tuesday, Bud for Wesdnesday ,Barasbadi, derived from Brhaspati - Jupiter, Sugar for Friday, derived from Shukra or Venus and Sanchir derived from Sanischar or Saturn four Saturday. The ancient name of Mongolia is supposed to have been Mangala, Sanskrit for 'prosperity'. It obvious then that in antiquity Por Bajin must have been influenced culturally in a similar manner.


The Por-Bajin Structure at 'Tere Kol Lake', Siberia
Could this have been Lord Krishna's City Vajra-Pur
or Bajra-Pur mentioned in ancient Indian annals.

Now a look at the name of the lake that surrounds Por Bajin. The name is Tere-Kol. Kol is an obvious distortion of Sanskrit 'Kula' (कूल) meaning 'lake', 'pond' or 'pool'. ' In fact the word kol appears in the names of many lakes in the region such as Ssayakol, Koshyarkol and Ala Kol. The name Tere of the lake can be explained by 'Teer' (तीर) is Sanskrit for 'shore' or 'bank' of a river, or the 'edge' of a pool or lake, but this is just one of the explanations, it is too short a word and may be a reuncated form of the original name.

Until now, the archaeologists have dated Por-Bajin site to only 8th century AD, but have not been able to figure out much else about it. But all fingers point to the fact that 'Por Bajin' might indeed have been the Yadhu city that was established by Sri Krishna's sons in Southern Siberia. Doubts had even been raised about the existence of Sri krishna's city of Dwarka, but there certainly are remnants of old submerged structures in the Arabian Sea. Could it similarly be that the traces of the city of the Yadhus still exist somewhere deep inside the foundations of the ruined structure of 'Por-Bajin'?

A look at ancient Dwarka, the city from where Sri Krishna ruled and was built prior to Bajra-Pur, may reveal the answer. Dwarka located off the coast of Gujarat is now submerged. What is uncanny though is the close resemblance of  the shape of the  structure of Dwarka, as described in the Puranas, to that of Por Bajin. The Puranas describe Dwarka as a city built like a fortress, with high walls on the outside, and with four main gates on four sides. Within the city were built a palace, living quarters, temples, and military fortifications for the Yadava warriors

 An artist's conception of Sri Krishna's city
of 'Dwarka' based on descriptions in Hindu texts.
The city is now being explored by marine archaeologists off the coast of Gujarat in India.

Aerial views of Por Bajin are almost identical to that of the description of Dwarka in Indian scriptures. Artifacts found at Por Bajin have been currently dated to no earlier than medieval times. Scholars state that and these artifacts reveal some links to Chinese architecture. However, one must remember, that China itself was heavily influenced by Hinduism in antiquity and then later by Buddhism. In any case, no artifacts could have survived from the times of Sri krishna. If Por Bajin had links to the Yadhu tribe of India, then the medieval structures that exist today at the site were constructed above or on top of what was built by the Yadhus in about 3000- 4000 BC. However, part of the foundations must even today be the same as that of the earliest structure.

This tile excavated from Por-Bajin said to display
Chinese Buddhist features may in all possibility
be of Hindu origins

The name Siberia, it is said, originates from the Tatar-Bashkirs word for 'sleeping land', Sibir;  or 'beautiful land' (Siber). 'Siberia' translates as 'the beautiful land' from Sanskrit. In Sanskrit 'Su' (सु) means 'good' or 'beautiful' and 'Pura' (पुरा), 'Puri' (पुरी) or 'puram' (पुरम) all mean 'land' or 'city'. These is widely accepted in the Indian circles especially because the Harivamsa Purana clearly states in its description of Pradyumna's sojourn to Vajrapura, "Thereupon ascending the cars driven by Pradyumna, the great car-warrior Yadavas set out on the mission of the highly powerful celestials. Thereupon they arrived at Supura, a dependent city of Vajra". In other words Pradyumna made a stop at Supura before proceeding to Vajrapura.

Others have contended that 'Sibir' (शिबिर) means 'camp'. Archaeologists have conjectured that, in antiquity, Por-Bajin was possibly used only as a summer residence, or a camp, given the extreme weather conditions of Siberia. Some have therefore contended that the name of Siberia in ancient Indian texts is 'Shivir', in reference to the temporary 'camps' that were set up there by travelers, but this view is not accepted for lack of authenticity.

Some consider Por Bajin stronghold to be a temple and call it 'Russian Shaolin'. Others believe that this construction serves as the northern gates to sacred place Shambala.

Suggested Links:
1. *Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan' (published- 1829 AD) by Lt. Col. James Todd of East India Company.
2. Lake Baikal and Angara River, Siberia - The Sanskrit Connection
3. Dwarka or Por Bajin
4. Yoni Worship in Siberia
5. Por Bajin - Fortress of Solitude
6. Pradyumna
7. Hindu Superiority : Har Bilas Sarda : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
8. vol 2, pt 1, stanza 12 c - The Secret Doctrine (theosociety.org)
9. History Of Ancient India (a New Version) : From 7300 Bb To 4250 Bc, - J.P. Mittal - Google Books
10. Pradyumna: Son of Krishna - Usha Narayanan - Google Books
11. Archaeology Magazine - Letter from Siberia - Fortress of Solitude - Archaeology Magazine Archive
12.Common World Inheritage: Yoni Worship in Siberia.
13. A Prose English Translation of Harivamsha (archive.org)
14.6 Chapter 2 - Gadre.pdf (hmlibrary.ac.in)
15.Altai sacred sites (unu.edu)




Wednesday 13 March 2013

BAIKAL - WORLD'S LARGEST FRESHWATER LAKE & THE ANGARA RIVER, SIBERIA. THE SANSKRIT CONNECTION

Lake Baikal, the world's oldest and deepest freshwater lake, located in Siberia, is 400 miles long and extends from its northern tip down to South-Eastern Siberia, just north of the Mongolian border. Its waters are said to be crystal clear. The lake is 25 million years old, making it the oldest known existing freshwater lake. From the southern end of Lake Baikal flows out the Angara River.The fault zone on which Lake Baikal exists is seismically active, there are many hot springs in the area, and earthquakes are frequent.

Lake Baikal and the River Angara
Siberia

Lake Baikal. Its name is traced to the Turik languages and is said to mean 'rich lake'. However, the Sanskrit translation of its name is more appropriate. In Sanskrit 'Bha' (भा) means 'lustre', 'shine' or 'splendor'. 'Kula' (कूल) means 'lake', 'pond' or 'pool'. 'Baikal' then translates as 'Shining Lake' - a reference to its crystal clear waters.

There are other possibilities. Baikal is the largest fresh water lake in the world extending 400 miles from one tip to the other. In Sanskrit, 'bashkal' (बाष्कल) means 'great' or 'large' which is appropriate given the size of the lake. There is a Vedic connection too. Bashkal was the name of one of the Rig Vedic sages.*

From the southern tip of Lake Baikal flows the Angara River. This is an interesting name. In Sanskrit 'Angara' (आङ्गार) means 'heated' or 'warm' or 'hot coal'. This is curious since the waters of Lake Baikal are icy. However, the upper stretch of the Angara River is lined with thermal springs spewing hot water, steam and minerals. The temperature of the water at Angarakan-Sartinsky Spring located on the left shore of the Upper Angara is about 36-40 degrees Celsius; at Asindinsky spring - located in the Upper Angara river valley, Yanchuy river mouth - the temperature of the spring water goes up to 50 degrees Celsius, at Dzelindinsky springs in Upper Angara river valley, Dzelinda river mouth, 32-44 degrees Celsius, and at Delun-Uransky spring - Upper Angara river valley, Niro stream mouth, up to 35°C. 


There are many many more hot water mineral springs in this region. With so many thermal water springs spewing hot water and minerals into the Angara River Valley, the name Angara, meaning 'hot', is not surprising, - not surprising only if one were to assume that Sanskrit was once spoken in this region. (The details of the information about the Hot water Springs has been taken from here).

As an aside, here is an interesting piece from the research done by Lt. Col. James Tod. Lt. Col James Tod, the Political Agent of the East India Company, who was stationed in India in the latter part of the eighteenth century, befriended the Maharaja of Jaisalmer, and gained access to the ancient annals of Rajasthan and western India, that the Maharaja's family possessed. James Tod researched the ancient literature and summarized his findings in 'Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan', which is now regarded as one of major work that the British produced during their reign in India.

What James Tod wrote reveals interesting bit of information about ancient India and Siberia. In his study of the ancient tribes of India Tod found that the 'Yadhu Tribe', of whom Shri Krishna was the most prominent member, and his three sons, spread the Yadhu empire westward and also up North from India. One of the cities that was set up by them was known as Bajrapur, (probably Vajrapur), just across the Altai Mountain Range in Southern Siberia!


Suggested Links:
1. Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan by Lt. Col. James Todd
2. *For more on the Rig Vedic Sage Bashkal click on The Bharadvaja's in Ancient India by Thaneswar Sarmah.

Tuesday 12 March 2013

THE RIVERS OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - THE SANSKRIT CONNECTION

There are many opinions about whether or not the ancient civilizations of Europe ever spoke a language close to Proto Indo European or Sanskrit, but there is no debating the fact that Sanskrit is a language, which has the in-built intelligence to decode the ancient names of present day rivers and mountains anywhere in the world.

Irrespective of one's opinion about whether Sanskrit was a universal language of an all pervading Vedic world, Sanskrit remains one of the biggest tools that can remove the many layers under which the truths of human history are hidden. Here is a look at the names of the Rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina:

One of the most prominent rivers of Bosnia Herzegovina is the Tara River. It is only 82 miles long, but at its deepest it is 1300 metres. Its canyon, the Tara River Canyon, is the second deepest in the world - after the Grand Canyon. The words 'tAr', 'tAra 'and "tarA' have many meanings in Sanskrit. here are the most relevant one's:

-'tAr' (तार) means 'high', 'clear', 'excellent', protector, good, clean, 'descent to a river'.
-'tAra" (तारा) means 'star', 'asterism', 'meteor'.
-'tara' (तर) means surpassing, crossing, carrying across, and 'passage'.

The Tara River is also known as Tapa in Serbian Cyrillic. Tapa (तप) means 'warmth' or 'sun' in Sanskrit. 


The Tara emerges from the confluence of the Opasnica and Verusa Rivers. Opasnica may be a distortion of the Sanskrit 'upasana' (उपासन) which means 'prayer', 'worship' or 'respect'. 'Verusa' may be a distortion of the Sanskrit 'Varish' (वारीश) which means 'Lord of the Waters' or 'Ocean', or Verusa may be derived from 'Varisha' (वरिषा) which means 'rain'.

The Tara converges with the Piva to form the Drina River. Piva (पीवा) in Sanskrit means 'water' . Together the two rivers form the third river Drina. The Drina for which no etymological explanation has been given so far, may be a distortion of the Sanskrit 'Trini'. 'Trini' (त्रीणि) means meaning 'Threesome' or 'Third'. The name 'Trini' is akin to 'Triveni', the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna at Prayag in India.



The Drina Confluence
The name Drina may be a distortion of the Sanskrit  'Trini
meaning 'threesome'.

The Drina is a branch of the Danube watershed. For a note on the Sanskrit connection to the name Danube click here.

Monday 11 March 2013

THE SEVEN TEXTS OF THE 'ZEND-AVESTA' - THE SANSKRIT DE-CODE

The Avesta is the collection of Seven Primary Texts books of 'Zoroastrianism' the ancient religion of Iran, then called Persia. The etymological origins of the word 'Persia' are unclear though it is known that the most ancient form of the name 'Persia' is 'Parsa'. The name is likely of Sanskrit origins and of Indian coinage. In India 'Persia' was known as 'Paras' (परस्) which means 'further', 'away' or 'beyond'. In Indian mythology 'Paras' represents a precious touchstone that transformed any metal that it came in contact to gold. 'Para', in ancient Sanskrit also means 'transcendental' or 'magical powers'.

1. Book I of the Avesta is called 'Yasna'. 'Yasna' is derived from Sanskrit 'Yagya' (यज्ञ) which means the 'Holy Fire Worship'. The Yasna also includes the 'gathas'. The word 'Gatha' comes from Sanskrit 'gatha' (गाथा) which means 'hymns' or 'verses'.

2. Book II is the 'Visperad' and is a supplement to the 'Yasna'. It contains the rituals and the liturgical code of the Yagna . The Avestan word 'Visperad' has been decoded as 'Visspe Ratavo', meaning 'prayer to all patrons'.

The Yasna and the Visperad, like the Hindu Yajur-Veda, encode the 'vidhi' (विधि) or the method of the ritualistic ceremony and fire worship The 'Visperad' is never recited without the 'Yasna' which points to the fact that the 'Visperad' were the hymns that were chanted as the 'Yasna' (Avestan) or Yagna (Sanskrit), or 'Offerings to the Holy Fire' (English), were made.

'Visperad' may be decoded with the help of Sanskrit as follows: 'Perad' is a distortion of Sanskrit 'Parida' (परिदा) which means 'an offering of devotion'. The first syllable 'Vis' may have entered into Avestan from Sanskrit 'Vidh' (विध्) which means 'Honour a God with'. The Sanskrit 'Vidh-Parida' would then translate as 'Honour a God with offering of Devotion".


3. The IIIrd Book is the 'Vendidad' and is generally accepted to be a corruption of the Avestan 'Vi-Daevo-Data', which if decoded with the help of Sanskrit means 'Given Against the Demons'. In Sanskrit 'Videva' (विदेव) means 'those who are not Devas or Gods' that is equivalent to 'Demons'. 'DatA' means 'giver' in Sanskrit.


The name 'Vendidad' is therefore interpreted as a 'method to confound the demons'. But that has a negative connotation (which may originate from the fact that the Rig Vedic 'Sura' or Devas' were considered as 'Demons' in the kingdoms of Central Asia).  Besides, in Sanskrit, 'Vedeva' (विदेव) does mean 'hostile to Gods'. However, unlike the 'Yasna' the 'Vendidad text is not universally revered, and some have argued that the 'Venidad' was either written much later than the 'Yasna' or else distortions were introduced into the original 'Vendidad' texts. 

It is also said that though the language of Vendidad is Old Avestan, the religious concepts enumerated in there are not. The original meaning of the name 'Vendidad' may then have had much more to do more with Sanskrit 'Vandana' (वन्दना) which means 'the act of praising' or 'Vandita' (वन्दित) which means 'One who is praised or revered like God' to the rather dark 'Vi-deavo-data' meaning 'Given against the Demons'. 


4. The IVth  book is the 'Yasht', the name derives from Avestan 'yesti' which means 'to venerate', and is a book of 21 hymns. 'Yasht' may be derived from any of these Sanskrit words - 'Yachati' (यच्छति) which means 'offer' or  to 'give', Yacha (याच्) to 'ask for' or 'request', 'Yacha' (याच्य) 'making a humble request' and so on.

5. The Vth book is the 'Sriroza' which means 'Thirty Days' in Avestan. In the Hindu tradition, the concept of Thirty Gods exists as 'TridashGuru' (त्रिदशगुरु). The 'Sri' in 'Sriroza' is a distortion of Sanskrit (त्रिंश) 'trinsh' or 'Trinshat' (त्रिंशत्) both meaning 'thirty'.

6. The VIth Book is the 'Khordeh Avestan', which means 'Small Avestan'. 'Khordeh' is derived from Sanskrit 'Kriduh' (कृधु) meaning 'small'.


To read about the Sanskrit connection to the name 'Zarathustra' and 'Azerbaijan' click here.


Suggested Link:
Ancient Indian Colonies of the Far East - Dr. R. C Mazumdar

Saturday 9 March 2013

AZERBAIJAN - THE SANSKRIT CONNECTION

In popular literature the roots of the name 'Azerbaijan' have only been traced to as far back as the Old Persian 'Azar' meaning 'fire' and 'baijan', originally 'payegan', meaning 'protector'.

'Azar Payegan' has been linked to the 'Holy Fire Worship' of Zoroastrianism. Avestan was the language of Zoroastrianism.

'Azar', meaning 'fire' in Old Persian, is derived from Avestan 'atar' which means 'fire'. Avestan is itself closely linked to Sanskrit. 
In Sanskrit, 'agira' (अगिर), 'ashira' (अशिर ), 'agni' ( अग्नि ), and 'ushij' ( उशिज् ) all mean fire. The Avestan 'atar' derives from Sanskrit 'agira', just as the Latin 'igneus' derives from Sanskrit 'agni'. 

The Avestan 'Payegan' which means 'Protector' derives from Sanskrit 'palaka' (पालक) which also means 'protector'. The suffix 'gana' (गण) in Sanskrit means 'a group' or 'troop'. 'Palak-gaan' in Sanskrit would therefore mean 'protectors' or 'guardians'. In Rigveda 'groups of gods' were referred to as 'devagana' ( देवगण).



The Sanskrit Inscriptions at 'Baku Ateshgah'
in Azerbaijan. The first line says, "Shri Ganeshaye Namah'.
The Persian script added later pertains to 'Fire' but is grammatically  incorrect.
Here is a look at the name 'Zororatra' or 'Zararhustra' after whom the ancient Iranian religion was named. The Avestan 'Zarathushtra' is often translated as 'Old Camel'. The Old Persian or Avestan 'zarant' meaning 'old' is itself derived from Sanskrit 'jara' (जर) also meaning 'old', and 'ushtra' (उष्ट्रmeaning 'camel'.  Distortions of Sanskrit 'jara' and 'ushtra' appear in Greek, Latin, Avestan and Persian with the sammeanings.

But Zorausthara has a far more significant translation in Sanskrit. The first syllable of 'Zarath-ustra' may well be a distortion of 'harit' meaning 'golden'. In Persian 'zarat' also  means 'golden' and is derived from Sanskrit 'harit' via Avestan. The Sanskrit 'ash' (अष्means 'to shine'. 'Zarathustra' then means 'one who shines like gold'. It   may well have been a name given to 'Zarathustra' by his followers in deference of his wisdom and is definitely ore appropriate than the more common 'Golden Camel' translation.

The Temple of Surakhani, Azerbaijan
Sanskrit Inscription

Suggested Link:

Tuesday 5 March 2013

DENMARK - THE SANSKRIT CONNECTION

The name Denmark!

Most handbooks link the word 'den' which means 'flat land' to one of the three sources listed here

1. to German 'tenne' which means 'barn floor',
2. to English 'den' which means 'cave', and;
3. to Sanskrit 'dhánus' (धनुस्) meaning 'desert'.

However, it is the Sanskrit 'dan' (दान) which means 'meadow' or 'open pastures' which is the most appropriate.


Many place names in Denmark (Denmark included) have two syllables. The most common second syllables are:

1. 'Ager' which means 'field'. 'Ager' is said to be derived from the Latin 'ager', originally from Sanskrit 'ajrya' (अज्र्य) meaning 'fields'.
2. 'Berg' which means 'hill', traced via Old German 'berg' to Sanskrit 'brhant' (बृहन्त) meaning 'high' or 'elevated'.
3. 'Borg' meaning fort, derived from Sanskrit 'Durg' (दुर्ग).
4. 'Bro' meaning 'bridge' from Sanskrit 'Brhi' (भृ) which means 'to carry', 'support' or 'lift up'.
5. 'Dal or 'Dahl' meaning 'valley', as in Sanskrit 'dal' (दल्) meaning 'crack' or 'split'.

The second 'syllable' of the word 'Denmark', or the Norse 'Danmaork' is said to mean 'woodland'. 'mark' or 'maork' may be traced to the Sanskrit 'marya' (मर्या) which means 'limit', 'border' or 'boundary'. 'Marya' (
मर्या) certainly fits in much better, considering that it also is the source of Old Frisian 'merkia', and, German and Dutch 'merken', which all mean 'mark', which is often used in the sense of 'marked territory', hence equivalent to 'border' and therefore the Sanskrit 'marya'.

It is also possible that both 'mark' and 'maork', and their accepted meaning of 'woodland', may be distorted forms of Sanskrit 'marg' (मार्ग), which usually is taken to mean 'path', 'passage' or 'route', but also means 'track of a wild animal', and  'hunting'. It is in this sense that the Danish meaning of 'mark', which is 'woodland', may be linked to the Sanskrit 'marg'.

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