Re: Indo-European Studies

Anshuman Pandey (apandey@u.washington.edu)
Sat, 8 Jul 1995 12:02:47 -0700

On 7 Jul 1995, Ori Pomerantz wrote:

> How long were the Vedas written after the migration? Even if I were
> to write a text on spiritual enlightment today in Israel I might not mention
> immigration, despite the fact all of my grand parents came from aboard. Wait
> another 6 generations, and the immigration will become history, which may be
> considered largely irrelevant to everyday life. And it would still me merely
> two centuries from the immigration.

The Vedas seem to be more than just treatises on spirituality. Some of
the hymns are atheistic in nature, and some are devoted to others such as
gambling, sex, drinking, etc.

> Another possibility is that the Vedas are invention of the pre-Aryan
> population, TRANSLATED to the ruling class's Sanskrit. That would also
> explain the lack of Aryan cultural influence.

Is position is unlikely. The hymns of the Vedas are clearly in reference
to Aryan/Indo-Iranian deities, as is seen by the characteristics and
epithets mentioned throughout the hymns.

Anshuman Pandey