Re: Indo-European Studies
Gerold Firl (geroldf@sdd.hp.com)
27 Jul 1995 12:54:36 -0700
In article <Pine.OSF.3.91j.950726224752.12964B-100000@saul3.u.washington.edu> Anshuman Pandey <apandey@u.washington.edu> writes:
>On 25 Jul 1995, Gerold Firl wrote:
>> One aspect of the vedas and later epics which you don't seem to recognize
>> is the gradual shift in philosophy from the alien western values imported
>> by the aryans *back* towards an *indigenous* indian outlook.
>Is it now accepted that the original inhabitants of the Indus Valley
>Civilization were Dravidians? What about the claims that they inhabitants
>were of a Australoid stock?
Good question; I don't know the answer to that. I probably used the term
"dravidian" too loosely. I should have referred to the original inhabitants
of the indus valley without presuming them to be dravidian; any idea what
the proper term would be?
>The Indo-Aryans possessed a deity whom they
>associated with Shiva, Rudra. In essence, these two deities embodied the
>same elements.
The rudras (there existed a plurality of rudras) appear to be the result of
the incorporation of indigenous beliefs into the brahmanic system. I
believe rudra to be an artifice, a product of hindu syncretism, an interim
stand-in for shiva during his period of exile, before he was re-admitted to
the company of the gods.
Is there any mention of rudra in the rig veda? If so, I would suggest that
any hymns referring to rudra were of relatively late date.
There is a lack of depth to the characterization of rudra which suggests
artificiality, a lack of genuine presence within the religious tradition of
the aryans.
--
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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=---- Gerold Firl @ ..hplabs!hp-sdd!geroldf
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