Breakup of Persians and East Indians (Avestan and Vedic)

[manaster at umich.edu]

I have always wondered about this too.  And it is not just
language.  Isn't it the case that through language we can
also tell for example that their common ancestors did not
believe in killing cows (which are called literally
'not-to-be-killed ones' in both lgs)? And so forth?

And isn't there something about Zarathustra having
had a hard a time converting the priests of the
old (i.e., Vedic-like) religion till he converted
King who-is who may have been Darius's father?
Also I vaguely recall Firdausi saying something
about Z. dying in a holy war in Bactria or someplace
(which would mean that some traditional lore about
Z. had survived in Iran for centuries but is not
in the Avestan material).  This is all very vague and
old recollection, though.

AMR

On Sat, 30 Jan 1999, Carol Jensen wrote:

> I have often wondered why I have never read anything about the fight, if
> there was one, between the Avestans and Vedics.

> The languages are so close, they must have broken up shortly before the
> various hymns were written down.

> In the Avestan hymns, one learns of the reformer Zarasthustra. Now it is
> obvious that what he has reformed is the Vedic religion. Was there a fight
> before they split? Could it be the Persians referred to in the Vedic texts
> ("We broke down their walled town", etc.)

[ moderator snip ]