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Remarks on the Avestan Hymn to Mithra1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 December 2009

Paul Thieme
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Extract

1. The importance of the Avesta for the study of the history of Iranian languages and religions is matched by the interest it holds for the Vedologist. Whoever attempts to fathom the prehistoric origins of Rigvedic poetry and ideas will have to turn to the sacred book of the Parsis, which on innumerable occasions will help him to check his reconstructions: it is one of the most serious defects of Bergaigne's treatment of the Ādityas in his Religion védique (III pp. 98 ff.) that he omitted to avail himself of this rich source of information. The Avestic evidence offers, in fact, often more than a check. There are instances where it can bring us nearer to Proto-Aryan origins than the Rigveda itself. This point was most impressively vindicated by Benveniste and Renou in their monograph Vṛtra et Vṛθragna (1934). Nowhere, however, does it become clear more immediately than in the case of God Mitra/Mithra. It was the Avestic evidence that enabled Meillet (J As., juillet-août 1907, 143 ff.) to establish his original nature as the personified Contract/Treaty.

Type
Articles
Information
Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies , Volume 23 , Issue 2 , June 1960 , pp. 265 - 274
Copyright
Copyright © School of Oriental and African Studies 1960

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References

1 cf. verse 23 apa pāδay zāvarə [barahi] ‘you (Mithra) carry away the strength of the feet [of the mortals who are false to the contract]’. In EV 3.59.3 those who ‘abide by the vow of Mitra’ are mitájñavas ‘of firmly implanted knees’, which I interpreted, Mitra and Aryaman (1957), p. 48Google Scholar, ‘standing firmly [without fear]’. The concept ‘fear’, which I had to supply, is actually given in the context of Yt. 10.23.

1 One should, however, seriously consider accepting, for Yt. 13.47, the well attested reading -anō, and translating: ‘together [with them, i.e. with Mithra, Rashnu, and upamana] the victorious winds’. In Yt. 14.38 the MSS unanimously: -anō.

1 fra āpəm zavanō.srutəm ‘[Mithra] who crosses the waters, listens to the invocation’ ? Cf. e.g. RV 1.19.1 … prá hūyase … 7 … tiráə samudrám arṇavám … gahi. Differently G, p. 210.

2 On a similar use of tṝ‘cross’ see Thieme, , Studien zur indogermanischen Wortkunde (1952), p. 8.Google Scholar

3 In German: ‘Sie blinken als (wie) Blickende’. Whether this is really preferable to Gershevitch's ‘the furs shine upon the viewers’, I leave to others to judge.

4 As to Latin prōnus, mentioned on p. 178Google Scholar, I remark in passing that I consider its analysis as bahuvrīhi: *pro-ōsno- ‘whose face (Latin ōs, Sanskrit ās/āsan-) is forward’ to be evident.

1 cf. also the mantra MS 4.13.9 (p. 212, 1. 2) etc.: [dyāoāpṛthiv ] urúgavyūtī abhayaṃk tau and RV 7.77.4; 9.78.5; 9.85.8; 9.74.3.