The OIT makes a well detailed case for the late bronze age and iron age migrations. This blog will not go into it. The focus of the blog will be the early bronze age migration of the Iranian tribes into India through comparative study of Avesta and Rig Veda.
The three phases of Iranian migration in the early bronze age
The first phase of the Iranian migration starts with the common Indo Iranian culture. The memory of this period only exists in the Avesta. The Vedic religion had not come into existence. At the end of this period, the migration of the Iranians to India starts with Manu, Angiras and Atharvan.
The second phase is the dawn of the Vedic civilization from the initial migrants. It continues through early rig Vedic period up to the battle of Varshagira. In the Iranian civilization this marks the peak of the Paradhata dynasty, the Kavi dynasty up to the rise of Zarathustra.
The final phase is the Varshagira battle which marks the end of the migration of the Iranian tribes in to India. This is followed by the out flow of the Indian tribes in to middle east and central Asia as explained by the OIT.
The first phase of migration: Indo Iranian civilization:
Before we get into the common Indo-Iranian civilization I would like to mention the Aryan Invasion of the south India. There is a consensus among AIT, OIT and the Vedic traditionist that the south India was culturally invaded by the Vedic religion. The Puranic stories and Tamil Sangam literature allude to the arrival of Agastya triggering the Vedic civilization in South India. There are no memory of kings, priests and religion of south India prior to the arrival of Rishi Agastya in any Tamil literature.
Now rewind the story to a few centuries before to the north India. There is no memory of the the kings, priest and religion prior to arrival of Manu, Angiras and Atharvan. The traditional accounts have tried to address this issue with the theory of Yuga cycles and multiple Manus. Such Puranic explanation are clearly not real. But the memory of this period is preserved in the Avesta.
Avesta has the memory of the common Indo-Iranian period from the time of Gaya Marten (Ysn, 23.2, Ysn26.5, Ysn 26.10, Ysn 68.22, Yst 13.87, Yst 13.145). It also mention the Paradhata Dynasty started by Haoshyangha (Yst5.21, Yst9.3, Yst13.137, Yst15.7, Yst17.24, Yst17.26, Yst19.26). His son Takhma Urupa (Yst13.96,yst15.11,yst19.28). He is followed by Yima Vivanghvant (Ysn.9.4, Ysn9.5, Ysn32.8, Yst5.25, Yst9.8, Yst13.130, Yst15.15/16, Yst17.28, Yst17.31, Yst19.31, Yst19.34/35/36/38/46)
During Yima's time, the migration of Iranians to India starts. The Vedas have the memory of Yama Vivasvan (Rv10.14.1,Rv10.21.5,Rv10.58.1,Rv10.60.10,Rv1.163.2/3). His brother Manu Vivasvan (Rv 8.96.1) gets the honor of being the first Vedic king. He is mentioned in all the books of the Rig Veda (Rv 1.13, Rv 1.14.11, Rv 1.36.19, Rv 1.44.11, Rv 1.45, Rv 1.46.13, Rv 1.113.16, Rv 1.114, Rv 1.128, Rv 1.139.9, Rv 2.10, Rv 2.33, Rv 3.17, Rv 3.60.3, Rv 4.26.1, Rv 5.45, Rv 6.21, Rv 7.2.3, Rv 7.100.4, Rv 8.22.6, Rv 8.52, Rv 8.96, Rv 9.92, Rv 9.96, Rv 10.53, Rv 10.62, Rv 10.63.6/7, Rv 10.69.3, Rv 10.86.23, Rv 10.100). On the priest families of this period, Atharvan and Angiras, are mentioned by both the Avesta and the Vedas.
What follows is the one sided migration of the Iranian tribes to India. We will see that all the Iranian kings until the period of Zarathustra in Avesta are familiar and popular among the Vedic civilization. But the fore fathers of the Vedic civilization and the early Rig Veda are completely alien to the Avesta.
The second phase of migration: The dawn of Vedic civilization
To understand the dawn of the Vedic civilization it is important to understand the Iranian civilization that was contemporary to the Vedic civilization.
Iranian civilization from Yima to Zarathustra
The pre-Zoroastrian Iran had a very interesting history. Yima Vivanghvant is deposed by Azhi Dahaka (Ysn 9.8, Ysn11.6, Yst9.14, Yst14.40, Yst15.19/24, Yst17.34, Yst19.37/46/47/48/49/50/92) apparently from Babylon (Yst 5.29). Iran is liberated from Azhi by Thraetana son of Atwaya (Ysn9.7, Yst5.33/61, Yst9.13, Yst13.131, Yst14.40, Yst15.23, Yst17.33/35, Yst19.36/92). He has a son Airyu (Yst 13.131). The name Iran and the Aryan tribe get their name from Airyu. His two brother are the founders of the tribes Sairima (Yst 13.143/144) and Turan (Ysn11.7, Ysn46.12, Yst5.41, Yst 5.54, Yst 5.73, Yst 9, Yst 13.38, Yst 17.38, Yst19.56/57/60/63/82/93). The Paradhata dynasty ends with Manushchithra (Yst13.131) and the weak king Naotara (yst5.53/76,yst13.101,yst15.35). Another important personality during this time is Thrita Sama/sayuzhdri (Ysn 9.10, Yst5.72, Yst13)
The Paradhata dynasty is followed by the Kavi Dynasty. The first king is Kavi Kavata (Yst19.71, Yst13.132). The next important king is Kavi Usadhan (yst19.71) and Kavi Husravas (Yst5.49, Yst9.18, Yst9.21, Yst13.132, Yst13.137, Yst15.32, Yst17.38/41/43,yst19.56/76/93). Another important character is the father of Husravas, Syavakshana (Yst13.29.132, Yst19.72, Yst.9, Yst13, Yst17.38, Yst17.42, Yt19.76) who never ascended the throne.
A parallel dynasty to the Kavi was the Turanian dynasty. The most important king was Frangrasyan (Ysn 11.7, Yst.9, Yst13, Yst17.38, Yst17.42, Yst19.76). He is also called tûrahyâ uzjên fryânahyâ (Ysn 46.12). Another important Turanian is Frangrasyan's brother Agreratha (Yst.9, Yst13, Yst17.38, Yst17.42, Yst19.76) who was murdered along with Syavakshana by Frangrasyan. The murder of Syavakshana is avenged by his son Kavi Husravas.
The most interesting aspect of this period in the Iranian history is that all these characters are found in Rig Veda. Azhi Dahaka is the Ahi (Rv 1.32.11, Rv 1.103.7, Rv 2.11.5, Rv 2.13.5, Rv 2.19.2, Rv 2.30.1, Rv 3.32.11, Rv 3.33.7, Rv 4.19, Rv 4.28, Rv 5.31, Rv 5.33, Rv 6.18.14, Rv 6.30, Rv 8.82, Rv 10.62, Rv 10.96).
Thraetana is mentioned in (Rv 1.158). Rig Veda has fused the Thraetana Atwaya and Thrita Sama into the character Trita Aptya (Rv 5.41, Rv 10.8.8, Rv 10.120.6, Rv 8.12.16). Trita is the most popular character after Manu in the Rig Veda (Rv 1.52.5, Rv 1.105.17, Rv 2.11, Rv 5.9.5, Rv 5.41.10/4, Rv 5.86.1, Rv 10.99.6, Rv 2.31.6, Rv 2.34.10/14, Rv 5.54.2, Rv 8.7.2, Rv 8.41.6, Rv 9.34.4, Rv 9.38.2, Rv 9.95.4, Rv 9.102.2/3, Rv 10.8.7, Rv 10.46.3, Rv 10.64, Rv 10.115). Rig Veda also remembers him slaying Ahi (Rv 10.8.8, Rv 2.11.20, Rv 1.187.1).
Though Airyu and Manushchithra are not directly mentioned, there are plenty of references to the Aryan tribe and the patriarch Manu. Kavi Kavata is mentioned as the ancient Kavasa (Rv 7.18.12). Kavi Ushadhan is the Kavi Ushana (Rv 6.20.11, Rv 1.51.10, Rv 1.51.11, Rv 4.16, Rv 4.26, Rv 5.29.9, Rv 5.31, Rv 5.34, Rv 8.23.17, Rv 9.87.3, Rv 9.97.7, Rv 10.22.6, Rv 10.40.7). He is mentioned along with Yama in (Rv 1.83.5). Husravas is the Susravas (Rv 1.53.9). Frangrasyan or Tûrahyâ uzjên fryânahyâ is the Turvayana (Rv 6.18.13, Rv 10.61.2). The protagonist Husravas/Susravas and the antagonist Frangrasyan/Turvayana are jointly mentioned in Rv 1.53.10. Finally the Simyu (Rv 7.18.5) are identified with Sairima.
Pre Rig Vedic and early Rig Vedic period
The period from Yima to Zarathustra in Iran is contemporary to Pre Rig Vedic and early Rig Vedic period of the family books 6,7,3,2 and 4. Below is the list of prominent kings, tribes and rishis in this period. The Iranian Avesta is completely unaware of any of them.
1. Dynasty of Manu , Ila (Rv 10.95.18, 1.31.11), Pururavas (Rv 1.31.4, Rv 10.95), Ayu (8.15.5), Nahusa (Rv 1.31.11, Rv 5.12.6, Rv 6.22.10, Rv 7.95.2, Rv 8.46.27 ), Yayati (Rv 1.31.17, Rv 10.63.1)
2. Five tribes (Rv 1.117.3, Rv 5.35, Rv 6.11, R6.46, Rv 6.61.12, Rv 7.75.4, Rv 7.79.1, Rv 8.9.2, Rv 8.52.7, Rv 9.92, Rv9.101, Rv 10.45/46/53/55/60/119) : Anu (Rv 8.10.5, Rv 1.108.8, Rv 5.31.4, Rv 7.18.13) , Yadu (Rv 1.36.18, Rv 1.54.6, Rv 1.174.9, Rv 4.30.17, Rv 6.20.12, Rv 6.45.1, Rv 7.19.8, Rv8.1.31, Rv 8.4.7, Rv 8.7.18, Rv 8.9.14, Rv 8.10.5, Rv 8.45.27, Rv 9.61.2, Rv 10.49.8, Rv 10.62.10), Druhyu (Rv 8.10.5, Rv 7.18.5), Turvasa (Rv 1.47.7, Rv 6.27.8, Rv 7.18.6, Rv 1.36.18, Rv 1.54.6, Rv 1.174.9, Rv 4.30.17, Rv 5.31.8, Rv 6.20.12, Rv 6.45.1, Rv 7.19.8, Rv8.1.31, Rv 8.4.7, Rv 8.7.18, Rv 8.9.14, Rv 8.10.5, Rv 8.45.27, Rv 9.61.2, Rv 10.49.8, Rv 10.62.10), Puru (Rv 1.63.7, Rv 1.130.7, 4.38.3, 7.5.5, Rv 7.8.4, Rv 7.18.13, Rv 7.19.3)
3. Devavata tribe: Devavata (Rv 3.23.2, Rv 6.27.7, Rv 7.18.22), Srnjaya (Rv 4.15.4, Rv 6.27.7, Rv 6.47.22), Prastoka (Rv 6.47.22), Devasravas (Rv 3.23.2)
4. Trtsu tribe (Rv 7.18.15/19, Rv 7.33, Rv 7.83): Athithigva (Rv 1.51.6, Rv 1.53, Rv 1.112.14, Rv1.130, Rv 2.14, Rv 4.26, Rv 6.18, Rv 6.26, Rv 6.47, Rv 7.19, Rv 8.57.16, Rv 8.97.2, Rv 10.48.8), Vadhryasva (Rv 6.61.1), Divodasa (Rv 1.112.14, Rv 1.116.18, Rv 1.119, Rv 1.130.7, Rv 2.19, Rv 4.26, Rv 4.30.20, Rv 6.16.5, Rv 6.26, Rv 6.31, Rv 6.47, Rv 6.61.1, Rv 7.18.25, Rv 7.18.25, Rv 8.92.2) , Pratardana (Rv 6.26.8), Pijavana (Rv 7.18.23), Sudas (Rv 1.47.6, Rv 1.63, Rv 1.112, Rv 7.18.5, Rv 7.19.3, Rv 7.20, Rv 7.25.3, Rv 7.33, Rv 7.60.8, Rv 7.64, Rv 7.83.4)
5. Prthu tribe (Rv 6.27.8, Rv 7.83.1): Abhyavartin Chayamana (6.27.8/5), Kavi Chayamana (Rv 7.18.8)
Several late bronze age and iron age tribe identified in OIT as Iranian are listed below. They are also not found in Avesta. Their migration into middle east and central Asia is well documented in the OIT: Paktha (Rv 7.18.7), Parsu (Rv 7.83.1), Bhalana (Rv 7.18.7), Prthu (Rv 7.83.1), Alina (Rv 7.18.7), Bhrgu (7.18.6), Sivas (Rv 7.18.7), Visanin (Rv 7.18.7), Bhrigu (Rv 7.18.6)
The one Iranian tribe that finds mention in the Avesta is Simyu (Rv 7.18.5). It is identified as Sairima, We have seen that they are the sister tribe of Iranians that had moved out of Iran.
Several early Rig Vedic rishi families: Brihaspati, Bharadwaj, Vasishta Vishwamitra, Chyavan, Dadhyac, Agastya, Jamadagni, are also missing in Avesta. The rishi families such as Ausija and Gautama show up in Avesta happen during the time of Zarathustra. This is when the Iranians meet the Vedic tribe after a long hiatus. We will explore it in the next section.
This section proves that Vedic civilization was fully aware of the Iranian civilization. But the Iranian Civilization was completely detached from the Vedic civilization in this period from Yima to Zarathustra. Some of the major battles such as the Hariyupiya and Dasarajana are not in the memory of Iranians since they were not involved in it. But Iranian sister tribe of Turan and Sairima did seem to have contacts with the Vedic civilization. And definitely a steady stream of migrants from Iran flowed to the Vedic civilization bringing in their stories, heroes and gods. This is the conclusive proof of one way migration from Iran to India during Pre Rig Vedic and Early Vedic period.
The final phase of Iranian migration to India: The Zoroastrian period
The rise of Zarathustra, the monotheistic Asuric cult and his Patron King Vistasp (Ysn12.7, Ysn 23.2, Ysn28.7, Ysn46.14, Ysn51.16, Ysn 53.2, Yst5.98/108/117/132, Yst15.36, Yst17.49/52/61, Yst19.87/93) finally put the Vedic civilization in contact with the Iranians. The Vedic rishis like Ausija/Usij (Rv1.18, Rv 1.112, Rv 1.119.9, Rv 1.122.4, Rv 5.41, Rv 6.4, Rv 10.99.11, Ysn 44.20) and Gautama/Gaotema (Rv 1.60/61/62/63/77/78/88/92, Rv 4.32, Rv 8.77, Yst 13.16) are recorded in the King Vistasp's court. The oral arguments fail leading to the battle of Varshagira (Rv 1.100).
The Turanians kings who are Daeva worshippers align with the Vedic kings. These kings identified in Rig Veda and Avesta are Somaka / Humayaka (Rv 4.15, Yst 5.113), Rjrasva/Arejat aspa (Rv 1.100.16, Rv 1.116.16, Rv 1.117, Yst 5.109/113/116, Yst 9.30), Bhayamana/Vadaremaini (Rv 1.100, Yst 5.116).
Eventually Turanians kill Zarathustra as per the Iranian tradition. This marks the end of all Iranian migration to India. This is followed by all the late bronze age and iron migration of the Indian tribes into middle east and central Asia as per OIT.
Conclusion
Iranians who migrated to India brought the seeds of the Vedic Civilization. The Rig Veda celebrated the Iranian heroes and gods. But the Vedic civilization developed its own unique universalism in its Deva religion and philosophy. The Iranian civilization was untouched by the developments in the Vedic civilization. The Iranians embraced an Asuric monotheism and took a separate path. It is unfortunate that the Vedic civilization lost the memory of the Iranian ancestors and the understanding of the Asuric monotheism by the time of Itihasa and Puranas as the migration to India stopped.
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