Darius Speaks in Sanskrit - Part 2
Translated the Behistun inscription written in Old Persian into Sanskrit.
This was a post I had almost completed some months ago, then forgot about it. Check it out, and subscribe.
eruditus.substack.com
Translated the Behistun inscription written in Old Persian into Sanskrit.
This was a post I had almost completed some months ago, then forgot about it. Check it out, and subscribe.
eruditus.substack.com
Old Persian and Sanskrit compared side by side. One can clearly see that a Sanskrit speaker can understand both Old Persian and Avestan far better than any modern Iranian can hope to.
Thanks, but also one thing: Vedic Sanskrit and Old Avestan are even closer. The difference in Vedic and Avestan is like Hindi vs Haryanvi.
Michael Witzel once said a native Avestan speaker could move to India and learn Vedic Sanskrit in 3 weeks.
Michael Witzel once said a native Avestan speaker could move to India and learn Vedic Sanskrit in 3 weeks.
I think this closeness was obvious to most Parsi scribes of the middle ages too, some of them even played around and translated some of their scripture into Sanskrit.
The cool thing is, the exact meaning of the names of the Achaemenid kings (that most people don't know) is very clear to one who knows Sanskrit/OP.
For example, Hystaspes (vištâspa/viṣitashva) literally means "horses let loose, freed horses"
For example, Hystaspes (vištâspa/viṣitashva) literally means "horses let loose, freed horses"
So maybe it's a bahuvrihi that means "free like the horses" or something. Arsames (arsama/vṛṣāma) meaning "bull" or "bull's energy"
Ariaramnes (aryaramana) meaning "delight of the Aryans"
Ariaramnes (aryaramana) meaning "delight of the Aryans"
There are some words used in Old Persian that are rare or non existent in Classical but found in Vedic, albeit in different meanings. Like tauma in Old Persian means "lineage, family" - it comes from Avestan tokhman.
The Rigvedic cognate is tokman that means "young corn blade"
The Rigvedic cognate is tokman that means "young corn blade"
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