5. THE AVESTA AND VEDIC MYTHOLOGY. which connects them with what precedes and follows. After a careful estim- ation of the internal evidence of the Veda, aided by such corroboration as the later phases of Indian literature may afford, further light should be sought from the closely allied mythology of the Iranians. Comparison with it may confirm the results derived from the Indian material, or when the Indian evidence is inconclusive, may enable us either to decide what is old and new or to attain greater definiteness in regard to Vedic conceptions. Thus without the aid of the Avesta, it would be impossible to arrive at anything like certain conclusions about the original nature of the god Mitra. The further step may now be taken of examining the results of com- parative mythology, in order to ascertain if possible, wherein consists the Vedic heritage from the Indo-European period and what is the original significance of that heritage. Finally, the teachings of ethnology cannot be neglected, when it becomes necessary to ascertain what elements survive from a still remoter stage of human development. Recourse to all such evidence beyond the range of the Veda itself must prove a safeguard against on the one hand assuming that various mythological elements are of purely Indian origin, or on the other hand treating the Indo-European period as the very starting point of all mythological notions. The latter view would be as far from the truth as the assumption that the Indo-European language represents the very beginnings of Aryan speech 7. I OLDENBERG, ZDMG. 49, 173. 2 PVS. XXVI-VIII. 3 BLOOMFIELD, ZDMG. 48, 542.4 HRI. 51. - 5 Cp. OLDENBERG, Die Hymnen des Rigveda I, Berlin 1888; E. V. ARNOLD, KZ. 34, 297. 344; HOPKINS, JAOS. 17, 23-92. 6 HRI. 183. 194; V. SCHRÖDER, WZKM. 9, 120. 7 ORV. 26-33. Cp. also LUDWIG, Über Methode bei Interpretation des Rgveda, Prag 1890; Hillebrandt, Vedainterpretation, Breslau 1895. = - = - 7 - S 5. The Avesta and Vedic Mythology. We have seen that the evidence of the Avesta cannot be ignored by the student of Vedic mytho- logy. The affinity of the oldest form of the Avestan language with the dialect of the Vedas is so great in syntax, vocabulary, diction, metre, and general poetic style, that by the mere application of phonetic laws, whole Avestan stanzas may be translated word for word into Vedic, so as to produce verses correct not only in form but in poetic spirit'. The affinity in the domain of mythology is by no means so great. For the religious reform of Zarathustra brought about a very considerable displacement and transformation of mytho- logical conceptions. If therefore we possessed Avestan literature as old as that of the RV., the approximation would have been much greater in this respect. Still, the agreements in detail, in mythology no less than in cult, are surprisingly numerous. Of the many identical terms connected with the ritual it is here only necessary to mention Vedic yajňa Avestan yasna, sacrifice, hotr zaotar, priest, atharvan-athravan, fire-priest, rta = așa order, rite, and above all soma = haoma, the intoxicating juice of the Soma plant, in both cults offered as the main libation, pressed, purified by a sieve, mixed with milk, and described as the lord of plants, as growing on the mountains, and as brought down by an eagle or eagles (cp. S 37). It is rather with the striking correspondences in mythology that we are concerned. In both religions the term asura ahura is applied to the highest gods, who in both are conceived as mighty kings, drawn through the air in their war chariots by swift steeds, and in character benevolent, almost entirely free from guile and immoral traits. Both the Iranians and the Indians ob- served the cult of fire, though under the different names of Agni and Atar. The Waters, apaḥ apo, were invoked by both, though not frequently 2. The Vedic Mitra is the Avestan Mithra, the sun god. The Aditya Bhaga corresponds to bagha, a god in general; Vayu, Wind is vayu, a genius of =
