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41-War in Ved
The voluminous references to various wars and conflicts in the Rig Ved
are frequently cited as proof of an invasion and wars between invading
white-skinned Aaryans and dark-skinned indigenous people. These so-called
conflicts and wars mentioned in the Rig Ved can be categorized mainly
into the following three types:
Conflicts Between the Forces of Nature:
Indra, the thunder-god of the Rig Ved, occupies a central position in the
naturalistic aspects of the Rig Vaidik religion, since it is he who forces
the clouds to part with their all-important wealth, the rain. In this task
he is pitted against all sorts of demons and spirits whose main activity is
the prevention of rainfall and sunshine. Rain, being the highest wealth, is
depicted in terms of more terrestrial forms of wealth, such as cows or Som.
The clouds are depicted in terms of their physical appearance: as mountains,
as the black abodes of the demons who retain the celestial waters of the
Heavens (i.e. the rains), or as the black demons themselves. This in no way
be construed as the war between white Aaryans and black Draavidians. This is
a perverted interpretation from those who have not understood the meaning and
purport of the Vaidik culture and philosophy. Most of the verses which mention
the wars/conflicts are composed using poetic imagery, and depict the celestial
battles of the natural forces, and often take greater and greater recourse to
terrestrial terminology and anthropomorphic depictions. The descriptions acquire
an increasing tendency to shift from naturalism to mythology. And it is these
mythological descriptions, which are grabbed at by invasion theorists as
descriptions of wars between invading Aryans and indigenous non-Aaryans.
An example of such distorted interpretation is made of the following verse:
"The body lay in the midst of waters that are neither still nor flowing.
The waters press against the secret opening of the Vritra (the coverer) who lay
in deep darkness and whose enemy is Indra. Mastered by the enemy, the waters
held back like cattle restrained by a trader. Indra crushed the Vritra and broke
open the withholding outlet of the river." (Rig Ved, 1.32.10-11)
This verse is a beautiful poetic and metamorphic description of snow-clad, dark
mountains where the life-sustaining water to feed the rivers flowing in the
Aaryaavart is held by the hardened ice-caps (Vritra, demon) and Indra, the
rain-god, by allowing the Sun to light its rays on the mountains, makes the
ice caps break and hence release the water. The Aaryan Invasion Theory (AIT)
proponents interpret this verse literally on the human plane, as the slaying
of Vritra, the leader of dark-skinned Draavidian people of Indus Valley by
invading white-skinned Aaryan king, Indra. This is an absurd and ludicrous
interpretation of an obvious conflict between the natural forces.
Conflict Netween the Vaidik and Eeraanian people:
Another category of conflicts in the Rig Ved represents the genuine
conflict between the Vaidik people and the Eeraanians. At one time
Eeraanians and Vaidik people formed one society and were living
harmoniously in the Northern part of India, practicing Vaidik culture,
but at some point of time in history, because of some serious
philosophical dispute, the society got divided, and one section moved
to further North-west, now known as Eeraan. However, the conflict and
controversy continued between the two groups, often resulting in even
physical fights. The Earaanians not only called their God Ahur (Vaidik
Asur) and their demons Daevas (Vaidik Dev), but they also called
themselves Dahas and Dahyus (Vaidik Daas, and Dasyu). The oldest
Eeraanian texts moreover depict the conflicts between the Daeva-worshipers
and the Dahas on behalf of the Dahyus, as the Vaidik texts depict them on
behalf of the Dev-worshipers.
Indra, the dominant god of the Rig Ved, is represented in the Earaanian
texts by a demon Indra. What this all indicates is that wars or conflicts
of this second category are not between Aaryan and non-Aryan, but between
two estranged groups of the same parent society which got divided by some
philosophical dichotomy. The Ved even mention the gods of Dasyus as Aarya
also.
Conflicts between various indigenous tribal groups over natural resources
and various minor kingdoms to gain supremacy over the land and its
expansion: A global phenomenon known to share the natural resources like
water, cattle, vegetation and land, and expand the geographical boundaries
of the existing kingdoms. This conflict in no way suggests any war or
invasion by outsiders on the indigenous people.
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