By Lalit Mishra, email : mishra.lalit@gmail.com ,
Note : Copyrights on the thesis produced below are reserved with author, Lalit Mishra.




India, The Homeland of Vedic Civilization

Rigveda, The earliest available book in the history of all human civilizations of the present world, begins with dedicating it's very first and very last hymn (Rigveda, 1.1, Rigveda 10.191 ),  to god Agni or the Fire,  Vedic god Agni's another name is "Bharata", that's also the sanskrit name of India.  As per the nirukta, Agni is the first among gods who reside on earth, It was the Vedic rishi Atharavan who invented system of Yagya, application of fire for deomestic purposes and sacrificial rites, Agni is  the foundation of Vedic civilization.  Agni's name "Bharata" is indicative of  beginning phase in pre-historic era when  Vedic Aryans started making settlements in Himalaya's terrain and could lead homely, family life.  "Bharata" is the term that collectively indicates fulfillment of essentials, basic needs for evolution of a human civilization such as having cooked food, security, progeny, wealth, language to communicate, idea of care and wellness and sense of satisfaction that Agni provides to those who pray and perform Yagyas. Agni is saluted as a divine power of contentment as we see in Rigveda (1.1.7).

 

नमो भरन्त एमसि ( Rigveda,1.1.7 )

The Fire or Agni caused vedic civilization's evolution 
 

Indologists and Vedic  scholars of contemprary world or from previous decades or centuries provides us no reason asto why Vedic civilization came into existence, It has been an open question  that was neither raised nor answered but fascinating stories like AIT/AMT were made without studying carefully the Rigveda and other Vedic texts , fortunately, Rigvedic account gives us straight answers that it was the Invention of Fire or Agni that caused emergence of vedic civilization.




Right in pre-historic era, the domestic use of fire helped aryans to have cooked food which is the stage of transformation from barberic life to a civilized life, fire also helped Aryans to have more agriculture land for cultivation  of crops, protection from the cold and cough i.e the bad weather and further it helped in doing basic metallurgy to bring revolutionary metal era at a later stage.




We get straight evidence full answers in Rigvedic mantras, in fact, Agni's prayer aas an enabler for metallurgy is evident in very first Rigvedic mantra ( 1.1) ,  Rigveda has numerous mantras assigning specific attributes to Agni such as  "नराशंस" ( Narashamsa ) , "जातवेदस"  ( Jaatvedas )  , "वैश्वानर विश्वकृत" (Vaishvanar, maker of the world)   and many more thus we have irrefutable endorsement to the  central idea of the thesis that invention of Agni  has been the prime reason for Vedic  Aryans to  evolove as a civilization and if this is seen along with Agni being stated as earthly God that Nirukta propounds, it all leads us to understand that the piece of land of earth where Vedic Civilization evolved should attest presence of both "Agni" and "Bharata" in language, in texts, in rituals, in trade and traditions and that unique relation is found only in present "Bharata" the India. 

I am happy to present more rigvedic mantras, stating Agni is the Bharata

तस्मा अग्निर्भारतः शर्म यंसज्ज्योक्पश्यत्सूर्यमुच्चरन्तम्       ( ऋग्वेद 4.25.4)
त्वमग्ने अदितिर्देव दाशुषे त्वं होत्रा भारती वर्धसे गिरा
त्वमिळा शतहिमासि दक्षसे त्वं वृत्रहा वसुपते सरस्वती ( ऋग्वेद , २.१.११)

उदग्ने भारत द्दुमदजस्रेण दविद्दुतत् शोचा वि भाह्यजर     (Rigveda, 6.16.45)

 

The Agni, The Bharat and their linguistic relation with other IE languages 
 

Those who are much into linguistics concerning Vedic civilization, should be knowing that the IE terms "Ignis", "Ignite" or the "Ogenj" { in Slovenian, earlier acknowledged by Joseph Skulj and also noted by Dr Nicholas Kazanas at a later day } are donated by Vedic Sanskrit in unknown antiquity, such terms can’t be said to be cognate of Vedic Sanskrit "Agni" as only in Vedic Sanskrit, The linguistic root leveraging the academic etymology of "Agni" is found, other IE languages do not have linguistic root for terms denoting Agni - "Ignite" in English, "Ignis" in Latin, "Ugnis", in Lithuanian, "Uguns" in Latvian or "Ogni" in Russian , "Ogenj" in Slovenian or any other variant of Vedic sanskrit "Agni", hence, two set of conclusions can be drawn here, firstly, the term "Agni" travelled to those regions of IE languages with expansion of Vedic Aryans from their Indian homeland and Secondly, the invention of Agni or fire happened in India by Vedic Rishisi. Since, term Agni's linguistic root with academic etymological explanation is found only in Vedic Sanskrit, It's logical to accept that over the period, from India, the knowledge of application of "Agni" or "Fire" spread across West Asia, Europe and other places and this is how they got them acquainted with application of Agni or Fire in their daily life.

The finding is of enormous significance for students of history and it's truly striking to us that although IE languages received Vedic Sanskrit's "Agni" and knowledge of it's application too which is also attested in the matter of fact that those languages don't have etymological basis for the term "Agni", however on the contrary, as said, the donation of term "Bharata" from Vedic sanskrit into English or into other IE languages, is not attested and scholars are urged to pay attention to this aspect that overturns the other theses produced in the past by leading institutions and scholars related to "non Indian homeland of Vedic Aryans" are incorrect, and in the same breath, this theis propounds that modern India or "Bharata" is the real homeland of Vedic Aryans

Falsification of Central Asia, Eurasia and European Thesis of Vedic Homeland

 

The matter of fact is Rig Vedic term "Bharata" is not traceable in languages of European countries nor in Central Asia nor in Uralic Russia, it's found nowhere in claimed geographic regions of remaining world wherein Vedic Aryans were supposed to have lived before living in India, as theorized by a section of motivated scholars claiming for Aryans to have invaded or to have immigrated into “Bharata” or “India”, is grossly incorrect without needing a second thought, however to deal with the issue academically, let's explore it further in subsequent sections of this article.

Absence of "Bharata" and "Bharati" in all other IE languages

The finding of absence of "Bharata" in IE languages is a unique finding that compels to ponder asto why the name "Bharata" the motherland of Vedic Aryans, doesn't exist in those non Sanskrit IE language speaking regions and why present "Bharata "or India houes the unbroken continuity of the term "Bharat" convincingly shows that the thesis of Aryan invasion or immigration from elsewhere to present India is not correct, and it needs to be seriously revisited on the basis of Rigvedic linguistic framework .

As said above, Vedic rishis adopted the the term "Bharat" , kept on calling their rivers and speech (Vak) glorifying the speech as the goddes with the term "Bharati", Readers are requested to see Yajurveda's yajush and Rigvedic richas cited below, the terms "Bharat" and "Bharati' make lifeline of Vedic civilization.

आ भारती भारतीभिः सजोषा इळा देवैर्मनुष्येभिरग्निः

सरस्वती सारस्वतेभिर्वाक् तिस्रो देविर्बहिरेदं सदंतु   (Rigveda, 3.4.8)

सरस्वतीडा देवी भारती विश्वतूर्तिः ( Yajurveda, 20.43 )


भारतीळे सरस्वती या वः सर्वा उपब्रुवे ( Rigveda, 1.188.8 ) 
  

Vedic goddesses Bharati, Ida and Saraswati who are said to be invoked together by all ( सर्वा उपब्रुवे) in one single Rigvedic Mantra shows great popularity of these three terms and is compelling scholars to accept that the lE language spoken in the geo graphical regions, claiming to be home of Vedic Aryans, must have presence of भारत, इला and सरस्वती and such an absence invalidates theories that AIT/AMT i.e the Vedic Aryans had their homeland in those geo graphical regions - Urasia, Central Asia or elsewhere.

 

 Indian Himalaya is the Vedic Aryan's Homeland

A thesis of history that attempts to provide solution to a complicated issues like homeland of Aryans, should begin with a specific bottomline of time by telling when the Aryans started settling in such a region and hence the specific region can be called homeland, A bottomline could be given either by marking a recognizable phenomena or by providing a date since when a civilization started with the help of textual or archaological records computing the exact time elapsed straightway.

In our case, the phenomena of the last great deluge ( 8000 BP to 9000 BP) is the said historical phenomena that destroyed every place of living where Aryans or other human groups and tribes could have been settled down and could have their homes, could have done farming and could have emerged as a civilization.

Vedas, Brahmanic Scriptures, Puraans and The Mahabharata provides sufficient evidences that the place where where Manu rescued life was the Himalaya, the highest mountain of planet earth and therefore, It's the Himalaya, that can be called historicaly, homeland of Aryans. Prof TP Varma, M Witzel, Parpola etc erred while claiming that Central Asia is the homeland of Vedic Aryans.

In Mahabharata, Van Parva, Markandeya Samyasya Parva ( Ch 187, Verses 47-50) is about the great deluge wherein it's said that Vaivasvat Manu anchored the boat in one of the peaks of the Himalaya, Himvat is the ancient name of Himalaya, Probably, Only Himalayan ranges could remain out of the deluge, Vaivasvat Manu had seeds of plants, herbs and the life.

अस्मिन हिमवतः श्रृंगे नावं बध्नीत मा चिरम ( Mbh, Ch 187, 48b)

The evidence of deluge can not be overlooked on the basis of the logic that Mahabaharata has been getting updated until 400 BCE as we have another testimony avaiable in Shatpath Brahman ( 1.8.1.6)with explicit mention to northern peak of the mountain, The Vayu Puran ( Parva, 50.88) also says that Manu went down this mountain which appears to me to be the place near Mansarovar lake, Thus the scriptures are remarkably consistent hereupon.

Having established that Himalaya is the place where Vivasvat Manu rescued his life and got settled, It's to be shown now that the Vaivasvat Manu is well present in Rigveda, later on, Rishis treated Himalay with great reverence, Rishi Kashyap, one of the most ancient Vedic Rishis seeking ellixir or Amrita, prays to Soma ( Rigveda 9.113.8) to take him to the place where Vaivasvat Manu lives as king wherefrom wherefrom the great rivers flow down i.e the Himalayan Mansarovar lake, stating that, that is also the gate to Svarga. thus we see that rigvedic mantra provides us much required proof of continuity of the faith in the Himalaya , the shelter of Vaivasvat Manu

यत्र राजा वैवस्वतो यात्रावरोधनं दिवः

लोका यत्रामूर्यह्वतीरापस्तत्र माममृतं कृद्धीन्द्रायेंदो परि श्रव |Rigveda (9.113.8)

Vedic Rishis hold Vaivasvat Manu in high esteem, he is given importance at par with the Gods as we see in below mantra, Kaksheevan Rishi wishes to become the Manu as well as Surya in one and same mantra, the purport of the rishi kaksheevan is to develop the best human qualities in him as Manu, the role model had shown, Kaksheevan also desire to have radiance and energy of Sun god.

अहं मनुर्भवं सूर्यश्चाहं कक्षीवॉ ऋषिरश्मि विप्रः | Rigveda ( 4.26.1)

The renowned Nadi Sukta (Rigveda, 10.75.5 and 8.3.6.5) begins with putting Ganga, Yamuna and then Sarasvati before all other rivers, that's the exact sequence of rivers Rishis got acquainted with, after moving down from the Himalayan shelters, probably, searching the better places to live wherefrom they spread in east and west directions alike. Here, it's important to note that NIrukta, Daivat Kanda, 9.3.5 provides us with etymological exaplanation for all those river names beginning with Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati.

Exorbitant with youthful energy, seafaring Vedic age Aryans of India traveled across widespread oceansand thereby having seen all seven continents of earth and tribes inhabiting therein ( सप्तमानुषः श्रितो विश्वे सिंन्धुषु, Rigveda 8.39.8) they could come to know that the Earth is round like a wheel, having an axis identified and measured with Indra, the mighty God who spins the earth.

We have many more mantras in Rigveda and all other three vedas have, that can be cited in support of the thesis that I propound in this writing that " Himalaya is the homeland of Vedic Aryans", particularly, The Atharva Veda also calls place of it's people is the "Bharata", Purans are filled in with dozens of the stories how a great emperor Dushyant's son was alao named "Bharat", Such a naming suggests that the term "Bharat" had already been in existence before the time king "Bharata" was born and became the samrat, herein, It's also to be noted that for the the emperor Bharat, naming ritual was performed by the vedic rishi "Kanva" and the abhishek ( coronation ) to stature of "Indra" was performed by another Rig vedic rishi "Deerghatamas", that shows the consitent use of the term "Bharat" in rituals.

Therefore, In view of the reference taken from Rigveda, Yajurveda, Mahabharata and Purans , It's concluded that "Bharata", that's the present Bharat or India, is the only and only homeland of Aryans, Although, it is correct for us to draw the map of Vedic Aryans activities to geographical regions extended upto central Asia and Urals in southern Russia, however, the Central Asia thesis for Vedic Aryan’s homeland doesn’t seem true to facts cited and arguments made in this review of his proposal.

Rigveda Calls Back Vedic Aryans, A Call For Homecoming

Rigveda, in fact, calls back it's people to their mother land "Bharat", that is the reason Vedic civilization discontinued in those regions beyond high mountains ( पर्वतान्बृहतो) leaving out only some traces of Vedic Sanskrit that we found in so many IE languages spoken out in Central Asia and Europe.

यत्ते पर्वतान्बृहतो मनो जगाम दूरकम । तत्त आ वर्तयामसीह क्षयाय जीवसे ( ऋग्वेद 10. 58 )

Not only that, RIgveda also calls back it's peolple from beyond the oceans and from the other corner ( पराः परावतो ) of the world, warns people to not to have hangover or infatuation with other parts of the world.

यत्ते पराः परावतो मनो जगाम दूरकम् । तत्त आ वर्तयामसीह क्षयाय जीवसे ( ऋग्वेद 10. 58 )




Conclusion

I like to re-emphasize that the term"Bharata" that Vedic Aryans held in high regard, must have been used and found in some or other ways, in non Sanskrit dialacts and languages spoken out in those claimed homelands of Aryans in Ural or in Central Asia as well, that is however not found. This is for the reason that Vedic Aryans didn't have their origin or homeland in those regions.

 

Disclaimer :

The issue as to what's the original place, the motheland of the Vedic Aryans has been impending without a decision since last 150 years, The author has taken a fresh endeavor to find out the right solution thorough studies of Vedas for six years and works of mainstream vedic scholars of India i.e Sri BG Tilak, Dr Baladeva Prasad, Dr Mandan Mishra, Pt Bhagavat Datt, Pt Satyavrat Shamashrami, Pt Raghunandan Sharma and Pt Madhusudan Ojha and various publications of Geeta Press Gorakhpur.