Jamshid

[Hans Henrich Hock]

This is a beautiful folk etymology, but nothing more than that.  Avestan
_zara*t-ushtra_ (where _*t_ indicates the symbol usually transliterated as
a _t_ with a tiled underneath) would correspond to Skt. _jarad-uSTra_, and
is usually taken as a bahuvrihi meaning 'having aged/aging camels'.

abhivaadaye

Hans Henrich Hock


>> Thanks  for  your  input.  "Asura  MAyA"  is  indeed  an  interesting
>> rendering  for  "Ahura  Mazda".  But  I  thought  "Zarathusthra"  meant
>> "camel-tormenter".  "uShTra"  meaning  "camel"  in  Sanskrit  also.  Any
>> clarification  is  appreciated.
>
>I found something on the name Zarathustra.  David Frawley in his
>book "Gods, Sages and Kings" writes (on page 223):
>
>"The name of Zoroaster, the founder of the ancient Persian religion,
>is traceable to Sanskrit Hari-dyut-astra, the beautiful light of the
>star."
>
>Any comments on this?
>
>Sincerely,
>Toke Lindegaard Knudsen


Hans Henrich Hock, Director
Program in South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
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