THE TEMPLE OF GARNI AND A BIT ABOUT ARMENIA – THE VEDIC-SANSKRIT CONNECTION
‘Mitra’ evolved into its Zoroastrian form of ‘Mithira’ during the Bronze and Iron Ages, and was later carried to Greece by remnants of Alexander the Great’s armies in the 3rd-2nd century BC, where it was incorporated into the Greek concept of the ‘Helios’- the Sun god. Again ‘heli’ (हेलि) means ‘sun’ in Sanskrit.
The Temple of Garni was built in the 2nd century BC over the site of an even more ancient Uratian temple dated to 3rd century BC. Uratian culture is associated with the mysterious phallic stones found all over Armenia and known as the ‘Vishapa’. The Vishapa stones are connected with water much like the Vedic Shivalinga.
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| A Uratian ‘Vishapa’ is connected with water much like the Vedic Shivalinga. The Uratian pagan tradition was gradually rejected by the Zoroastrians. |
The closest Sanskrit cognate to the word ‘Vishapa’ is ‘Vrishabha’ (वृषभ) which means ‘bull’ and is sacred to the Hindus. ‘Nandi’ the ‘bull’ is the vehicle of Lord Shiva. Near the Temple of Garni an artifact of a hoof of a bull, modeled with white marble, was discovered, which once belonged to a pagan idol at the temple premises destroyed during the adoption of Christianity. The rise of Christianity demolished both Paganism and later Zoroastrianism in Armenia.
Adds Vinay Vaidya, ” ‘Vishapa’ is ‘Vrishabha’ (वृषभ) which means ‘bull’. Near the Temple of Garni a hoof of a bull artifact was found. In Sanskrit, ‘shapha’ (शफ) means ‘hoof’, ‘vishapha’ means ‘of a big hoof’, that becomes ‘Bishop’ in Chess….”.
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| Mithira slaying the Bull or ‘Vrishbha’. As Zoroastrianism grew, its Vedic antecedents were rejected. Hence, the slaying of Shiva’s bull ‘Nandi’. |
In the 1st century AD the Temple of Garni was ruined by Roman armies. In 79 AD Garni was reconstructed by Tridat I, who called it the ‘inaccessible temple’ in his Greek inscription. Tridat, apart from being the Armenian King was also a Zoroastrian priest. His name bears the same meaning in Avestan, the language of the Zoroastrians as it does in Sanskrit. The Sanskrit ‘Tridata’ (त्रिदाता) is the Vedic trinity of ‘Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh’. ‘Tri’ (त्रि) is ‘three’ and ‘dAtA’ (दाता) means ‘giver’ – and his name meant the Zoroastrian equivalent of ‘given by Trinity’.
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| The ruined Temple of Garni during early 20th century before it was reconstructed. |
The Rig Veda says that all the inhabitants of the earth emerged from the primordial sea and water is regarded as sacred. It says, “The waters that are from the firmament and flow after being dug, and even those that spring by themselves, the bright pure waters which lead to the sea, may those divine waters protect me here.”
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| Geghard Monastery, 10 km away from Temple of Garni was carved out of a basalt mountain built on the site of a spring inside a cave sacred to ancient Armenians. |
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| The reconstructed sun Temple of Garni. The temple as it stands today was reconstructed between 1969 to1974. |
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| The carving on the frieze of the Garni temple does not appear on its 24 columns indicating that the base belongs to a different time and school of architecture. |
Closeness and links to ancient India and Armenia are visible in its many artifacts. Here’s one that most of us will immediately recognize. This artifact, titled was found at The Church of St. Paul and St. Peter in Tomarza in central Turkey which was built as late as 1570 – over a far more ancient site.
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| Artifact from Church of St. Paul and St. Peter of Tomarza dated to 1570, in Turkey (a part of the ancient Armenian Civilization) is titled as the ‘hand of God’ it is evident that this is a ‘Yogic Hand Mudra’, |
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