The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads v1.c8.38

v1.c8.38

A proof of the long connexion of the Indians and the Iranians before the latter settled definitely in India is seen by Hillebrandt⁵ in certain names in the Rigveda, which incidentally in this view aid us in assigning an earlier date to certain hymns at least of the sixth book, composed in Arachosia. This view involves the identification of the Paṇis not with mythological figures but with the Parnians, of the name Pārthava with the Parthians, the Dāsas with the Dahae, the river Sarasvatī with the Iranian Harahvaitī, the Hariyūpīyā with the Iryāb or Haliāb, a tributary of the Krumu, and the Ārjīkīya with a name connected with Arsakes, while Bṛbu Takṣan, the enemy of the Paṇis, is brought into connexion with the later city of Takṣaçīlā, which may represent an eastern settlement of a tribe originally situated further to the west. Against this view, however, there are two serious objections. The identifications are all of the most dubious character,⁶ and, even if they were genuine, it would be difficult to make out any chronological result from them, seeing that other possibly Iranian names occur in other books of the Rigveda, such as Sṛñjaya and Pārāvata in several books, Dṛbhīka in book ii, Sṛbinda in viii,⁷ Parçu and Tirindira in viii.