The Classical Doctrine of Indian Medicine: Its Origins and its Greek Parallels c7.s2.155

c7.s2.155

The *Yast* mention several times Vāta in the form of a South and North wind (*vāta pourvo apākhtara*), in that of a bad one (III, 9, 12 & 17) and chiefly refers to his grandiose and propitious figure. Auxiliary of Mithra in his offensives, Vāta is said several times to be one ‘which shatters the defences’ (*vərəthrajan*).⁴ He shares this epithet with other “victorious” warrior entities of the Avesta and also with the Haoma,⁵ which has an important anti-demoniacal function. In the Veda, the parallel epithet *vṛtrahan* is not applied to him directly, but it has a use analogous to that of *vərəthrajan* in the Avesta.; it characterises a group of mythical heroes comparable to those of the Avesta and which includes notably the Soma, but among whom Indra dominates.⁶ Now Vāyu-Vāta is frequently associated with Indra in the *Ṛgveda* and this associates him directly with a group of warrior divinities which is the counterpart of the one which includes in the Avesta, its Iranian homonym.⁷ Another trait which appears in the *Yast* makes a rapprochement between the Avestan wind and the Vedic wind. According to the *Yast* (XII, 4, 6 & 9) Vāta along with other entities, accompanied Ahura Mazda at the preparation of the religious service and this reminds us of the invitations given to Vāyu in the Veda.