The Vedic “Breaker-Down of Forts” and his Baltic Analogues: Confirming the Mythological Origin of the Image

Abstract

The article is an attempt to present the fi nal proof of the mythological origin, instead of the historical one, of the image of the Vedic Thunderer Indra as puraṁdará “breaker-down of forts” (Ralph T. H. Griffi th), or “stronghold-splitter” (Stephanie W. Jamison and Joel P. Brereton). The proof can be found in the Baltic (Lithuanian, Latvian and partly Byelorussian) analogues of the image. One Lithuanian example: Pasakojama, kad velnias iš akmenų statęs pilį. Perkūnas pastebėjęs, trenkęs ir sudaužęs pilį “They say that the devil had been bilding a fort (or stronghold, castle) of stones. (The thunder-god) Perkūnas beheld that, smote, and destroyed the fort,” etc. Moreover, Lith. pilis and Lat. pils are exact linguistic equivalents to Vedic pur, pura, puri, etc. It is also probable that there is a connection between the Baltic devil Lith. velnias, Lat. velns and the Vedic stronghold-demon vala. As the Baltic devil is a purely mythological being that usually hides from the Thunderer under big stones, stone piles, and stone constructions, it is unlikely that there is even a slightest hint of any historical event behind the plot. The same applies to his ‘forts' destroyed by the Thunder-god (cf. Lith. griauti “to thunder” and at the same time “to destroy”). Mythology can serve and has often served as an explanation of common life events, hence the quasi-historical legends, as the following Latvian one about the mound near the homestead Sakaiņu: Kādreiz pils īpašnieks apbraukājis savus laгkus. Ceļā uznākusi liela vētra un pērkoņa negaiss. Līdz ar kādu pērkoņa grāvienu pils nogrimusi “Once the landlord of the castle was taking a tour around his fi elds, when a heavy thunderstorm started. One of the thunderbolts made the castle collapse” The origin of the plot (particularly when the owner of the castle or manor is equated to devil) is apparently mythological, not historical. A similar parallel can be drawn with the case of the Vedic “breaker-down of forts” Indra: even if it refl ected a real event of warfare, the image itself sheerly originates in mythology, not in history.