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The Ekashringa Ashwa Varaha:
Iconography - Migration & the Horse Seal

Dr Natwar Jha & Birendra K Jha, Date Of Web Publication: 23. 7.2006
This web page is dedicated as per wish of Dr Jha to his noble academic friend,  scholar Dr NS Rajaram

About the Authorship: The first part, which is incomplete, had been written by Dr Jha, some ten days before his death (5.5.2006) in Hindi. He was a great Vedic scholar with several published works including Vedic Glossary On Indus seals & Deciphered Indus Script (with Dr NS Rajaram). The 2nd  & 3rd parts  are authored by his son Birendra K Jha, after the death of Dr Jha. Mr Jha is a freelance writer & copywriter.  Currently working at Starion India as its Sr Manager. He is also on visiting faculty at several prestigious faculties. Mr Jha may be contacted at his mail ID: birendrajha03 (at) yahoo (dot) com.  

 

Acknowledgement: Pandit Digamber Jha, learned uncle of Birendra K Jha, for checking the proof before web publication  & Mr S Aravindan Neelakandan, for providing the graphical  input in part  III  on Jha – Rajaram’s broken horse seal.

 

INDEX:

Part I: Unicorn’s Vedic Concept

Part II: Vedic Unicorn’s Impact On Bible.

Part III: Jha – Rajaram’s Horse Seal  

Bibliography


Part I: Unicorn’s Vedic Concept
Jha along with NS Rajaram in their important work,  The Deciphered Indus Script: Methodology, Readings, Interpretations  expose mysterious parts of the  Mahabharat,  where  Krishna, reveals typical iconographies of   Vishnu in the  Mokshadharma – Shanti Parva  chapter. Based on these descriptions several  Indus seals have been carved, which details are available in Jha – Rajaram’s  work.

However the three opening citations, what the  Mahabharat records, are very important for understanding the iconography of Unicorn:

 

  1. viddhi mam vrishamuttamam (know me therefore as the magnificent bull)
  2. ekasranga..divyadarshanah (one horned, divine apparition)
  3. trikakuta tena vikhyatah ( renowned with three heads)

To understand any Vedic iconography, it requires not only detail information of the source from which iconography is just travelling, but a comprehensive idea to correlate various scattered details travelled in other literatures are also required.  The  Ashwa- Varaha concept  is one such Vedic  matter, where  Semi Horse  is found with Vrish (Vishnu) body. This symbolism is also one of such important iconographies, which has not yet been studied seriously.

 

In order to understand the symbolism of dual figure on  Ashwa – Varaha, some  important  features are required to be understood properly

  1. The iconographies in dual form are not any representation of real animals.
  2. Sometimes dual iconographies include animal with human form.
  3. All such iconographies are related with Vedic mythical parts which have been exported to outside India particularly in the  Middle East. 

Some five years ago the Unicorn symbolism has been understood, simply as a mythical Vrish  incorporated in the  Mahabharat.  Readers may refer their original work for the understanding of the Unicorn iconography. However, an attempt is made to deal with  the concept of the Vedic Ashwa Varaha  & its relation with the Indus Unicorn as understood very recently.

 

This article shall also demonstrate here that how this iconography is related with Bible’s horse Unicorn. This article shall also demonstrate here with various proofs that in what form the Unicorn has been understood in our ancient records and how this iconography is related with the concept of Varaha

 

Sri Veda Vyas, in his classical composition  Vishnu Sahasranaama   reveals thousand names of   Vishnu. These names are very important for understanding the iconography of Unicorn. One such  peculiar icons of Unicorn in three heads is given below: 

    

    maharsih kapilacaryah krtagyo medinipatih/

    tripada- stri- dasa- dhyaksho mahashringah kritant-krit// (slokam 57)

 

Here the reference of  tripadah and mahashringah are very important. The  tripadah refers Varaha with three heads. In Vishnu Dharma ( 63.59), we come across this verse: 

    sattvanam upakaraya pradhanam purusham param |
    darsayishy-ami lokeshu kapilam rupam asthitah ||

“For the benefit of all beings  I am going to reveal the three forms viz. ,  pradhana, purusha and paramatma . This  tripadah  incarnation has been explained in his Varaha  form, where he is an animal with three heads (  tri-padah - tavaivasam trika-kudo varaham-rupam-asthitah  (Mahabharat / Moksha. 343.63). The Indus Unicorn in three heads is given below:
                      
The  mahashringah refers to the horn of an animal. In  Srimad Ramayana, we find verse in support of this  mahashringah  as ekasringo  varahastvam (Yuddha. 120.14).

Which means animal with one horn. The  Shanti Parva of Mahabharat explains  Ekashringah as:

    eka sringah tato bhutva varaho nandi vardhanah/                                  
    imam ca udhritva     bhumim -    ekasringah// ( Mahabharat : Moksha         Dharma Parva)

         Varaha With Three Heads  

In verse 81, again we find reference of Ekashringa:

    tejo-vrisho  dyuti -dharah  sarva sastra-bhritam varah     | 
    pragraho nigraho vyagro na - eka-sringo gadagrajah     ||

Which literal meaning is that - He Who took incarnation as the one-horned  Varaha.

This term has been clearly interpreted in the Mahabharat  – 

    buddhi-yogah sarathyam anayudha grahana vyajah praptakale tad-grahanam 
    iti bahu-vairi-badhakam asya iti na-eka-sringah

 “He is  Eka sringah as He adopted several devices for bringing about the fall of the enemies, like giving sound advice, skillfully driving the chariot, pretending that he would not use a weapon but actually making use of His weapon at the opportune moment, etc”.

Sri Adi Sankaracharya refers  Eka sringah of  Vishnu Sahasranaama  as catuh sringah  na- eka sringah  from following  Rigvedic  verse: 

    catvari sringa trayasya pada sirshe sapta hasta-sosya / 
    tridha baddho vrishbho roraviti mahadeo maryagm avivesa // (RV 4.58.3)

Nirukta explains above verse as  catvari sringah iti veda va-uktah

Thus the word  Ekashringah becomes clearer when this verse is cited:

    eka sringah tato bhutva varaho nandi vardhanah/ 
    imam ca udhritva     bhumim -    ekasringah// ( Mahabharat : Moksha Dharma Parva)

That is this Ekashring is more symbolic than representing any real animal feature.

In verse 85 we again find reference of this horned iconography :

    udbhavah sundarah sundo ratna-nabhah su-locanah |
    arko vaja-sanih shringi  jayantah sarva-vij-jayi ||

Here  Shringi  represents a form with horn, which is described as  Mahashringah  in     verse 57:

    maharsih kapilacaryah kritagyo medinipatih/
    tripada- stri- dasa- dhyaksho mahashringah kritant-krit//

The  Vishnu Purana (1.4.36)  describes this  Mahashringah  in lifting earth through the tip of his horn. The Mahashringah  of this animal is explained in the form of  Vrisha- Kapi & Kapir-Varaha.  Vishnu Purana in   matsya- kurma- varahashva- simha rupaatibhi describes various forms of one time incarnation of  Vishnu  in:   1) matsya 2) kurma 3) varahashva & 4) simha . The   Varaha - Ashva particularly represents  Vishnu  identified as Vrish (bull) with neck to head as of horse. The event of  Varaha incarnation is one single event in entire Vedic mythology. So the typical various  terms used in connection with Varaha is to be understood in same form as in  Varaha- Ashwa or Kapir- Varaha.

 

The explanation of  Varaha as boer requires slight attention here. The modern commentators on  Purana , particularly have confused the  iconography of Varaha. These commentators identify Varaha  symbolism with boer (some commentators call it  sukara- avatar), which is wrong.  In many latter part of the commentary this confusion prevailed and horn which has appeared actually on head have been shown growing near mouth.

 

The symbolism of  Vrishakapi, Kapirvarah & Ashwavaraha  are now very clear. The  three terms  are further elaborated from these two verses :

 

    ajah sarvesvarah siddhah  siddhih sarvadiracyutah/

    Vrishakapirmeyatma sarvayogavinihsritah//(  11- Vishnu Sahasranaama )

    kapir varahah sreshthasca dharmasca vrsha ucyate |
    tasmad vrshakapim praha kasyapo mam prajapatih || (Santi Parva 330.24)

Vrishakapi  in our Vedic texts has been explained with a typical form either of Shiva or Vishnu with Shakti. Jha - Rajaram explain this iconography with the help of  Mahabharat verses. What these prominent verses say in the  Mahabharat (343: Shanti Parva)

“O Bharata , the holy  Dharma is known among all creatures by the name of  Vrisha.  Hence it is that I am called   Uttama Vrisha in the  Nighantuka Padakhyan .The word  Kapi signifies the foremost of  Varaha,  and Dharma is associated with  the name of  Vrisha. It is for this reason that I am also called Vrishakapi . No body can ascertain my beginning, my middle, or my end. It is for this reason that I am sung as  anadi, amadhya and ananta. In ancient time I hold, the form of a  Varah ,with a single horn. O enhancer of the joys of others, I raised the submerged earth from the bottom of the ocean. For this reason am I called by the name of Ekasringah. While I assumed the form of a mighty Varah (representing anadi, amadhya & ananta) (sometimes ) I had also three heads. Indeed, in consequence of this peculiarity I am also called  Trikakuda”  ,

Sri Shankar explains the iconography of  Vrishakapi in such a way:

    kailas-thail-vinivas vrisakape he
    mrityun-jaya trinayan tri-jagannivas/
    narayanpriya madapah saktinath/
    sansardukh-gahna-jagdeesh raksha//

"O the one Who lives on Mountain Kailas! O  Vrishakapi! O Destroyer of death! O the one Who has three-eyes! O the one Who pervades in all the three worlds! O Dear to Narayan (Vishnu)!O Destroyer of pride! O Lord of  Shakti (Parvati)! , O Lord of the universe! Save me from the dense miseries of this world."||7||  (Shiv Naamavali Ashtakam - Adi Shankaracharya)

Rigveda looks the iconography of Vrishakapi in detail. It has a separate episode discussing relation in between Indra –Indrani & Vrishakapi. But, sometimes it looks into this element in a form having golden horn on a mighty horse:

    hiranya-sringo ayo asya pada manojava avar indra aasiit/
    deva indrasya haviradya-mayan yo arvantam parthamo adyatisthat// (Rigveda 1. 163)

Thus the  Kapir- Varaha & Vrisha- Kapi are to be understood as a same form. It means the  Aswa-Varaha  as described in the Vishnu Puran (1.4.36) is the same what is disclosed here in the form of  Kapir Varah & Vrishakapi . As described earlier the incarnation of  Vishnu in Varaha  form is the one single event what various Purana, Mahabharat or Rigveda describe. That is the actual  form of ,Varaha is a  Vrish having head to neck as of horse . This verse again simplifies the mystery of composite animal in  Vrish & Kapi.  The iconography of  Rigvedic Vrisha-Kapi gives  feature of Unicorn in such a  form in Indus civilization where a bull has been shown  along with head to neck as of horse (as disclosed below):


Unicorn Symbolism ( combination of horse & bull)

Horse head to neck classification
(note that head to neck  differs from rest of the body & this neck is different from any regular bull's neck)

 
                                                       
                                                                                                            Bull's neck above is different
 then in Unicorn

The Unicorn's  figure as presented above , is composed  of two animals, the neck to head portion is of horse representing  Shakti (Lakshmi) and the other portion is of  Vishnu in Vrish (bull). After the creation of this mythical figure an additional element of horn has been added  to make it Ekashringah or Mahashringah. The iconography of Shiva – Shakti ( Shiva with Uma represents also one horn on the head of  Shiva  with tiger = Uma. This iconography is discussed latter) The Unicorn’s neck portion always differs from the neck portion of the  two horns bull as depicted above.

In 
Hayagreeva Ashtotharam, ,where  Varah  incarnation  is called Mahavishnu in the form of  Hayagreeva( horse with neck only) is mentioned in such a way:


    hayagreeva  mahavishnu kesavo madhusudhana

    govindha pundarikaksho vishnur viswamparo hari // 1//


This important composition  is a master piece work on Vedic iconography. 
In  Purana , Hayagreeva  means one who has head to neck as of horse. The , Fifteen Vahinis  written in Telugu by  Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and translated in English  by Kasturi explains  Hayagreeva as an incarnation of  Vishnu in Varah form, from head to neck as of horse.  In some latter iconography the horse head has been placed on  Vishnu’s  human body.  However, the Vedic concept of Vishnu’s  body  as described in the Vedas is  a Vrish  representing  dharma. This incarnation is an important incarnation of Vishnu & is the real figure of Varahavataar . This iconography latter has been confused by commentators after the  12th Cent AD where horse head has been replaced with a boer’s head. Because Varahavataar has been described as one single event in entire Vedic literatures which corresponds with the  ashwaavataar (Vishnu Puran) or Varaha with horse head as in Haygreevopanishad & Mahabharat (Mahabharat, Santi Parv : CCCXLVIII ). This iconography  represents knowledge and wisdom. He is known for rescuing the Vedas from beneath the land & Asuras (corrupt name Ahura= Ahuramajda) . Now the episode of  Hayagreeva becomes more clear if read with this verse:


    eka sringah tato bhutva varaho nandi vardhanah/
    imam ca udhritva bhumim - ekasringah// ( Mahabharat : Moksha Dharma Parva)

Both Ekashringa and Hayagreeva   represent a common  Varaha  which recovers the lost Vedas. This  Hayagreeva   is presiding deity of several  Srivaishnav  sect. One such sect is  Parakala Matham,  situated in Mysore,  which is one of the most  ancient and an important  Srivaishnava  religious institutions in the country that came into being for the specific purpose of propagating Sri Ramanujam's  Visishtadvaita  philosophy.  Sri Lakshmi Hayagreeva ( Vishnu  with the horse's head up to neck along with Lakshmi)  is the presiding deity for all knowledge which is remembered as -  Aadhaaram sarvavidhyaanaaam hayagrivam upaasmahe.  This is the principal deity of the Parakala Matham.  Sri Hayagreevar Divya Mangala vigraha  is also found at  Sri Poundareekapuram Andavan Ashram  and also greatly revered by  Sri Ahobila Matham and Andavan Ashram  in South India.


(B. K. Jha's input: The iconography of Hayagreeva from Parakala Matham  is given below:)

In  Purana the colour of  Hayagreeva  horse is deep white (the Biblical Unicorn is also deep white) and is called Varaha-Asva. In Brahmanda Purana  there is an illustration of conversation between Maheshwara & Narada . Narada describes this incarnation by praising ashva sirase namah . That is why Vishnu  is called Madhusoodhanan as Hayagreeva  killed  asuras   in saving Vedas. In the Mahabharata, Shanti parva, we see reference of  hayasira upaakhyaanam (  Mahabharat, Santi Parv : CCCXLVIII). The reference goes like this:

Janamejaya said, "Tell me, O best of men, for what reason did Hari appear in that mighty form equipped with a horse-head and which Brahma, the Creator, beheld on the shores of the great northern Ocean on the occasion referred to by yourself?"


Srimad Bhagawat
, describes also this  Varah  form.


In  Vishnu Puran  (H H Wilson Translation, book 2 chapter 2) we find reference of Vishnu in Varaha  as hayasira  (the horse headed).


(Aswa Varah form of Vishnu worship today is not seen in
North India. But, during the period of Acharya Shankar & Ramanujacharya- Kashmir was an ancient seat of Hayagreeva worship. Ramanujacharya before writing commentary on Brahma Sutra, had visited Kashmir to consult the Bodhayan's original commentary on Brahma Sutra.

At that time Kashmir was great seat of Hayagreeva worship. Ramanaujacharya carried one such icon of Hayagreeva from Kashmir & returned back to Sri Ranga via Varanasi & Puri. The icon carried by Ramanujacharya is a Lakshmi Hayagriva Vigraham , which is still today at the Parakala Matam.  Rajatarangini, where the history of Kashmir has been  written by Kalhana in 1148-50 A.D, gives a vivid account of Sri Shankar's Kashmir visit. It is found that the Sharda Peetham, was established near  Hayagreeva village( probably it is Haygreeva Matham) (now known as Hayhome). It appears that in the past Kashmir & some parts of deep Tibbet were the ancient seat of Haygreeva worship, equally worshipped  by Hindus & Buddhists (Buddhists believe Hayagreeva's incarnation in Buddha). However these shrines were damaged after the mohammaddans' invasion.

The prominent Varah temple  built in   12th cent AD at Pushkar (Rajasthan) with original thought of Vishnu iconography was demolished by Aurangzeb. This temple again was constructed after 500 years back by Raja Sawai Jai singh II in 1727 AD. It contains the same mistake of identifying  boer as Varaha. Near Mira Bai’s temple in Mewar one similar Vishnu temple ( situated in
Kumbh Shyam Temple) was destroyed by the mohammadans & the same was re erected again with an iconographical change.


This invasion also damaged the Buddhist seat of learning at Sarnath- near
Varanasi, where prominent iconographies but in damaged forms  were found   scattered here and there some times ago . However deep south, Orissa Jagannath Temple & some  remote eastern parts  of the country like Assam faced a lighter intervention of mohmmaddans’ invasion. The Hajo (Assam) shrine of Hayagreeva, which is equally worshipped by Buddhist & Hindus, is a testament of that crucial phase within which Hindu survived without loosing its identity.)


Some Important Reference Of Hayagreeva

1. In  Lalitopakhyana (Brahmand Puran)  a conversation between  Hayagreeva & Sage Agastya  has been recorded. Where  , Hayagreeva  establishes a harmonious relation between three deities  Shiva, Vishnu and  Shakti.  Before migrating to Kanchi from Varanasi he was a worshipper of   Vishnu  in   Varadraja form(Vrish ).  It is told in this story that in Kanchi, Agastya  discovered the importance of  Haygreeva  in understanding the way of liberation. (Source: Avadhoota Datta Peetham - Mysore) 

2. In Brahmandda Puran : om namo vishnave deva  madhussodhanate namah  is found (which refers to  Madhusoodhana as Hayagreeva). 

 

3. In Valmiki Ramayan  ( Bala Kaand): akshayam madhuhantaaram jaanaami tvaam surottamam   (I realise that You are the Supreme God, immortal, Mahavishnu, , the One who killed  Madhu & Kaitapar) , is mentioned. Also in this text: dhushtaava pranadhaischaiva sirasaa madhsoodhanam (6th sarga-7th verse)  is mentioned

 

 4. In  Kishkindha  Kaand:  I would have brought Sita back from anywhere whosesoever like  Sri Hayagreeva  brought the Vedas killing Madhukaitapar. (17th sarga-49th verse) 

 

5. In the Mahabharata, Santi Parva there is  a reference of Haygreeva avataar 

6. Sri-Hayagreevopanishad (Atharvaveda) 

7. The Kailasanatha Temple was among the 14 sculptural marvels built by the Pallava King Rajasimha-I at Gangaikonda Cholapuram (Tamil Nadu). Its inner courtyard  comprises 56 "Devakulikas" (sculptural chambers) and exquisite paintings, as discovered by French scholar Jouveau-Dubreuil in the early part of this century. This temple contained three exquisite panels showing  Vishnu  in its mythical form &  Shiva  with  Parvati (as tiger)

 

The idea of dual symbolism of  Vishnu with Shakti (Horse -Lakshni)  or Shiva  with Shakti (Tiger- Uma)  is not new.  Shakti  has always been explained in our Vedic records either with horse or tiger. In one of such rare but excellent Indus seals, we find iconography of Shiva – Shakti  in this way (Given below): 

Here Shiva  in lion cloth with one single horn is combined with Uma (in tiger form). Kalidasa in Raghuvamsa,  describes the old philosophical Vedic  idea behind  Siva- Shakti in this way:

    Vagarthavivasampriktau vagarthapratipadyaye, jagatah pitaru vande     parvatiparamesvarau 

"The two cannot be separated, they are so mingled, so synchronized that one cannot exist without the other."

 

Some  Shakta   scriptures like Advaitabhava, Kalika, Kaula, Tripura, Arunopanishad, Tara, Bahvricopanishad & Bhavanopanishad, describe the various symbolisms of  Shiva- Shakti  in detail. However these symbolisms are incorporated from the  Sankhya  philosophy explaining  Prakriti & Purusha. The Devi Shuktam of  the Rigveda describes the symbolism in this way:

    vishnuh Sariira-grahan-mah-meeshan eva cha/
    karitaste yato-ata-stvam kah stotum shaktiman bhavet//

"You have given a body or form to Vishnu & Mahadeva, so who has an ability to pray to you".

 

Shankara and Ramanuja in their various classical philosophies  on Prakriti & Purush elaborate the lost but the ancient Sankhya  system of understanding a relation   in between an inert Purusha and an active female Prakriti.

 

So the aspect of dual symbolism is very complex in entire Vedic philosophy. Indus iconographies being a part of the Vedas how can remain unattended to such major developments? Particularly these iconographies have placed a very impact producing results not only in India but through out the whole Middle East and latter part of the Christian philosophy.

(Incomplete) 

 

Part II: Vedic Unicorn’s Impact On Bible:

 

The Babylonian civilization has an inherit link with the Indian culture. This civilization is identified with the Biblical  Kush who overthrown a Babylonian empire around 3600 BC and established Vedic culture at that site. The Biblical Kush, is mentioned as  Cush in The Book Of Genesis -The Old Testament. This Kush on Indian record is son of Rama, who is also called among Hindus as an incarnation of Vishnu having one horn iconography. Bible mentions Ramaah (Rama) as the son of Cush (Genesis 10:7). Though Bible information is very correct in   linking Kush with Indian Rama, but it should be read with slight correction  that Cush is the son of  Ramaah. Through Cush, Vedic iconographies established at Babylonia and for the coming generation, Biblical Ramaah, was a light post, through which physical ancestors of Jesus Christ, like Joseph of New Testament  are  attached.  Joseph  in order to associate with the lineage of   Ramaah & Cush, recall  his lineage with God who has single horn (Deuteronomy -33:13-17).

 

Before Kush’s adventure, Semetic culture by and large was guided through Ahuramajda .There is a reference in Chandogyopanishad about Semetic culture’s slow learning people trying to practice  Vedic language and culture. It has highlighted use of Sanskrit in corrupt  pronunciation by such people. It is natural that Babylonia had adopted gradually Vedic language and symbolisms  from India, not just through the trade contact but some strong but determined  cultural flow, which had constantly been flowed in this area  for a very longer period then estimated. Various similarities of Indus Civilization at Babylonia are not accidental but all these had been developed  through Indian rulers, which led Iran & Semetic people to adopt various Vedic thoughts.  There are numerous examples where  Vedic iconographies migrate to  Babylonian in corrupt forms. For example, Vishnu in Matsyaavatar, is Semetic Apkallu fish, Vishnu in Narsinghaavatar becomes in Semetic Nergal, Vishnu incarnation as Parashuram is Adad (Ishkur), which is shown with Unicorn & Shakti  is represented in corrupt form as  Ishtar (Inanna) with trident and lion. 

 

When Rama was ruling at Ayodhya, his territory was extended up to the Middle East. In  Assyrian & Mittani list Rama appears as Rimu or Rim.   In Assyrian list, he comes as eleventh king  (Ilusuma - Erisum I - Ikunum - Sargon I - Puzur Assur II - Naram Sin - Erisum II - Samsi Adad I - Isme Dagan I - Mut Askur- Rimu = Rama) & on the Mitnani clay list  he is the seventh king (Ashur Shaduni. –Ashur Rabi – Ashur Nadin AhheI – Enlil Nasir II. – Ashur Nirari II.  Ashur Bel Nisheshu  -- Ashur Rim = Rimu = Rama (title Ashur with Rama denotes respect and dignity in Ahurmajda culture, just like symbolism Arya (not to be confuged with Maxmullers’ idea) used with Rama to denote respect and dignity in the Indian literature )– Ashur Nadin Ahhe II ).  It is natural that during the Indian control many Vedic iconographies had been adopted  & accepted by the Middle East people.

 

In between post , Cush Babylonians’ period & particularly in India the symbolism of Rama was identified with Vishnu  (Unicorn) as an incarnation, where as in the Middle East it appears to have been known as a clan. The concept of Unicorn and its relation with  Cush’s clan become such a strong element  in Semetic culture that,  Joseph of  The Old Testament shows  his relation with a popular clan having  one horn, as called  Reem in Hebrew. Even at the time of Kings James Version of Old Testament the term Reem kept a team of 70 translators wondering actually what it means in Hebrew. The first to translate the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek definitely was known to this fact that  the word Reem is depicted as one-horned God - so they translated it as monoceros (one horn) God.

 As said earlier the word Reem is associated with the King  Rimu mentioned in Mittani & Assyrian clay list . This Rimu is Ayodhyapati Rama, which in our Vedic record is a Vishnu incarnation. (at the time of  Mahabharat   Indian borders have extended up to Kamboja (present Iran) Mahabharata verse Kamboja-Bahlika  term in 6/75/17 testifies to this fact. It connects Kamboja with Bahlika or Bacteria as a joint term . At the time of Mahabharata war the king of Kamboj was allied with the  Pandavas. It shows much before the appearance of  Hebrew  Rimu,  the people of  Middle East and Iran have good concept on  the Vedic thought of One horned Vishnu, iconography & how Vishnu corelates with Rama.  In Indian record after Rama, Krishna  carried the concept of Unicorn as found  in Mahabharat (see verse: buddhi-yogah sarathyam anayudha ). Iran though in deep Rigvedic age was copying the entire concept of Vedic thought, except that in principle it was not believing in iconography or idol worship. In spite of such heavy resistance  it allowed the iconography of Unicorn. The  Yasna 42 (Avesta) describes the popular concept of Unicorn as followed in Middle East. This verse has been  translated by L. H. Mills (From Sacred Books of the East, , American Edition, 1898.)  in such a way:

 “And we worship the Good Mind (in the living) and the spirits of the saints. And we sacrifice to the fish of fifty-fins, and to that sacred beast the Unicorn  which stands in Vouru-kasha, and we sacrifice to that sea of Vouru-kasha where he stands”

 

The symbolism of sacred beast Unicorn as  in Semetic (Avesta), Middle East or Mesopotamia is a ,  Vedic thought and exactly corresponds with the  Vedic Unicorn. The Middle East Unicorn has been found at Mesopotamia, which is preserved in British Museum  as Cylinder seal of Mesopotamia No. 89538 (given below)

                                                 

The Physiologus, which survived in the literatures of Eastern Europe was written in the eleventh century by a certain Theobaldus, and printed by Morris in An Old English Miscellany (1872). This book is full of mythical iconography on the symbolism of medieval ecclesiastical art.  This  literature was edited by Dahlerup in 1889 with a title Bestiaires of Philippe De Thaun, a metrical Old-French version, edited by Thomas Wright in Popular Treatises On Science Written During The Middle Ages. This book discloses the concept of Biblical Unicorn again in an hearsay model. The Physiologus points very clearly the legend of Unicorn imported from India. This Biblical Unicorn  is found in one such  church tapestries devoted to the 1500 AD saint St. Stephen’s Martyrdom.  The visual represents movement of St. Stephen’s soul from human body to Unicorn body.  St. Stephen dies looking and remembering Unicorn. The visual goes like this: 

 

The above visual is an exact replica of SrimadBhagwad Gita, where Krishna says:

At the time of death who remembers me doesn’t trap again in the misery of rebirth or cycle of birth and death, as he intermingles his soul in me. 

 

This legend of Biblical Unicorn has a deep connection with the Indian thought. It appears that the Christian religious base has accepted in principle the  theory of Hindu  thought of Vishnu's incarnation. It confirms that Jesus Christ in his time was well aware with the Hindu incarnation principle and the relevance of Vishnu as Unicorn. However after the death of Jesus Christ, Christians' religious behaviour accepted in principle the Unicorn as representation of  Jesus Christ.

  Source:  http://www.abbeville.com/images-catalog/thumb/0789205955.interior03.jpg

 

The presence of  Biblical Unicorn  shows an attachment of the people of Middle East on Vedic philosophy. But, if we compare from some events recorded in the deep  Rigvedic era,  we see Vedic and Semetic people fighting with each other. The popular instance of Haygreeva  is very interesting, which deals a popular rescue operation on our knowledge right. For material prosperity Asuras had been constantly hunting for Vedic records. As Indians through the ages have developed wonderful science particularly on metallurgy, medicine and alchemy (science of ancient Hindu chemistry where numerous aspects are discussed in detail. One such aspect was conversion of ordinary metals into gold with the help of mercury). These subjects were a part of the Vedas, which were of material importance for clever Asuras. A reference is found in the  Haygreevopanishad that Asuras  had once stolen Vedic  records. These were recovered by Haygreeva after killing Asuras  like Madhukaitabha.

 

Up to this point one thing is very clear that the iconography of Indian Unicorn has been well understood by the Babylonian culture, through which it transmits the thought of Unicorn to the Bible. The colour of Haygreeva  is still here  deep white. After the end of this civilization, there remained a long cultural gap. In between these vacuum periods many mythical thoughts prior to the period of  this civilization, particularly on Noah’s stories,  were also even attached with the Unicorn. In these stories semi horse white Hayagreeva from head to neck having horn on its head now extends   into a full bodied white horse. Some prominent mythical stories are associated with following characters:

 

  1. Unicorn with Adam and Eve in paradise
  2. Unicorn with Noah during great deluge.
  3. The Old Testament’s Prophet, Daniel, and his association with Unicorn in his dream
  4. David’s, whose descendent is Jesus Christ, experience with Unicorn at first hand ( Psalm 22:20-22).

The symbolic  presence of Unicorn with the word Reem, which appears seven times in the Old Testament proves that it is borrowing  relevant information of Vishnu’s  Unicorn iconography from Indian sources. The Hebrew Unicorn has no any dispute with its authenticity in singular form, but , in the KJV’s New Testament  single iconography of Vishnu as Unicorn  has been converted into plural Unicorns, this is a challenging mistake of the KJV version of New Testament.

 

The exact word used in the Hebrew for Unicorn is Reem.  This has been translated in various languages, including Greek  as monoceros, unicornis, unicorn, einhorn and eenhorn, all of which mean ‘one horn’. However, the word Reem in Hebrew though identifies  it with Unicorn , but through this symbolism a mighty king is denoted as per Mittani  or Assyrian clay tablets.  Because  for ox and he goat ram, Hebrew  has different words. So  Reem in particular is an iconography of a king, which is symbolically described as an incarnation of Vishnu as   Ekashringa in Indian record. Many Jewish translations simply left Reem untranslated, because they were not sure which symbolism was being referred to.

 

In Deuteronomy (33:13-17) of the Kings James Version of New Testament,  Joseph is associated with God who has single horn. King David also continued this practice and called himself  from the clan of one horn from which  Joseph belongs to. ( Joseph is also called the direct physical ancestor of Jesus Christ). It has been explained earlier that Joseph identifies himself with the lineage of one horn God as denoted by Biblical Raamah & Cush. This lineage is particularly what Hebrew denotes as one horn clan as  Reem.

 

This Reem clan is further elaborated in The Book of Chronicles I:8,  which is a book in The Old Testament. But in the Septuagint (LXX), the book appears in two parts, and in the fifteenth century, it began appearing in two parts in Hebrew Bible, which disclose some aspect of Kush (Biblical Cush & son of Ayodhyapati Rama). Though other informations mentioned in this book have little  relevancy on historical aspect, if texts are cross checked with the Indian sources. It  mentiones   about Cush  of  whom the writer is not aware with various facts & sometimes he mixup detail with one another. Whatever be, the Biblical Cush attacked and overthrown the Babylonian empire & conquered the kingdom. After the fall of this empire  Vedic culture established at Babylonia for a very longer time. The  Cush’s Babylonia had remained a source of inspiration for Hebrew Bible.  The Biblical Reem particularly shows an impact of Cush or post Cush’s Babylonia, where  the lineage & control  of Rama has been authenticated by one of his mighty sons.

 

The presence of Unicorn in  Bible, is such a strong element that the whole foundation of Bible collapses if Unicorn is removed from there. In parallel religious story, which is very strong in Christians,  Jesus Christ is symbolised as  Unicorn. The Biblical iconography of Unicorn is more cultural, reliable &  traditionally correct  then information passed through Cteasis, who wrote  Indica much before Bible  was written. This Greek medicinal practisioner and historian who authored this book  mentiones  Unicorn. The basis of his information is just hearsay what he learnt from king Darius (who called himself from the lineage of an  Indian king). So the cultural thoughts of Unicorn as in practice among Christians are very deeply developed even before Cteasis. Only difference is that this belief is partially correct as it had been developed on a hearsay model after the end of Semetic civilization, from a  semi horse concept  into a full bodied  horse in mythical stories. In parallel Christian story deep white Unicorn comes before Mary, with a request to bear in her  womb its incarnation which shall be named as Jesus Christ. Particularly this story is again a replica of Vishnu's various forms of incarnation including Rama and Krishna. The colour of Unicorn which appears before Mary is still very deep white like Haygreeva and still retaining the appearence of Indian Unicorn form  head to neck as of horse.  

 

Unicorn's pray  to  Mary to give space of  her womb for Its arrival as Jesus Christ: In Christain parallel story 

                             

                                          

Part III: Jha – Rajaram’s Horse Seal:

 

Background Case:

Jha - Rajaram has given an  information about a rare horse seal, in their book The Deciphered Indus Script, which is different then Unicorn. Why both call it different because decipherment denotes it related with horse only. They decided to present this seal which was though very rare, but very important. While presenting  horse seal for this book, Jha actually had taken a rough photograph of the very tiny image called Mackay 453.  Jha had also then enhanced the positive print of the photograph. Though Jha at that time was lacking better photographing facility.  So a poor version of the positive went into the press. It was also supported  with an artist’s impression that how it looks like if breakage line is removed ( this is clearly evident in their work where breakage line has not been shown on the artist’s impression). This seal particularly was challenged from some Harvard people that the Indus Valley Civilization lacks horse, so the visual is a fraud. While Dr Rajaram’s NASA background led the Harvard people think, that Rajaram has manipulated this seal using computer. To support the element of no horse theory Harvard people used a fraud trick where it captured a manipulated seal impression, by the name M 772 (a), from Parpola (Corpus of Indus Seals & Inscriptions,1991). The Parpola’s  seal was photographed in Pakistan, from the same seal from which Mackay 453 has been photographed 70 years before the date of new image capture. The web sites: http://www.safarmer.com/horseseal/update.html &

http://www.safarmer.com/horseseal/rajarambull.html are showing Mackay 453 in manipulated form showing a clear genital on it. These fabricators, stated even that they have found missing genital from Jha-Rajaram’s horse seal. They say: 

“One of the most amusing parts of the story comes in the fact that an extant seal impression made by M-772 (a) does show part of the missing genitals”.  Incorporation of missing genital has been the entire thesis around which Harvard people are trying to contradict Jha- Rajaram’s horse seal. Though, the genital manipulation experience was placing Parpola’s entire career at risk. When somebody caught him for such manipulation , then he circulated one private note to one of the Harvard people & tried to save his face.  He said that in the M 772 (a)’s image the clearly showing genital is not the genital but it  represents a poor photographing technique where breakage line converts itself into a genital  of same shape and size as evident in any Unicorn’s genital .  Now the thesis raised by Harvard people on any missing genital link is sufficient here to define their malefic intention and their move in converting horse into Unicorn. Though Parpola cannot blame alone  his photographer  who was then responsible for capturing this image. As it was a well planned move where horse seal was tempered by applying genital on it. After planting genital, the seal again was tempered by Harvard people to hide the belly curvature movement evident on the original seal by applying & using eraser through  the photoshop software as seen from small rectangular patches just above backside two legs on the  image, to make it a complete Unicorn. On this background this part examines on Jha-Rajaram’s  so called Horse Seal used in their book The Deciphered Indus Script. 

 

In response to horse seal argument sometimes in 2000 Dr NS Rajaram has written somewhere:

 

In an extraordinary article that appeared under the name of Harvard Indologist …the authors go on to suggest that the book "The Deciphered Indus Script" by N. Jha and N.S. Rajaram (Aditya Prakashan, Delhi) is not really about the decipherment at all— it is ‘Hindutva propaganda’. (See ‘Horseplay in Harappa’, Frontline , October 13, 2000.) According to them, this propaganda campaign is carried out by distorting a Harappan seal containing the image of a bull to make it look like a horse. But why bother with one unimportant seal when the book gives a complete methodology and one hundred tables of deciphered readings covering over fifteen hundred Harappan seals? To discredit the likes of … and other supporters of the ‘Aryan Invasion’ who have always told us that the ‘non-Vedic’ Harappans did not know the horse, which was brought into India by the invading Aryans. So, according to them, the book presents a faked horse on a Harappan seal to discredit the work of scholars who for more than a century have argued for an ‘Aryan invasion’ of India that destroyed the ‘non-Aryan’ Harappan civilization.

 

Really horse was not known? Even when in mythical symbolism of Unicorn, horse is evident. Whatever be, the particular seal what Jha – Rajaram calls Mackay 453 is  presented here  (  this is a small but very  tiny photo of much importance  on Plate XCV of Vol. II of  Further Excavations of Mohenjo-Daro New Delhi, 1937-1938 ). This seal is a different seal then seal bearing Unicorn symbolism.

 

Some Logical Comparisons:

1. In order to prove differences, side by side photograph of original Mackay 453 ( left side) & Unicorn photograph (right side) has been presented here:

a).There are lot of differences in Mackay 453 with the Unicorn. The Mackay 453 shows belly curvature to upside but in Unicorn the belly curvature is downside.

 

 b). It is demonstrated here that the position of Genital in Unicorn falls  below just 3rd sign but in Mackay 453 even in between 3rd and 4th sign no genital position is visible.