Алексей Виноградов – Holy waters of the ancestral homeland of mankind (страница 7)

Researchers believe that several local cultures contributed to the development of the Middle Dnieper culture: the Dnieper-Donets, Ancient Yamnaya, Sredny Stog, and Trypillia cultures. Similarities are evident in the forms and ornamentation of Middle Dnieper pottery with Trypillia pottery.

A. Ya. Bryusov links the origins of all "Corded Ware and Battle Axe cultures" to the Catacomb culture. Most researchers believe that the Corded Ware cultures had nothing in common with the late Neolithic cultures of the Volga-Oka basin, the Upper Dnieper region, the Eastern Baltic, southern Scandinavia, and Central Europe. The Corded Ware tribes arrived in these areas as newcomers, settling among the local populations.

The anthropological composition of the Corded Ware population is heterogeneous. Mediterranean, Paleo-European, Lappish, Armenoid, and Nordic anthropological types have been identified. This indicates a complex process of formation of the Corded Ware cultures.

The origins of the Corded Ware cultures are sought in regions of Ukraine formerly occupied by the Trypillian culture, in areas adjacent to the northern coast of the Black Sea, in the area between the Dnieper and Vistula rivers, and in the forest-steppe zone of Right-Bank Ukraine.

Many researchers note the significant role of the Middle Dnieper culture in the ancient history of the forest belt of Eastern Europe. The Middle Dnieper culture contributed to the formation of the Vistula-Neman, Estonian, and Fatyanovo cultures.

From the upper Dnieper, the Middle Dnieper culture spread west and northwest to the Baltic region, north to the Ilmen region, and east to the Volga-Klyazma interfluve. Early sites of the Klyazma group of the Fatyanovo culture (24th-18th centuries BC) contain vessels similar to those of the Middle Dnieper culture, indicating the synchronicity of these cultures and the participation of the Middle Dnieper culture in the development of the Fatyanovo culture.

The Middle Dnieper culture contributed to the development of the Vistula-Neman and Boat Axe cultures of the eastern Baltic region. The Middle Dnieper tribes coexisted with the Upper Dnieper (Rohachev) and Pit-Comb Ware cultures.

P.N. Tretyakov notes that "the significance of the Middle Dnieper tribes in the ethnogeny of the Eastern European forest belt tribes lies not only in the fact that over the course of several centuries they conquered vast expanses of the Upper and partly Middle Dnieper region, but also in the fact that the subsequent history of this region is the history, first and foremost, of their direct descendants."

The Middle Dnieper culture formed the basis for the development of the Bronze Age Sosnitsa culture, which occupied the same territory in the Dnieper region as the preceding Middle Dnieper culture from the second half of the 2nd to the beginning of the 1st millennium BC.

2. Saraswati. Goddess

1.

The widespread story in Vedic literature about the discovery of the lost Vedas on the banks of the Sarasvati River is of exceptional scientific interest.

Despite the importance of the Sarasvati River, it is absent from India. Nor is it sought in the ancestral homeland of the Indo-Aryans, Eastern Europe.

Sarasvati is both the goddess of speech and a river. In Slavic languages, the words "rech" (speech) and "rechenka" (a babbling river) have the same root. Therefore, it is believed that the Sarasvati River is a representation of the Milky Way, and the Vedas were directly given by the goddess of knowledge and speech.

Sarasvati is the goddess of wisdom, knowledge, art, beauty, and eloquence. She possesses the nature of complete knowledge. She is credited with the invention of the sacred language, Sanskrit, and writing. Sarasvati is considered one of the five highest manifestations of Prakriti.

In Hinduism, Saraswati is Brahmacharini, Brahma's assistant in the creation of the universe. Saraswati is Brahma's wife, the mother of the Vedas. She binds heaven and earth in conjugal union and creates the heavenly Bridal Chamber—the Chamber of salvation and eternal bliss.

In Buddhism, Saraswati (Biancaitian in Chinese culture, Yangchenma in Tibetan culture) is considered the consort of the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, Manjushri.

In Shintoism, in Japan, Saraswati (Benzaiten) is one of the seven deities of happiness.

Sarasvati dwells on earth among people, but has a special refuge with her husband in Brahmaloka.

Sarasvati is depicted as a beautiful, fair-skinned young woman dressed in white linen.

She is depicted with four arms (two arms symbolizing the wings of a swan). In one hand, she holds a cup of water. In her other hand, she holds the book of the Vedas, a symbol of knowledge. She holds a string of white pearls, called the Shivamala (Shiva's garland), which serves as a rosary—a symbol of spirituality. In her other hand, she holds a small drum—a symbol of art. When Saraswati is depicted seated on a lotus pedestal (padma-sana) and playing a harp-like instrument, she has only two arms. In some reliefs, her hands are folded in a protective gesture or a blessing. Sometimes she is depicted standing at full height. She is often depicted seated on a white swan, and her emblem is a six-pointed star. Her «vahana» is a white swan or a bull.

Sarasvati, being Brahma's wife, was considered his daughter. Therefore, the other devas considered her union with him criminal. However, among the asuras, this was common. She is sometimes called Vishnu's wife. The epic mentions the goddess's son, the rishi Sarasvat.

Devibhagavata Purana, 9.8. Hari can be seen everywhere in lakes, wells, and streams, and therefore he is called Sarasvan, and she, Sarasvati.

The Vaishnavas of Bengal have a legend that Sarasvati was Vishnu's wife, as were Lakshmi and Ganga. Sarasvati was quite quarrelsome. Vishnu, believing that one wife was enough even for a god, gave Sarasvati to Brahma, Ganga to Shiva, and was satisfied with Lakshmi alone.

Sarasvati is also called Shiva's wife.

Markandeya Purana. 88. The Brahman performed a sacrifice to Sarasvati on her behalf and calmly recited hymns addressed to Sarasvati.

O Mental Strength, Sarasvati, the Chosen One!

O Wealth, Wife of Babhru, the Dark One!

O Self-Controlled Queen, be merciful!

O Narayani, homage to you!

(Babhru or Beaver – Shiva).

In the Rig Veda, Sarasvati is called Vritraghni (the Destroyer of Vritra). A version of the myth of Vritra's slaying is contained in the sixth book of the Devibhagavata Purana. The goddess is called Vritra-pranahara (the Taker of Vritra's Life).

During the Vedic period, Sarasvati was revered as a purifier, protector, and healer. In the Rig Veda, verse 10.17 addresses Sarasvati as the goddess of ancestors and the current generation. In verses 1.13, 1.89, 10.85, 10.66, and 10.141, she is mentioned alongside other gods and goddesses, not rivers. In verse 10.65, she is addressed with "sacred thoughts" and "generosity," consistent with her role as the goddess of knowledge and fertility. Tradition (Rig Veda 10.135) relates that she, along with the celestial physicians Ashvins, healed the weakened Indra.

Sarasvati was primarily a river deity, as her name clearly indicates. Her involvement in sacred rites thus likely led to the subsequent conclusion about her influence on the creation of hymns, which formed an important part of the rites, and to her identification as the goddess of speech.

The evolution of the river goddess into a goddess of knowledge began with the later Brahmanas, which identified her with the goddess of speech due to the central role of speech in Vedic worship and the development of cults on the banks of the river. Although Sarasvati initially appeared as a river goddess in the Vedic hymns, she was rarely associated with the river in the Puranas. Instead, she became the goddess of knowledge, learning, wisdom, music, and the arts. She is often invoked alongside other deities.

Sarasvati is often invited to sacrifices along with several other goddesses, who were never river nymphs but personified either worship or sacred science.

In later mythology, Saraswati was identified with Vācha, and under various names became Brahma's consort, the goddess of wisdom and eloquence, and was addressed as a Muse. In the Mahabharata, she is called the mother of the Vedas, and the same is said of Vācha in the Taittariya Brahmana, where she is called Indra's wife, encompassing all worlds and sought by the rishis who composed the Vedic hymns, as well as by the gods who sought her through asceticism.

As Brahma's consort, Saraswati was called Vācha, Sandhya, Shatarupa, and Brahmani.

The usual list of Dharma's wives in the Puranas includes Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganga, Vishvesa, and Savitri.

In the Varaha Purana, Sarasvati is mentioned as Gayatri, Maheshvari (one of Parvati's names), and Savitri.

In the Vayu Purana, 9.78-80: Svaha, Svadha, Mahavidya, Medha, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Aparna, Ekaparna, Patala, Uma, Haimavati, Shasthi, Kalyani, Khyati, Prajfiya, Mahabhaga, and Gaurli. Know also briefly the universal forms assumed by the Noble Lady through the formation of individual bodies.