Vedic gods Boghazkoi. AI

Perplexity

Vedic gods Boghazkoi

The Boghazkoi inscription, discovered in modern-day Turkey at the ancient Hittite capital of Hattusa, references four Vedic gods from around 1400 BCE ​.

This treaty between the Hittites and Mitanni kingdom names Indra (In-da-ra), Varuna (U-ru-wa-na), Mitra (Mi-it-ra), and the Nasatyas or Ashvins (Na-sa-at-ya-na) as witnesses, linking early Indo-Aryan culture to Anatolia ​ ​.

Historical Context

These deities match Rigvedic descriptions: Indra as the thunder-wielding warrior king, Varuna as guardian of cosmic order (ṛta), Mitra as god of contracts and friendship (often paired with Varuna), and Nasatyas as twin healer gods .

The inscription's cuneiform script shows phonetic variations typical of Indo-Aryan languages outside India, predating known Vedic texts ​.

Significance

This evidence supports Indo-Aryan migrations from Central Asia westward, as the gods appear in a non-Indian context centuries before the Rigveda's composition ​.

It challenges purely indigenous origins for Vedic religion, highlighting shared Indo-Iranian heritage with Mitanni elites . No other early epigraphy outside South Asia names this exact pantheon combination ​.