Saturday 25 August 2012

THE SANSKRIT CONNECTION - ARIZONA

The history of ancient inhabitants of what is now called Sedona in Arizona is is a bit blurred but is believed to be at least 10,000 years old. Sedona was once inhabited by people known as the 'Anasazi' meaning 'Ancient ones who weren’t us' in the local language. A quick look at the meaning of the word 'Anasazi' in Sanskrit. 'Ana' (अन्) is a negative meaning 'not'. 'Azi' or 'Asi' (असि) means 'we are' or 'to be'. Ana-Azi would mean "Not-Us".

It is believed that the name Arizona derives from the ancient Basque phrase "Aritz Onak" meaning "Good Oaks". Others believe that Arizona is the corruption of the ancient O'odham name - "Ali Sonak" meaning "Small Stream". In Sanskrit "Arita" (आरित) means 'praised or revered'. The Sanskrit word for Oak (Saal, Singur) does not fit. But "Srota" is the Sanskrit for 'Stream' or 'Water Source'. Arita-Sotra would mean "Pure-Stream".

A look at the O'oodham name 'Ali Sonak'. Ali (आलि)  also means 'Pure' or 'Nectar' in Sanskrit. 'Sonak' maybe a corruption of the  Sanskrit 'Srota' (स्रोत). Ali-Srota (आलि-स्रोत) would then again mean 'Pure Stream' in Sanskrit.

Was there any link or contact between the earliest Native American and Asian Civilizations? Arizona is home to many ancient ruins. One of the best known now are the "Palatki Ruins" - home to many ancient pictographs and some petroglpyhs. One of them has been identified as the ancient Vedic "Om" symbol.


The Palatki "Om" Symbol from Sedona, Arizona
Researcher Gene Matlock says says that dthe ictionary entries in Cologne Sanskrit Lexicon, show that name 'Palat-ki' really derives from the Sanskrit 'Palayat-gi'. Palyat (पालयत) means to look after or nurture.As per Gene Matlock, the ruins of Palatki house a Shiva Temple or as it is called in that part of the world a 'Kiva'.
The Om Symbol. It is said that Om, Amen,
Amin and Omkar are all different names
of the same symbol.

There are other curious names that seem to have Sanskrit origins. For example, Sil Nakya. In Sanskrit 'Shila Naku' (शिला - नाकु) means 'Stone Mountain'. Naku also means "Anthill" in Sanskrit. Boba-Quivari is another curious name. 'Quivari' maybe the same as the Sanskrit 'Khiwari'. 

Kha-wari {Kha () Cave, Wari (वारी) Place}, may mean 'Cave-Place' or 'Anthill Cave Place'. As a single word 'Khawari' (खवारि) means Rain-water or Dew in Sanskrit, also 'Rain Water Cave".

The tribes of Arizona are equally of research interest. The Zuni tribes, which is a descendant of the Anasazi mentioned above, speak a language, it is claimed, unconnectd to any other Native American language. The name of the language is 'Ashiwi' (अश्वी). In Sanskrit that would mean 'Possessors of Horses'. The Zuni tribe has a pilgrimage place called Koluwala, also known as 'Kachina'. A close Sanskrit cognate, 'Kanchan' (काञ्चन), means 'Gold'.

Arizona has many place Native American names that sound as if they had a Sanskrit origin. But the truth is hidden under thousands of years of history.

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