Nodhās Gotama in the Avesta: An Error in my 2008 Book on the Avesta Corrected

 

 

Nodhās Gotama in the Avesta: An Error in my 2008 Book on the Avesta Corrected

 Shrikant G. Talageri

 

 A very short article (if it can be called that) to record a correction to a statement in my book "The Rigveda and the Avesta — The Final Evidence" (2008).

 A friend brought to my notice the following exchange on twitter:

My friend asked me also to check the reference. And, although over-smart textbook-worms like the "Akshay" above who give pompous opinions on my writings do not generally merit my attention, I did check out the reason why "Screwdriver babu" above was not able to locate the reference in the Avesta. And I find that I have indeed made a faux pas in my book in 2008. The Avestan evidence is not wrong, but the verse quoted by me is incorrect, and, while I do not know how the mistake arose (some confusion in my notes), the mistake has to be corrected, and to that extent I am grateful to "Screwdriver babu" for bringing the mistake to my attention thereby enabling me to make this correction.

In my book in 2008, I have written: "according to Yasna 9.10, Zaraθuštra engaged Nāiδiiā^oŋha Gaotəma in debate, and defeated him." (TALAGERI 2008:47). The reference is wrong. As I wrote above, I cannot understand how I made this mistake, especially since I have given the correct reference in my earlier book in 2000 (see below), but since it has been luckily brought to my notice, I can and must correct it:

"Nādhyāongha Gaotema (Nodhās Gautama) is mentioned in the early Yašts (Farvardīn Yašt, Yt.13.16) as a priest defeated by Zarathuštra in debate.  While many scholars ignore or reject the identification of the word Nādhyāongha with Nodhās, the identity of the second word as the name of an enemy priest, (a) Gaotema, is not disputed by anyone"  (TALAGERI 2000:221).

I apologize for the mistake, but it is a mistake of citing the wrong verse from the Avesta: the point that I had made (about the earliest Avesta being contemporaneous with the New Rigveda) remains correct.

 

Postscript 2-2-2023:

A follow-up to the above:

 

 

In Konkani (and possibly in Marathi) "lol" means to lie around or roll sluggishly on the floor. And the above provides a perfect illustration of the pointless comments by slugs which regularly take place on twitter and the reason why I don't "care much" about rolling in this swamp.

It was not "Akshay"'s  criticism that I was answering (I specifically clarified that such "pompous opinions on my writings do not generally merit my attention ") but "screwdriver babu"'s inadvertent notice of my mistake, and nor was it my hypersensitivity that I was demonstrating (whether or not I am hypersensitive can be a matter of opinion). In this case, I myself had made an error in my book and it is my propensity to make and present corrections if my mistakes are pointed out in my lifetime and are brought to my notice, something such people cannot be capable of comprehending.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

TALAGERI 2000: The Rigveda: A Historical Analysis. Talageri, Shrikant G. Aditya Prakashan (New Delhi), 2000.

TALAGERI 2008: The Rigveda and the Avesta―The Final Evidence. Talageri, Shrikant G. Aditya Prakashan, New Delhi, 2008.