Thread by @blog_supplement

@huntersrolinson I could go on unraveling these tangled skeins but briefly: 1. The AV mantra nIlashikaNDavAhanaH is used in kaumAra parlance as the renowned aShTAkShari-vidyA. 2. The word nIlashikhaNDa is a unique usage of the AV tradition that is not *endogenous* to the RV, YV or SV. It likely

@huntersrolinson emerged as a term in the Indo-Iranian border zone where the core of AV tradition developed. 3. It is specifically applied to rudra or his ectypes bhava & sharva which some traditions see as his twin sons ~ ashvin-s of the RV. 4. The AV usage likely parallels the nilagrIva of the

@huntersrolinson YV tradition that became dominant in the later H tradition. 5. AV-vulgate 6.93.1 refers to sharva rather than skanda (yes the 2 are related). The interpretation of AV-vul 20.132 in the vaidika sense goes thus:

@huntersrolinson dvau vA ye shi-shavaH ||15|| -> The two are indeed auspiciousness& might; nIlashikhaNDa vA hanaH ||16||
O blue-crested one! He is verily the killer. Thus, the two auspiciousness = bhava; might= sharva; of them the blue crested one -- likely sharva is a killer. Thus, the vaidika

@huntersrolinson usage it was likely related bhava-sharvA which makes the kaumAra bahuvrIhI interpretation still compatible with old tradition. These incantations are said to be the mysterious "prattle" of my ancient clansman aitasha: the aitasha pralApa whose magical meaning was misunderstood

@huntersrolinson In them, the reference to the golden camel is an element that links the AV tradition with the I-Ir border zone -- it is notable that the founder of the Iranian counter-religion was also known by the name of the golden camel. But the Kyanokhaitis parallel in the Orphic incantation

@huntersrolinson is also striking as you note. They might have some deep albeit tenuous link: the sea-> Kyanokhaitis; the churning of the sea -> nIlagrIva; was nIlashikhaNDa also related to the marine allusion hence?