“At a low ebb”

"At a low ebb”
In response to Parsiana’s request, London based Zoroastrian scholar Farrokh Vajifdar has sent the following clarifications to the letter "At a low ebb” by Barak Aga (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, January 21, 2014) on Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustee Khojeste Mistree’s objection to Fariborz Rahnamoon speaking at the 10th World Zoroastrian Congress and other matters:
Aga writes: "The 41st name of Ahura Mazda, Varun, refers to the Rig Vedic Asura Varuna. Franciscus Bernadus Jacobus Kuiper, the Dutch born scholar of Indology proposes that none less than Ahura Mazda is a development from an earlier dvandva (twinned) Varuna-Mitra (gods of societal affairs). The basis of Kuiper’s proposal is that the equivalent of Avestan mazda (wisdom) is Vedic medhira, described in the Rig Veda 8.6.10 as the "(revealed) insight into the cosmic order” that Varuna grants his devotees.
On the question of the 41st name from the oft-prayed 101, Varun happens to be the 44th (or 43rd if one follows Dastur Pahlan’s 100 appellations). With some plausibility it is from the Pahlavi, warom (mind) -- and not from waromandih (doubt), nor from the Indic Varuna which would have implied a dark side to Mazda! Kuiper was enticed by the apparent link with the Vedic Varuna, the fearsome shady twin of the Mitra-Varuna dvandva. Had Kuiper stood back momentarily from his impetuously constructed Avesto-Sanskritic edifice, he would have quickly spotted the absence of Mithra/Mitra from all lists, whether by Dasturs Marzban, Pahlan, Edalji Antia or any other compiler.
The Avestan Mithra is a solar deity, the sun being called "the eye of Mazda.” Mithra, from root mei (to bind), is the watcher and enforcer of sacral friendship as well as ensuring the solemnly given word — the binding contract. We still retain the stirring Mithra Yasht and the Mithra Nyayish; he receives no mention in the strictly monotheistic Gathas.
Kuiper’s theory of a Mazdaic presence, as medhira in the Rig Veda has often been challenged. There was, in fact, no such based religion in India as medhas -- it was solely an abstraction, just as one would today speak of "rich, or lacking, in wisdom” without any religious connotation.
Aga mentions that "the Asho Farohar too is an Assyrian convert.”
The Farohar symbol was indeed borrowed from Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. To the Iranian mind it represented Ahura Mazda. One is unclear why mention of it has to be prefaced by "Asho” — could Mazda have been anything other than the embodiment of Truth: ashat.chit hacha?
"Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh tells us that King Vishtasp was king of Balkh…” writes Aga.
Where exactly is Vishtaspa "of Balkh” (!) referred to as "King?” Our Sage mentions him as kavi (poet-seer), and that, by association with the karpan (false priest; charlatan) would make him — before his conversion — initially subject to Zarathushtra’s disapproval.