Amazing affinity of Russian and Sanskrit

The linguistically proven facts show the amazing affinity of Russian and Sanskrit languages, obviously pointing out that these two languages must have lived closed together in some periods of antiquity.

Dr. Weer Rajendra Rishi (1917 – 2002) was a well known Indian linguist. He was fluent in Russian and worked in the Indian Embassy in Moscow between 1950—1952. Dr. Rishi was the author of (1) Russian-Hindi Dictionary (foreword by the late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru), (2) Russian Grammar in Hindi, (3) Russian Folklore in Hindi (4) Hindi translation of Pushkin’s poem ‘Gypsy‘, (5) Marriages of the Orient, (6) Roma—The Punjabi Emigrants in Europe, the USSR, the Americas etc. (7) Romani-Punjabi-English Conversation Book, (8) Romani-Punjabi-English Dictionary and (9) Multi-Lingual Romani Dictionary (Romani Hindi English French Russian).

One of his last works was a book India & Russia – Linguistic & Cultural Affinity. This book is now very rare and it is undeservingly forgotten so I would like to bring it back as a tribute to Dr. Weer Rajendra Rishi.

The book has XIII chapters but it is Chapter II Affinity in Language which is, in my view, the most interesting part of the book. These are some excerpts from this chapter:

“As mentioned in the preceding chapter both Russian and Sanskrit belong to the satem group of the Indo-European family of languages. This, however, creates one mis-understanding in one’s mind that the relation between Sanskrit and Russian is as distant one as that between Sanskrit and other Indo-European languages. As will be explained in this chapter, the relation between these two languages is very close and correspondence between these two languages is so minute that, to use Dr. Sidheshwar Varma’s words, it cannot be a mere chance*.

“In the sphere of vocabulary, there is such a large number of words which are common to these two languages that it has not been possible to mention all of them in this chapter. Only a list of basic words common to both these two languages has been given. Moreover, as explained in the succeeding paragraphs of this chapter many of the grammatical rules are common to both these languages and the number of words common to these two languages formed after the application of such common grammar rules could be further multiplied. This is not so when we compare Sanskrit with any other language belonging to the Indo-European group, leaving aside Iranian and Persian.“(p.14)

“That the melodiousness of the rhythm of the Russian folklore and the Sanskrit verse synchronises with each other is confirmed by a news item published in the Soviet Land (No. 2 of January 1968) published by the Information Services of the Embassy of the USSR in India, New Delhi. It is stated that the style of the verse of Russian folk legends and Puskin’s tales is closer to the rhythm of Sanskrit verse. Professor Smirnov (1892— 1967), the reputed Sanskritologist of the Soviet Union has translated Mahābhārata into Russian in this type of verse. Professor Smirnov had with him a recording of an extract from the Mahābhārata read in Sanskrit original by Professor Nirmal Chandra Maitra of India to the accompaniment of Indian instruments. When after playing the recording of the Sanskrit version, Professor Smirnov read his Russian translation, the enchanting melody of the rhythm was found to be very much like that of the Sanskrit original as read by Professor Nirmal Chandra Maitra and sounded in unison.“(p.16)

On the following pages Dr. Rishi gave some interesting comparisons of Russian and Sanskrit noun declension, verbs, prefixes and suffixes, prepositions concluding the chapter by an impressive list of Russian- Sanskrit common words. The full text of this chapter can be found here. 

The list of nouns here.

This interesting information I reposted from borissof blog.

The list of cognate verbs:

Meaning Rus.                  Russian             Sanskrit                Meaning Skr.

to argue, to slander	vad – vadit	vad – vadati	वद्-वदति	to confer or dispute about; to contend, quarrel
to ask	pros – prosit	prach – prachhati	प्रछ् – पृच्छति	to ask, to question, interrogate
to ask various questions, make various inquiries	vɨspra – vɨsprašivaet	viprach – viprcchati	विप्रछ – विपृच्छति	to ask various questions, make various inquiries
to bake, cook	peč – pečyot	pас – pacati	पच् – पचति	to cook, bake, roast, boil
to bark	lay – laet	rai – rayati	रै – रैयति	to bark
to be, exist	bɨ – budet	bhū – bhavati	भू – भ्वति	to become, be
to beat, hit	tuz – tuzit	tuj – tojayati	तुज् – तोजयति	to hurt
to burn, to shine	gor – gorit	ghṛ – ghаrati	घृ  – घरति	to shine, burn
to caress, fondle, comfort	las – laskaet	las – lasāti	लस् – लसति	to play, sport, frolic; to embrace
to cart, transport, carry, draw	voz – vozit	vah – vahati	वह –  वहति	to carry, transport, convey
to catch	lov – lovit	labh – labhate	लभ् – लभते	to take, seize, catch
to coddle, pumper; to cherish, foster	lel – lelyeet	lal – lālayati	लल् – लालयति	to  caress, fondle, foster, cherish
to continue to do smth.., to linger on; to delay; to entertain	bav – bаvit	bhū – bhavayati	भू – भावयति	exist, be found, live, stay, abide, happen, occur; to cause to be or become; to cherish, foster
to cough	kasl – kaslyaet	kās – kāsate	कास् – कासते	to cough
to dawn	svet – svetaet	śvit – śvetate	श्वित् – श्वेतते	to be bright or white
to die , decease	mer – mryot	mṛ – marati	मृ – मरति	to die, decease
to drink	pi – p’yot	pī – piyate	पी – पीयते	to drink
to dry, desiccate	suš – sušit	śuṣ – śuṣyati	शुष् – शुषति	to dry, become dry or withered
to exterminate, to make to die	mor – morit	mṛ – mārayati	मृ –  मारयति	to cause to die, kill, slay
to fall	pad – padyot	pad – padyate	पद् – पद्यते	to fall
to fart	perd – perdit	pard – pardati	पर्द् –  पर्दति	to break wind downwards
to fear, be afraid	boya – boitsya	bhyas – bhyasate	भ्यस् – भ्य्सते	to fear, be afraid, tremble
to give away	otda – otdayot	uddā – uddadāti	उद्दा – उद्ददाति	to give away
to give out, to distribute	vɨd – vɨdayot	vidā – vidadāti	विदा – विददाति	to give out, distribute, grant
to give to drink	po – poit	pa – pāyayati	पा – पाययति	to cause to drink, give to drink, water (horses or cattle)
to go, walk	i – idyot	iṭ – eṭati	इट् – एटति	to go
to happen, to be present, to frequent	bɨv – bɨvaet	bhū – bhavati	भू – भ्वति	to happen, occur
to knead	mes – mesit	miśr – miśrayati	मिश्र् – मिश्रयति	to mix, mingle, blend, combine
to know	zna – znaet	jña – jānāti	ज्ञ – जानति	to know, have knowledge
to lick	liz – ližet	lih – lihati	लिह् – लिहति	to lick
to lick out	vɨliz – vɨlizɨvaet	vilih – vilelihat	विलिह् – विलेलिहत्	to lick continually or repeatedly
to live, dwell	živ – živaet	jīv – jīvati	जीव् – जीवाति	to live, be or remain alive
to lock; to hide (dial.)	ver – veraet	vṛ – varati	वृ – वरति	to cove, screen, veil, conceal, hide, surround, obstruct, to close (a door)
to love, like	lyub – lyubit	lubh – lubhati	लुभ् – लुभति	to desire greatly or eagerly, long for, be interested in
to make come back, turn around	vorot – vorotit	vṛt – vartayati	वृत् – वर्तयति	to cause to turn or revolve
to make warm, to melt	top – topit	tap – tapati	तप् –  तपति	to make hot or warm
to measure	mer – merit	mi – miroti	मि –  मिरोति	to measure, meter, out, mark
to milk	do – doit	dhe –  dhayati	धे – धयति	to suck, drink
to overturn, pull down, to drag down	val – valit	val – valiti	वल् – वलति	to turn, turn round
to peel, to shell	vɨlup – vɨlupit	vilup – vilumpati	विलुप् – विलुम्पति	to tear or break off or to pieces, wound, lacerate pull out or up; to tear away
to praise	slav – slavit	śram – śramyati	श्रम् – श्राम्यति	sound, shout, loud praise
to pull, stretch	tyan – tyanet	tan – tanoti	तन् –  तनोति	to stretch (a cord), extend
to push away, to cast (an arrow etc.); to flow or run quickly (usually down), to fall down	ri – rinet	rī – riṇāti	री – रीणाति	to release, set free, let go
to revolve, rotate	vert – vertit	vṛt – vartate	वृत् – वर्तते	to turn, turn round, revolve, roll
to roar, bellow, howl	rev – revyot	ru – ravīti	रु – रवीति	to roar, bellow, howl, yelp, cry aloud
to roll, turn around	val – valyaet	val – valate	वल् – वलते	to turn, turn round
to see; to know how to do smth..	vid – vidit	vid – vidati	विद् – विदति	to notice,  observe; to know, understand, perceive, learn, become or be acquainted with, be conscious of
to seek, search; to wish	isk – iščet	iṣ –  icchati; eṣati	इष् – इच्छति; एषति	to seek, search; to desire, wish, long for, request
to sell	proda – prodast	pradā – pradatte	प्रदा – प्रदत्ते	to give away, give, offer, sell
to separate (off), to detach	oddel – oddelyaet	uddal – uddalati	उद्दल् –  उद्दलति	to split away, break away
to shake	tryas – tryasyot	tras –  trasyati	त्रस् – त्रस्यति	to tremble
to shine, glitter	bles – bleščet	bhlāś – bhlāśate	भ्लाश् – भ्लाशते	to shine, beam, glitter
to sit	sid – sidit	sad – sīdati	सद् – सीदति	to sit upon or in or at smth.
to sleep	spa – spit	svap – svapiti	स्वप् – स्वपिति	to sleep,  fall asleep
to sob	rɨd – rɨdaet	rud – rodati	रुद् – रोदिति	to weep, cry, howl, roar, lament, wail
to squeeze, pinch	klešč – kleščit	kliś – kliśnati	क्लिश् – क्लिश्नाति	to torment, cause pain
to stay awake	bde – bdit	budh – budhyati	बुध् – बुधय्ति	to be awake
to stick (to), to  adhere (to)	lip – lipnet	lip – limpyati	लिप् – लिम्पयति	to be smeared; to be attached to, to stick, to adhere
to stick, to mould, model	lep – lepit	lip – lepayati	लिप् – लेपयति	the act of smearing, daubing, anointing, plastering
to stretch out, extend, to draw out, extract	vɨtyan – vɨtyanet	vitan – vitanute	वितन् – वितनुते	to spread out, to stretch, extend,  to unfold, display, exhibit, manifest
to survive	vɨživ – vɨživaet	vijīv – vijīvati	विजीव् – विजीवति	to revive, return to life
to sweeten	slad – sladit	svad – svadati	स्वद् –  स्वदते	to make sweet or pleasant or agreeable
to swim, float	plavat’; plav – plavaet	plu – plavate	प्लु – प्लवते	to float, swim
to take	bra – beryot	bhṛ – bharati	भृ – भरति	to hold, possess, have, keep
to think, imagine	mni – mnit	mna – manate	म्ना – मनति	to think, believe, imagine
to torture	pɨt – pɨtaet	piṭh – peṭhati	पिठ् – पेठति	to inflict or feel pain
to touch	kas – kasaet	kaṣ – kaṣati	कष् – कषति	to  test, try; to rub
to turn away	vɨver – vɨvernet	vivṛti – vivartate	विवृत् – विवर्तते	to turn back or away
to turn back, to come back	vert – vertaet	vṛt – vartate	वृत् – वर्तते	to turn, turn round
to twirl, to turn round and round	vert – vertit	vrt – vartayati	वृत् – वर्तयति	to cause to turn or revolve
to wake up	bud – budit	budh – budhyate	बुध् – बुध्यते	to wake up
to have sexual intercourse	yeb – yebyot	yabh – yabhati	यभ्- यभति	to have sexual intercourse
to wish, want	vol – volit	vṛ – vṛṇoti; varayati	वृ – वरति; वरयति	to choose, select, choose for one’s self, choose as; to like, love well