Etymology of Sanskrit svastika from svasti 'well-being' (from su- 'good' (cf. Greek eu-) + asti 'it is' (cf. Latin est, German ist)) + -ka suffix. The adopted it from the Indians.

As for the Aryan Invasion Theory (as it is known): it still has its adherents and its detractors. The problem is that many Hindu nationalists find the theory of the invasion of India by Indo-European-speaking people distatseful. Most Indo-Europeanists (linguists and archaeologists) today think that the Indo-European languages came from somewhere in the Asian steppes.

There's a different set of words (Arian and Arianism) that has nothing to do with language and/or race. It was an early heresy which the Catholic Church combatted, and was named after the person, Arius, who invented it. Bishop Ulfilas, who translated some of the books of the New testament in Gothic, was supposed to have been an Arianist, like many of the Goths.

[Added third paragraph.]

Last edited by zmjezhd; 07/21/06 03:51 PM.