Pointing to Someting Part II

Teiro on a Kushan coin of Huvishka.

“Tishtriya's flight toward the sea Vourukasha is twice compared to the swift arrow shot by the great archer Erekhsha (Yasht 8.6, 37), and that shot, whereby Erekhsha established the border of Iran but died from the exertion, is in fact associated with Tīriya's festival Tīragān; indeed TEIPO (Tīr) is depicted on a Kushan coin holding bow and quiver. The simile comparing Tishtriya with Erekhsha's arrow does not explain Tishtriya/Tīriya's association with arrows, for while various other gods are noted for their speed in the Avesta (e.g. Mithra), only Tishtriya is associated with the arrow. G. Gnoli has assumed the association to be due to the influence on the Achaemenids of Mesopotamian culture, for "Sirius" is KAK.SI.SÁ in Sumerian, and Šiltahu and Šukudu in Akkadian, all "Arrow". But the concept is more global: in Egypt too Sirius was called Sōpdet (Greek Sōthis) "arrowhead, pointer, sharp object"; the important fact is that in India Tiṣya was thought of as arrow-shaped and in the Rig-Veda is addressed together with Kr̥śānu as an archer (10.64.8). The name Tīriya thus may well mean "like an arrow(head), pointed". Etymological considerations support this: Tīriya- would be adjective to *tīra-, related to Av. taēra- "mountain peak", Pashto tērə "sharp", and Sanskrit tīvra- "sharp, pungent" (and perhaps the Persian name of the tiara, the "upright" peaked headdress). This vindicates the long-sought connection of Tīriya's name with the arrow imagery, where earlier etymologies were unconvincing.”

― Martin Schwartz, The Religion of Achaemenian Iran

The verses mentioned from the above excerpt:

“We sacrifice unto Tistrya, the bright and glorious star; who flies, towards the sea Vourukasha, as swiftly as the arrow darted through the heavenly space, which Erekhsha, the swift archer, the Arya amongst the Aryas whose arrow was the swiftest, shot from Mount Khshaotha to Mount Hvanvant.”

― Avesta, Sîrôzah 2, Tîr Yast 8.6

“The thrice seven flowing rivers, the great waters, the trees, the mountains, and Agni do we call upon for help—and upon the archers in their seat—Kr̥śānu, Tiṣya (the Dog Star), and Rudra the Rudrian among the Rudras.”

― Ṛgveda 10.64.8

This may be stretching it, but the only time Sirius and the word "bow" (the weapon) are mentioned in the entire Quran are in the 53rd sūrah (The Star), where they can be found together:

“By the star when it sets, your companion has neither strayed nor erred; nor does he speak out of caprice. It is naught but a revelation revealed, taught him by one of awesome power. Possessed of vigor, he stood upright when he was upon the highest horizon. Then he drew nigh and came close, till he was within two bows’ (qāba qawsayn) length or nearer. Then He revealed to His servant what He revealed.”

― Quran 53.1-10

“It is He Who is the Lord of Sirius.”

― Quran 53.49

So far we have 5 definite, maybe 6, transtemporal and transcultural instances of bow and arrow motifs being associated with Sirius.

1. Ancient China (textual, astronomical)
2. Ancient Egypt (linguistic, astronomical)
3. Ancient Mesopotamia/Akkadian-Sumerian (textual, linguistic, astronomical)
4. Ancient India (textual, linguistic)
5. Persian-Zoroastrian (textual, linguistic)
6. Arabic-Islamic? (maybe textual)

One last interesting side note:

The Arabic word for bow (qaws) is cognate with the Akkadian word for bow (qaštu), which was also apparently the Akkadian name used for Canis Major.