Max Muller - K S Ramaswami Sastri

Part III

History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature

In this valuable book, he deals with the Hindu sacred scriptures with insight and learning, "It is impossible" he says, "to find the right point of view for judging of Indian religion, morals, and literature without a knowledge of the literary remains of the Vedic age"—a truth lamentably forgotten even by Hindu Scholars and Pandits today. He refers with evident admiration to the beautiful hymn in the Rig Veda which says:

Satho bandhu ma sathi niramvidan hridiprathiyay viewvayo maneva

(Poets discovered in their heart, through meditation, the bond of the Eternal in the non-eternal.)

But the Professor has read the scriptures with a critical eye. And he finds that "there is a contradiction running throughout the religious life of India from the time of the Ramayana to the present day. The outer form of the worship is Vedic and exclusively so; but the eye of religious adoration is turned upon quite different religions." The fact is that the religious life of India is due to Vedic inspiration as much today as ever before. But the emphasis on this or that aspect of Vedic doctrine or ceremonial differs from age to age or from individual to individual.

© "Eminent Orientalists –– Indian, European, American" published by Asian Educational Services, C-2/15, S.D.A., New Delhi 110 016. Part II of this article appeared in Splendour, October 2005 issue. Reprinted with permission.

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