Max Muller - K S Ramaswami Sastri

Part II

Though this does not show a grasp of all that the ceremony implies, it contains ample evidence of his sympathy and insight. Another passage in the same book shows his insight into the character of the Hindus. He says:

"With us philosophy remains always something collateral only. Our mainstay is formed by religion and ethics. But with the Hindus, philosophy is life in full earnest, and it is but another name for religion, while morality has a place assigned but as an essential preliminary to all philosophy."

Though his Sanskrit studies lay generally outsite the field of poetry yet he had a wonderful insight into the real and distinctive treasure of thought and emotion contained in Sanskrit poetry proper.

"Some of the most beautiful poetry of ancient and modern India was inspired by that sentiment of unworldliness, the very opposite of that passionate love and attachment which forms the constant theme of European poetry. Love, so far as it means passion and desire, or exclusive attachment to one person, was considered of this world, and everything belonging to this world was perishable and therefore not worthy of our highest affection….. We find it difficult to enter into these ideas, they are so entirely absent from our own literature, particularly from our poetry, but they were quite familiar to the Hindus".

(To be continued in November, 2005 issue)

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

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