Meemangsa signifies a decision after weigh Boudhayuneeyu-shoolku-meemangsa. ing evidence on both sides. Boudhayuneeyu-shoolku-meemangsa-shroută-yŭgnůka. Lughoo-půdmů-nabhee, a brief treatise by Půdmă-Nabhee. Bhŭvu-swamee-bhashyů, a comment by Bhйvů-swamee. Roodrů půddhŭtee, a treatise by Roodrů. Samu-vedu-průyogů, rules from this védů. Gribyu-sōōtrů, the duties of particular classes of bramhuns, with a comment. Yugnu-sootrů-karika, rules for sacrifices versified. Kandanookrůmŭ-moolů, text of a treatise on sacrifices, with a comment on ditto (bhashyй) and a comment on the bhashyŭ. Survŭtomookhŭ-soutrů-yŭgnů, a collection of prayers, maxims, &c. Katyayŭnů-sōōtrů-půddhŭtee, an abridgment of the forms of the samů-védů. A comment on ditto (vyakhya.) Chundogu-purishishtă, a selection from the samă-védă, with a comment. Samu-védŏ-gobhilŭ-sootrů. Gobhilŭ was a considerable writer in the samu. Poochǎ-sootrů. Sōōtră is explained by Paninee, as a lucid interpretation in the fewest words. Chăndru-chōoree-shroutǎ-yŭgnňka, a collection from the védů, by Chundrů-choorů. Sankhyayŭnu-sootrů, from the yujoor védõ, by Sankhyayŭnů, with a comment. Rig-védanookrůmŭnika, a table of contents, with a comment, Dhoorttu-swamee-bhashyu-vrittee, a comment by Dhoorttă. Dhoorttu-swamee-bhashyu-sutēēkŭ, another. Yögnu-sootrů-karika, on sacrifices. Küpürdee-swamee-bhashyu, a comment on ditto by Küpürdee. Kandanookrămŭ-mōōlă-bhashyŭ-vivůrŭnů, text, comment, and explanation. Průyogu-sarů-yugnŭka-shroutů, the essence of the průyogus. Bhŭvă-swamee-kŭlpů-vivůrůnů-yŭgnňka, on the védů-kŭlpůs. Bhavee-prayushchittŭ-průyogů-yngnŭka, rules for atonements for expected offences. Nirooktů, an explanation of difficult and obscure texts. Nirooktů-deepunee, a comment on the above. Nighŭntă, a glossary. SECTION III. Difficulties in obtaining the Hindoo shastrus;-Existence of the Védús proved;-profound reverence for these treatises. THE difficulties attending first attempts to obtain from the bramhuns a knowledge of their shastrus, were no doubt very great. I have been informed, that the endeavours of Sir William Jones, and others, were at first every where resisted. This will not appear wonderful, when it is considered, that the shastrus denounce the heaviest penalties on a bramhon who shall teach the knowledge of the sacred books to persons of low cast. Yet this reserve has at length been so completely overcome by the perseverance, influence, and the gold of Europeans, that the bramhuns will now, without the slightest hesitation, sell or translate the most sacred of their books, or communicate all they know of their contents. The difficulty lies more in the scarcity and obscurity of these works, than in the scrupulosity of the bramhuns, their guardi ans. Though it is a fact, that no person at present in existence has seen the whole védă, yet there can be no reasonable doubt of the existence of these treatises, nor of their being divided into four parts, called the rik, the yujoosh, the samů, and the ŭt'hõrvă. Distinct portions, evidently belonging to each of these four divisions, are in the hands of Europeans, by whom they have been identified, and their contents in some degree examined. Mr. Colebrooke, in his very learned essay on the védů, has completely established this point by powerful arguments, and by giving us large extracts from their contents. Indeed, it seems, that by this essay he has laid public curiosity so completely asleep, that if a translation of the four védus were to be published, the translator would hardly find readers sufficient to reimburse him for his trouble. It is well known, that the bramhans have more reverence for the védů than for any other of their shastrus.† Two or three causes may be assigned for this: they are at present little known, and ignorance, in this case, is no doubt the mother of devotion ;-they are declared to be the peculiar inheritance of bramhŭns, and are kept from the lower casts, so that a shōōdră cannot hear any parts of them repeated without incurring guilt;-they are supposed to be the source of all the shastrus : every thing, it is said, is to be found in the védů;-they claim an inscrutable antiquity;-many believe them to have proceeded immediately from the mouth of God: the védantă writers say, "the self-evident word proceeding out of the mouth of God— this is the védň." SECTION IV. The Védă written by human authors ;-to whom first taught. WHEN we look, however, into the védů itself, we find the names of many of the writers hence, says Mr. Colebrooke,‡ "the names of the respective authors of each : "It appears," says Mr. Colebrooke, “that the rik, yňjoosh, and samo, are three principal portions of the védů; that the athŭrvůnŭ is commonly admitted as a fourth; and that divers mythological poems, entitled itihasŭ and pooranus, are reckoned a supplement, and as such, constitute a fifth védŭ.” + On this subject, a friend observes, “Perhaps much of this may appear more rational, if we consider the word védŭ as signifying knowledge, or true ideas, or philosophy in general, and not the books called védŭ.” The author does not conceive, that there is much necessity for making an apology, except to Mr. Colebrooke himself, for the use he has made of his essay in this and the next sheet :—his readers, he doubts not, will be really gratified by the assistance thus obtained for procuring a correct idea of these writings, which have excited such a profound attention. ed.* the fifth. passage are preserved in the ǎnookrŭmunika, or explanatory table of contents, which has been handed down with the védŭ itself, and of which the authority is unquestionAccording to this index, Vishwamitrŭ is author of all the hymns contained in the third book of the rig-védů; as Bhŭrŭdwajŭ is, with rare exceptions, the composer of those collected in the sixth book; Vushisht'hu, in the seventh; Gritsumůdu, in the second; Vamŏ-dévů, in the fourth; and Boodhut and other descendants of Čtree, in But in the remaining books of this védŭ, the authors are more various ; among these, besides Ŭgŭstyŭ, Késhyŭpů, sun of Mureechee, Ungirŭs, Jůmŭdŭgnee, son of Bhrigoo, Purashŭrŭ, father of Vyasŭ, Gotŭmů and his son Nodhus, Vrihăspŭtee, Narudo and other celebrated Indian sages, the most conspicuous are Kunwŭ and his numerous descendants, Médhatit'hee, &c.; Mudhoochundus and others among the posterity of Vishwamitră; Shoonŭshéphé, son of Ŭjigürtů; Kootsŭ, Hirŭnyŭstööyü, Săvyu, and other descendants of Ungirus; besides many other sages, among the posterity of personages above-mentioned. "It is worthy of remark, that several persons of royal birth (for instance, five sons of the king Vrihŭngir, and Trăyyŭroonŭ and Trŭsudushyoo, who were themselves kings) are mentioned among the authors of the hymns which constitute the rig-védŏ: and the text itself, in some places, actually points, and in others obviously alludes, to monarchs, whose names are familiar in the Indian heroic history. "The sixth hymn of the eighteenth chapter of the first book, is spoken by an ascetic named Kaksheevut, in praise of the munificence of Swǎnǎyu, who had conferred immense gifts on him. "The next hymns applaud the liberality of the kings Vibhin doo, Păkŭst❜hămŭn (son of Kooriyană,) Kooroongů, Kusoo (son of Chédee) and Tirindira (son of Părăshoo,) who had severally bestowed splendid gifts on the respective authors of these thanks "It appears from a passage in the Vijúyůvilasť, as also from the Védědēēpŭ, or abridged commentary on the Vajŭsůnéyēē, as well as from the index itself, that Katyay ŭnŭ is the acknowledged author of the index to the white yujoosh; that of the rig-védüŭ is ascribed by the commentator to the same Katyayŭnu, the pupil of ShouDňků." †“ First of the name, and progenitor of the race of kings called children of the moon." givings. In the third chapter of the same book, the seventh hymn commends the generosity of Trusŭdushyoo, the grandson of Mandhatree. The fourth chapter opens with an invocation containing praises of the liberality of Chitră; and the fourth hymn of the same chapter celebrates Vuroo, son of Soosamun. "Among other hymns by royal authors, in the subsequent chapters of the tenth book of the sunghita, I remark one by Mandhatree, son of Yoovŭnashwŭ, and another by Shivee, son of Oosheenără, a third by Vůsoomănus, son of Rohidushwŭ, and a fourth by Pratürdünů, son of Divodasů, king of Kashee." Some parts of the védă are ascribed to divine persons, and even to the one Brumhă, under different names. Where the author was unknown, the compiler probably gave to that part or section a divine origin, yet it cannot be doubted, that the whole of the védǎ was written by the persons who were called moonees. 66 Vyasu, having compiled and arranged the scriptures, theogonies, and mythological poems, taught the several védus to as many disciples: viz. the rik to Poilă ; the yujoosh to Voisŭmpayŭnŭ, and the samů to Joiminee; as also the ŭlhŭrvénů to Soomǎntoo, and the itihasă and pooranus to Sootů. These disciples instructed their respective pupils, who becoming teachers in their turn, communicated the knowledge to their own disciples; until, at length, in the progress of successive instruction, so great variations crept into the text, or into the manner of reading and reciting it, and into the no less sacred precepts for its use and application, that eleven hundred different schools arose. "Poilă taught the rig-védů, or Bŭhvrich, to two disciples Bühkülü and Indrăprůmutee. The first, also called Buhkulee, was the editor ofa sunghita, or collection of prayers; and a sakla, bearing his name, still subsists: it is said to have first branched into four schools; afterwards into three others. Indruprůmǎtee communicated his knowledge to his own son Mundookéyů, by whom a sǎnghita was compiled: and from whom one of the sakhas has derived its name. Védŏ-mitru, surnamed Shakulyă, studied under the same teacher, and gave a complete collection of prayers: it is still extant; but is said to have given origin to five varied editions of the same text. |