Jump to content

HPB-Caves-8: Difference between revisions

HPB-Caves-8 (view source)

Revision as of 12:35, 8 April 2022

21 bytes removed ,  8 April 2022
m
+some minor fixes
(Created page with "{{HPB-Caves-header | letter = 8 }} {{Style P-Title|Letter VIII<ref>''Moscow News'', № 329, 27.12.1879, Special Supplement, pp. 2-3; ''Russian Herald'', January 1883, Supple...")
 
m (+some minor fixes)
 
Line 46: Line 46:
We had before us representatives of five different peoples, five different types of costume, each quite unlike the others. All five are known to us in ethnography under the generic name of ''Hindus''. Similarly eagles, condors, hawks, vultures, and owls are known to ornithology as “birds of prey,” but the analogous differences are as great. Each of these five companions, – a Rajput, a Bengali, a Madrasi, a Sinhalese and a Marathi, – is a descendant of a race, the origin of which European scientists have discussed for over half a century without coming to any agreement.<ref>Rajputs are called Hindus and are said to belong to the Aryan race; but they call themselves ''Suryavansa'', that is to say, descendants of Surya (the sun), and Brahmins derive their origin from Indu (the moon) and are called ''Induvansa''; Indu, Soma, or Chandra, meaning moon in Sanskrit. If the first Aryans, appearing in the prologue of universal history, are Brahmins, that is to say, the people who, according to Max Müller, having crossed the Himalayas conquered the country of the “five rivers,” then the Rajputs are no Aryans; and if they are Aryans they are not Brahmins, as all their genealogies and sacred books (Puranas) show that they are much older than the Brahmins; and, in this case, moreover, the Aryan tribes had an actual existence in other countries of our globe than the much renowned district of the Oxus, the cradle of the ''Germanic'' race, the ancestors of ''Aryans'' and ''Hindus'', in the fancy of the scientist we have named and his German school. The “moon” line begins with Pururavas (according to genealogical tree prepared by Colonel Tod from the MS. Puranas in the Oodeypore archives), that is to say, 2,200 years before Christ, and much later than Ikshvaku, the forefather of the Suryavansa. The fourth son of Pururavas, Rech, stands at the head of the line of the moon-race, and only in the 15 generation after him appears Harita, who founded the “Kanshikagotra,” or the “Brahmin tribe.” The Rajputs hate the latter, saying: “the children of the ''Sun'' and ''Rama'' have nothing in common with the children of the ''Moon'' and ''Krishna''.” As for the Bengalis, according to their traditions and history, they are aborigines. The Madrasis and the Sinhalese are Dravidians, who have, in turn, been said to belong to the Semites, the Hamites, the Aryans, and, lastly, they have been given up to the will of God, with the conclusion drawn that the Sinhalese, at all events, must be Mongolians of Turanian origin. The Marathis are aborigines of the West of India, as the Bengalis are of, the East; but to what group of tribes belong these two nationalities no ethnographer can define, save perhaps a German.</ref> The traditions of the people themselves are generally denied, because they are not in harmony with foregone conclusions. The meaning of ancient manuscripts is disfigured, and, in fact, sacrificed to fiction, if only the latter proceeds from the mouth of some favorite oracle. The ignorant masses are often blamed and found to be guilty of superstition for creating idols in the spiritual world. Is not, then, the educated man, the man who craves after knowledge, who is enlightened, still more inconsistent than these masses, when he deals with his favorite authorities? Are not half a dozen laurel-crowned heads allowed by him to do whatever they like with facts, to draw their own conclusions, according to their own liking, and does he not stone every one who would dare to rise against the decisions of these quasi-infallible specialists, and brand him as an ignorant fool? Let us remember the case in point of Louis Jacolliot<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Jacolliot Louis Jacolliot] (1837-1890) was a French barrister, colonial judge lecturer and author of many popular novels, popularizer of Eastern culture and translator of the ''Manu Smriti'' into French. – Ed.</ref>, who spent twenty years in India, who actually knew the language and the country to perfection, and who, nevertheless, was rolled in the mud by Max Müller, whose foot never touched Indian soil.
We had before us representatives of five different peoples, five different types of costume, each quite unlike the others. All five are known to us in ethnography under the generic name of ''Hindus''. Similarly eagles, condors, hawks, vultures, and owls are known to ornithology as “birds of prey,” but the analogous differences are as great. Each of these five companions, – a Rajput, a Bengali, a Madrasi, a Sinhalese and a Marathi, – is a descendant of a race, the origin of which European scientists have discussed for over half a century without coming to any agreement.<ref>Rajputs are called Hindus and are said to belong to the Aryan race; but they call themselves ''Suryavansa'', that is to say, descendants of Surya (the sun), and Brahmins derive their origin from Indu (the moon) and are called ''Induvansa''; Indu, Soma, or Chandra, meaning moon in Sanskrit. If the first Aryans, appearing in the prologue of universal history, are Brahmins, that is to say, the people who, according to Max Müller, having crossed the Himalayas conquered the country of the “five rivers,” then the Rajputs are no Aryans; and if they are Aryans they are not Brahmins, as all their genealogies and sacred books (Puranas) show that they are much older than the Brahmins; and, in this case, moreover, the Aryan tribes had an actual existence in other countries of our globe than the much renowned district of the Oxus, the cradle of the ''Germanic'' race, the ancestors of ''Aryans'' and ''Hindus'', in the fancy of the scientist we have named and his German school. The “moon” line begins with Pururavas (according to genealogical tree prepared by Colonel Tod from the MS. Puranas in the Oodeypore archives), that is to say, 2,200 years before Christ, and much later than Ikshvaku, the forefather of the Suryavansa. The fourth son of Pururavas, Rech, stands at the head of the line of the moon-race, and only in the 15 generation after him appears Harita, who founded the “Kanshikagotra,” or the “Brahmin tribe.” The Rajputs hate the latter, saying: “the children of the ''Sun'' and ''Rama'' have nothing in common with the children of the ''Moon'' and ''Krishna''.” As for the Bengalis, according to their traditions and history, they are aborigines. The Madrasis and the Sinhalese are Dravidians, who have, in turn, been said to belong to the Semites, the Hamites, the Aryans, and, lastly, they have been given up to the will of God, with the conclusion drawn that the Sinhalese, at all events, must be Mongolians of Turanian origin. The Marathis are aborigines of the West of India, as the Bengalis are of, the East; but to what group of tribes belong these two nationalities no ethnographer can define, save perhaps a German.</ref> The traditions of the people themselves are generally denied, because they are not in harmony with foregone conclusions. The meaning of ancient manuscripts is disfigured, and, in fact, sacrificed to fiction, if only the latter proceeds from the mouth of some favorite oracle. The ignorant masses are often blamed and found to be guilty of superstition for creating idols in the spiritual world. Is not, then, the educated man, the man who craves after knowledge, who is enlightened, still more inconsistent than these masses, when he deals with his favorite authorities? Are not half a dozen laurel-crowned heads allowed by him to do whatever they like with facts, to draw their own conclusions, according to their own liking, and does he not stone every one who would dare to rise against the decisions of these quasi-infallible specialists, and brand him as an ignorant fool? Let us remember the case in point of Louis Jacolliot<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Jacolliot Louis Jacolliot] (1837-1890) was a French barrister, colonial judge lecturer and author of many popular novels, popularizer of Eastern culture and translator of the ''Manu Smriti'' into French. – Ed.</ref>, who spent twenty years in India, who actually knew the language and the country to perfection, and who, nevertheless, was rolled in the mud by Max Müller, whose foot never touched Indian soil.


The oldest peoples of Europe are mere babes compared with the tribes of Asia, and especially of India. And oh! how poor and insignificant are the genealogies of the oldest European families compared with those of some Rajputs. In the opinion of Colonel Tod, who for over twenty years studied these genealogies on the spot, they are the completest and most trustworthy of the records of the peoples of antiquity. They date from 1,000 to 2,200 years B.C., and their authenticity may often be proved by reference to Greek authors. After long and careful research and comparison with the text of the ''Puranas'', and various monumental inscriptions, Colonel Tod came to the conclusion that in the Udaipur archives (now hidden from public inspection), not to mention other sources, may be found a clue to the history of India in particular, and to universal ancient history in general. This is what he say among other things:
The oldest peoples of Europe are mere babes compared with the tribes of Asia, and especially of India. And oh! how poor and insignificant are the genealogies of the oldest European families compared with those of some Rajputs. In the opinion of Colonel Tod, who for over twenty years studied these genealogies on the spot, they are the completest and most trustworthy of the records of the peoples of antiquity. They date from 1,000 to 2,200 years B.C., and their authenticity may often be proved by reference to Greek authors. After long and careful research and comparison with the text of the ''Puranas'', and various monumental inscriptions, Colonel Tod came to the conclusion that in the Udaipur archives (now hidden from public inspection), not to mention other sources, may be found a clue to the history of India in particular, and to universal ancient history in general. This is what he says among other things:


{{Style P-Quote|“Earnest seeker after this clue should not think, with some flippant archaeologists who are insufficiently acquainted with India, that the stories of Rama, the Mahabharata, Krishna, and the five brothers Pandu, are mere allegories. He who seriously considers these legends will very soon become thoroughly convinced that all these so-called “fables” are founded on historical facts, by the actual existence of the descendants of the heroes, by tribes, ancient towns, and coins still extant. To acquire the right to pronounce a final opinion one must read first the inscriptions on the ''Inda-Prestha'' pillars of ''Purag'' and ''Mevar'', on the rocks of ''Junagur'', in Bijoli, on ''Aravuli'' and on all the ancient Jaina temples scattered throughout India, where are to be found numerous inscriptions in a language utterly unknown, in comparison with which the hieroglyphs will seem a mere toy.”}}
{{Style P-Quote|“The earnest seeker after this clue should not think, with some flippant archaeologists who are insufficiently acquainted with India, that the stories of Rama, the Mahabharata, Krishna, and the five brothers Pandu, are mere allegories. He who seriously considers these legends will very soon become thoroughly convinced that all these so-called “fables” are founded on historical facts, by the actual existence of the descendants of the heroes, by tribes, ancient towns, and coins still extant. To acquire the right to pronounce a final opinion one must read first the inscriptions on the ''Inda-Prestha'' pillars of ''Purag'' and ''Mevar'', on the rocks of ''Junagur'', in Bijoli, on ''Aravuli'' and on all the ancient Jaina temples scattered throughout India, where are to be found numerous inscriptions in a language utterly unknown, in comparison with which the hieroglyphs will seem a mere toy.”}}


Yet, nevertheless, Professor Max Müller, who, as already mentioned, was never in India, sits as a judge and corrects chronological tables as is his wont, and Europe, taking his words for those of an oracle, endorses his decisions. ''Et c'est ainsi que s'ecrit l'histoire''...<ref>This is how history is written (Fr.) – Ed.</ref>
Yet, nevertheless, Professor Max Müller, who, as already mentioned, was never in India, sits as a judge and corrects chronological tables as is his wont, and Europe, taking his words for those of an oracle, endorses his decisions. ''Et c'est ainsi que s'ecrit l'histoire''...<ref>This is how history is written (Fr.) – Ed.</ref>
Line 54: Line 54:
Talking of the venerable German Sanskritist's chronology, I cannot resist the desire to show (at least to Russia) on what a fragile basis are founded his scientific discussions, and how little he is to be trusted when he pronounces upon the antiquity of this or that manuscript. These pages are of a superficial and descriptive nature, and, as such, make no pretense to profound learning, so that what follows may seem incongruous. But it must be remembered that in Russia, as elsewhere in Europe, people estimate the value of this philological light by the points of exclamation lavished upon him by his admiring followers, and that no one reads the ''Bashi's Vedas<ref>It is translation of the Vedas into Hindi with commentary and explanations. This is the first complete translation.</ref>'' of Swami Dayananda. It may even be that I shall not be far from the truth in saying that the very existence of this work is ignored, which may perhaps be a fortunate fact for the reputation of Professor Max Müller. I shall be as brief as possible.  
Talking of the venerable German Sanskritist's chronology, I cannot resist the desire to show (at least to Russia) on what a fragile basis are founded his scientific discussions, and how little he is to be trusted when he pronounces upon the antiquity of this or that manuscript. These pages are of a superficial and descriptive nature, and, as such, make no pretense to profound learning, so that what follows may seem incongruous. But it must be remembered that in Russia, as elsewhere in Europe, people estimate the value of this philological light by the points of exclamation lavished upon him by his admiring followers, and that no one reads the ''Bashi's Vedas<ref>It is translation of the Vedas into Hindi with commentary and explanations. This is the first complete translation.</ref>'' of Swami Dayananda. It may even be that I shall not be far from the truth in saying that the very existence of this work is ignored, which may perhaps be a fortunate fact for the reputation of Professor Max Müller. I shall be as brief as possible.  


When Professor Max Müller states, in his ''Sahitya-Grantha'', work on Sanscrit, that the Aryan tribe in India acquired the notion of God step by step and very slowly, he evidently wishes to prove that the ''Vedas'' are far from being as old as is supposed by some of his colleagues. Having presented, in due course, some more or less valuable evidence to prove the truth of this new theory, he ends with a fact which, in his opinion, is indisputable. He points to the word ''hiranya-garbha'' in the mantrams, which he translates by the word “gold,” and adds that, as the part of the ''Vedas'' called chanda appeared 3,100 years ago,<ref>The ''Vedas'' are divided into two parts: ''chandas'' – slokas, verses, etc.; and ''mantrams'' – prayers and rhythmical hymns, which are, at the same time, incantations used in white magic.</ref> the part called mantrams could not have been written earlier than 2,900 years ago. Professor Max Müller divides the mantram (“Agnihi Poorwebhihi,” etc.) philologically and chronologically, and, finding in it the word ''hiranya-garbha'', he denounces it as an anachronism. “The ancients,” he says, “had no knowledge of ''gold'', and, therefore, if gold is mentioned in this ''mantram'' it means that the ''mantram'' was composed at a comparatively modern epoch,” and so on.
When Professor Max Müller states, in his ''Sahitya-Grantha'', a work on Sanskrit, that the Aryan tribe in India acquired the notion of God step by step and very slowly, he evidently wishes to prove that the ''Vedas'' are far from being as old as is supposed by some of his colleagues. Having presented, in due course, some more or less valuable evidence to prove the truth of this new theory, he ends with a fact which, in his opinion, is indisputable. He points to the word ''hiranya-garbha'' in the mantrams, which he translates by the word “gold,” and adds that, as the part of the ''Vedas'' called chanda appeared 3,100 years ago,<ref>The ''Vedas'' are divided into two parts: ''chandas'' – slokas, verses, etc.; and ''mantrams'' – prayers and rhythmical hymns, which are, at the same time, incantations used in white magic.</ref> the part called mantrams could not have been written earlier than 2,900 years ago. Professor Max Müller divides the mantram (“Agnihi Poorwebhihi,” etc.) philologically and chronologically, and, finding in it the word ''hiranya-garbha'', he denounces it as an anachronism. “The ancients,” he says, “had no knowledge of ''gold'', and, therefore, if gold is mentioned in this ''mantram'' it means that the ''mantram'' was composed at a comparatively modern epoch,” and so on.


But here the illustrious Sanskritist is very much mistaken. Swami Dayananda and other pandits after him, who sometimes are far from being Dayananda's allies, maintain that Professor Max Müller has completely misunderstood the meaning of the term ''hiranya''. Originally it did not mean, and, when united to the word ''garbha'', even now does not mean, “gold” – the modern word and absend in old Sanscrit language of ''Vedas''. So all the Professor's brilliant demonstrations are labor in vain. The word ''hiranya'' in this ''mantram'' must be translated “divine light” – mystically a symbol of knowledge; analogically the alchemists used the term “sublimated gold” for “light,” and hoped to compose the objective metal out of its rays. The two words, ''hiranya-garbha'', taken together, mean, literally, the “radiant bosom,” and, when used in the ''Vedas'', designate the first principle, in whose bosom, like gold in the bosom of the earth, rests the light of divine knowledge and truth, the essence of the soul liberated from the sins of the world. In the ''mantrams'', as in the ''chandas'', one must always look for a double meaning: (1) a metaphysical one, purely abstract, and (2) one as purely physical; for everything existing upon the earth is closely bound to the spiritual world, from which it proceeds and by which it is reabsorbed. For instance ''Indra'', the god of thunder, ''Surya'', the sun-god, ''Vayu'', god of the wind, and ''Agni'', god of fire, all four depending on this first divine principle, expand, according to the ''mantram'' from ''hiranya-garbha'', the radiant bosom. In this case the gods are the personifications of the forces of Nature. But the initiated Adepts of India understand very clearly that the god Indra, for instance, is nothing more than a mere sound, born of the shock of electrical forces, or simply electricity itself. Surya is not the god of the sun, but simply the center of fire in our system, the essence whence come fire, warmth, light, and so on; the very thing, namely, which no European scientist, steering an even course between Tyndall and Schropfer, has, as yet, defined... This concealed meaning has totally escaped Professor Max Müller's attention, and this is why, clinging to the dead letter, he never hesitates before cutting a Gordian knot. How then can he be permitted to pronounce upon the antiquity of the ''Vedas'', when he is so far from the right understanding of the language of these ancient writings?..
But here the illustrious Sanskritist is very much mistaken. Swami Dayananda and other pandits after him, who sometimes are far from being Dayananda's allies, maintain that Professor Max Müller has completely misunderstood the meaning of the term ''hiranya''. Originally it did not mean, and, when united to the word ''garbha'', even now does not mean, “gold” – the modern word, which is absent in old Sanskrit language of ''Vedas''. So all the Professor's brilliant demonstrations are labor in vain. The word ''hiranya'' in this ''mantram'' must be translated “divine light” – mystically a symbol of knowledge; analogically the alchemists used the term “sublimated gold” for “light,” and hoped to compose the objective metal out of its rays. The two words, ''hiranya-garbha'', taken together, mean, literally, the “radiant bosom,” and, when used in the ''Vedas'', designate the first principle, in whose bosom, like gold in the bosom of the earth, rests the light of divine knowledge and truth, the essence of the soul liberated from the sins of the world. In the ''mantrams'', as in the ''chandas'', one must always look for a double meaning: (1) a metaphysical one, purely abstract, and (2) one as purely physical; for everything existing upon the earth is closely bound to the spiritual world, from which it proceeds and by which it is reabsorbed. For instance ''Indra'', the god of thunder, ''Surya'', the sun-god, ''Vayu'', god of the wind, and ''Agni'', god of fire, all four depending on this first divine principle, expand, according to the ''mantram'' from ''hiranya-garbha'', the radiant bosom. In this case the gods are the personifications of the forces of Nature. But the initiated Adepts of India understand very clearly that the god Indra, for instance, is nothing more than a mere sound, born of the shock of electrical forces, or simply electricity itself. Surya is not the god of the sun, but simply the center of fire in our system, the essence whence come fire, warmth, light, and so on; the very thing, namely, which no European scientist, steering an even course between Tyndall and Schropfer, has, as yet, defined... This concealed meaning has totally escaped Professor Max Müller's attention, and this is why, clinging to the dead letter, he never hesitates before cutting a Gordian knot. How then can he be permitted to pronounce upon the antiquity of the ''Vedas'', when he is so far from the right understanding of the language of these ancient writings?..


The above is a resume of Dayananda's argument, and to him the Sanskritists must apply for further particulars, if they only bother to look into his ''Rigvedadi Bhashya Bhoomika<ref>This is a monthly periodical, probably received in Russia by the St. Petersburg Academy.</ref>'' (book 4, page 76).
The above is a resume of Dayananda's argument, and to him the Sanskritists must apply for further particulars, if they only bother to look into his ''Rigvedadi Bhashya Bhoomika<ref>This is a monthly periodical, probably received in Russia by the St. Petersburg Academy.</ref>'' (book 4, page 76).
Line 80: Line 80:
“Probably because our ''rulers'' save gunpowder for ourselves, doing us the honour of considering us more dangerous than tigers,” snapped out Gulab-Sing.
“Probably because our ''rulers'' save gunpowder for ourselves, doing us the honour of considering us more dangerous than tigers,” snapped out Gulab-Sing.


Somewhat formidable and at the same time mocking sounded this word “rulers” in the mouth of the Rajput.
The word "rulers" from the mouth of the Rajput sounded angry and mocking.


“But how did you get rid of the 'striped one'?” insisted the colonel. “Has anyone fired a shot?”
“But how did you get rid of the 'striped one'?” insisted the colonel. “Has anyone fired a shot?”


“You Europeans think that shooting is, if not ''the only'', at least ''the best way ''to get rid of wild animals. We – the savages – possess other means, which are sometimes more efficacious than guns,” explained ''babu'' Narendro-Das Sen. “Wait until you come to Bengal, there you will have many opportunities to make acquaintance with the tigers. They come to us uninvited day and night, even in cities...”
“You Europeans think that shooting is, if not ''the only'', at least ''the best way ''to get rid of wild animals. We – the savages – possess other means, which are sometimes more efficacious than guns,” explained ''Babu'' Narendro-Das Sen. “Wait until you come to Bengal, there you will have many opportunities to make acquaintance with the tigers. They come to us uninvited day and night, even in cities...”


It was now getting light, and Gulab-Sing proposed to us to descend and examine the rest of the caves and the ruins of a fortress before the day became too hot. In five minutes everything was set up for the breakfast, and at half-past three, we went by another and easier way to the valley, and, happily, this time we had no adventures. Only the Marath, without saying a word, lagged behind us and disappeared.
It was now getting light, and Gulab-Sing proposed to us to descend and examine the rest of the caves and the ruins of a fortress before the day became too hot. In five minutes everything was set up for the breakfast, and at half-past three, we went by another and easier way to the valley, and, happily, this time we had no adventures. Only the Marath, without saying a word, lagged behind us and disappeared.
Retrieved from "https://en.teopedia.org/lib/Special:MobileDiff/5130"