large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb_7
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb
English
12430
[2] We shall accordingly take it for granted that the Veda presents only the religious thought of the ancient Hindus  and not the whole of the religious thought, but only that of a very influential portion of the race. WE SHALL ACCORDINGLY TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT THE WATER PRESENTS ONLY THE RELIGIOUS THOUGHT OF THE ANCIENT HINDOOS AND NOT THE WHOLE OF THE RELIGIOUS THOUGHT BUT ONLY THAT OF A VERY INFLUENTIAL PORTION OF THE RACE
eligious character. Tacitly assuming that the book contains the whole of the early literature of India, many writers have expressed themselves in strong terms regarding the primitive Hindus as religious above all other races. But as we read on we become convinced that these poems are a selection, rather than a collection, of the literature; and the conviction grows that the selection has been made by priestly hands for priestly purposes. An acute critic has affirmed that the Vedic poems are "pre-eminently sacerdotal, and in no sense popular."[1] We can thus explain a pervading characteristic of the book which has taken most readers by surprise. There is a want of simplicity in the Veda. It is often most elaborate, artificial, overrefined--one might even say, affected. How could these be the thoughts, or those the expressions, of the imperfectly civilized shepherds of the Panjab? But if it be only a hymn-book, with its materials arranged for liturgical purposes, the difficulty vanishes. WE ARE STRUCK BY THEIR STRONGLY RELIGIOUS CHARACTER TACITLY AS YOU MEAN THE BOOK CONTAINS THE WHOLE OF THE EARLY LITERATURE OF INDIA MANY WRITERS HAVE EXPRESSED THEMSELVES IN STRONG TERMS REGARDING THE PRIMITIVE HINDOOS AS RELIGIOUS ABOVE ALL OTHER RACES BUT AS WE READ ON WE BECOME CONVINCED THAT THESE POEMS ARE A SELECTION RATHER THAN A COLLECTION OF THE LITERATURE AND THE CONVICTION GROWS THAT THE SELECTION HAS BEEN MADE BY PRIESTLY HANDS FOR PRIESTLY PURPOSE AN ACUTE CRITIC HAS AFFIRMED THAT THE WORTHY POEMS ARE PRE EMINENTLY SACERDOTAL AND IN NO SENSE POPULAR WE CAN THUS EXPLAIN A PURRAING CHARACTERISTIC OF THE BOOK WHICH HAS TAKEN MOST READERS BY SURPRISE THERE IS A WANT OF SIMPLICITY IN THE WEDA IT IS OFTEN MOST ELABORATE ARTIFICIAL OR REFINED ONE MIGHT EVEN SAY AFFECTED HOW COULD THESE BE THE THOUGHTS OR THOSE THE EXPRESSIONS OF THE IMPERFECTLY CIVILIZED SHEPHERDS OF THE PENJA BUT IF IT BE ONLY A HYMN BOOK WITH ITS METERALS ARRANGED FOR LITURGICAL PURPOSE THE DIFFICULTY VANISHES
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