large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb_97
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb
English
12430
The religious stamp which the compilers of the Veda impressed so widely and so deeply has not been obliterated in the course of thirty centuries. [Sidenote: Their religion is Nature worship.] The prevailing aspect of the religion presented in the Vedic hymns may be broadly designated as Nature worship. THE RELIGIOUS STAMP WHICH THE COMPILERS OF THE WEATHER IMPRESS SO WIDELY AND SO DEEPLY HAS NOT BEEN OBLITERATED IN THE COURSE OF THIRTY CENTURIES THE PREVAILING ASPECT OF THE RELIGION PRESENTED IN THE WADY HYMNS MAY BE BROADLY DESIGNATED AS NATURE WORS
onviction 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.[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. With all the qualifications now stated, the Veda must retain a position of high importance for all who study Indian thought and life. ECTION 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 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 WITH ALL THE QUALIFICATIONS NOW STATED NEVADA MUST RETAIN A POSITION OF HIGH IMPORTANCE FOR ALL WHO STUDY INDIAN THOUGHT AND LIFE
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