Page 17 - Samaveda (English)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

APPRECIATION

I have gone through some chapters of the English

translation of Yajurveda by Dr. Tulsi Ram Sharma. As he has

stated at the very beginning of the Introduction, this

translation of Yajurveda is meant for an average English-

knowing reader who is keen to know: What is Veda?What is

it about? Is it old or new? To achieve this object, he has

followed theArsh method of interpretation. Accordingly, for

example, he has mostly followed the etymological method

of literal translation. But whenever he finds that the literal is

not helpful in achieving his intended objective, he adds the

implied explanation so that the essence of the Vedic hymn is

quite clear. For example, his translation of, ‘Yathemam

Vacham Kalyanimavadani janebhyah’ is rendered as

follows—‘Just as I speak (reveal) this auspicious holy Word

of the Veda for all people (without discrimination of high or

low), so should you too communicate it to all people of the

world, whosoever, whatsoever, where so ever they be’. That

is the technique of Swami Dayananda also.

I regard Dr. Tulsi Ram Sharma as one in the

commendable line of Pundit Damodar Satavalekara who

studied Sanskrit at a mature age and did unique work in that

language. Dr. Sharma has also mastered the Sanskrit language

after his retirement and done full justice to the translation of

the Veda. He richly deserves our gratefulness, our expression

of gratification and our appreciation for succeeding in his

sacred mission of presenting an understandable, logical and

above all sensible English translation of Vedas which hitherto

was unavailable. Thus a long felt need has been fulfilled. I

am sure Dr Sharma’s method of translation will not only be

widely approved but will also be followed by others while

translating the Vedas in other languages.

–Dr. Baldev Singh

Formerly Professor of Sanskrit

Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla (India)

( xxi )

thearyasa aj.org