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THE TERMINOLOGY OF THE VEDAS*
AND
EUROPEAN SCHOLARS
W
ith us, the question of the terminology of the Vedas is of the
highest importance, for upon its decision will depend the
verdict to be passed by the future world respecting the great
controversy to rage between the East and the West, concerning the
supremacy of the Vedic Philosophy. And even now, the
determination of this question involves issues of great value. For,
if the Vedic philosophy be true, the interpretations of the Vedas, as
given at present by Professor Max Muller and other European
scholars must not only be regarded as imperfect, defective and
incomplete, but as altogether false. Nay, in the light of true reason
and sound scholarship, we are forced to admit their entire
ignorance
of the very rudiments of Vedic language and philosophy.
We are not alone in the opinion we hold. Says Schopenhauer, "I
add to this the impression which the translation of Sanskrit works
by European scholars, with very few exceptions, produce on my
mind. I cannot resist a certain suspicion that our Sanskrit scholars
do not understand their texts much better than the higher class of
school- boys their Greek." It will be well to note here the opinion
of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, the most profound scholar of
Sanskrit of his age, on the subject. He says, "The impression that
the Germans are the best Sanskrit scholars, and that no one has
read so much of Sanskrit, as Professor Max Muller, is altogether
* A paper of this name was submitted to the public by the writer early in
1888 but it was necessarily brief and incomplete. It has now been thought
advisable to give to the same thoughts and principles a new garb, more
suited to the requirements of the reading public of the present day, to
amplify the same truths by interesting illustrations, and to supplement
them by others that are necessary to complete the treatment of the subject.
** Max Muller, The Sacred Books of the East, Vol. I, p. Lx