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The Terminology of the Vedas and European Scholars 19
Brahmanism, so far from being a channel of life, his own life must be
derived from a higher source into which it must finally be merged,
while his claim to divinity can only be due to his possessing less of
individuality, as distinct from God than inferior creatures."
And lastly, in conclusion, he says —
"It is refreshing to turn from such unsatisfying systems,
however interspersed with wise and even sublime sentiments, to
the living energizing Christianity of European nations, however
lamentably fallen from its true standard, or however disgraced by
the inconsistencies and shortcomings of nominal adherents —
possessors of its name and form without its power."
"In conclusion, let me note one other point which of itself
stamps our religion as the only system adapted to the requirements
of the whole human race — the only message of salvation intended
by God to be gradually pressed upon the acceptance of all His
intelligent creatures.""
It is clear, then, that Professor Monier Williams is labouring
under hard Christian prejudices, and cannot be viewed in any way
as an unprejudiced, impartial student of the Vedas. No wonder
then, if modern sophisticated philology, propped by the entire
ignorance
of the laws of interpretations of Vedic terms, and fed by
the prejudices of Christian superstitions, should raise its head
against Vedic philosophy, and gain audience among European
Christian nations or deluded educated natives of India who possess
the high merit of being innocent, of any knowledge of Sanskrit
language or literature.
But now to the subject. The first canon for the interpretation
of Vedic terms, which is laid down by Yaska, the author of Nirukta,
is that the Vedic terms are all
yaugika.***
The fourth section of the
first chapter of Nirukta opens with a discussion of this very subject.
Yaska, Gargya, Shakatayana and all other Grammarians and
Etymologists unanimously maintain that Vedic terms are all
yaugika.
* Monier Williams, Indian Wisdom, Introduction, pp. XLiv- XLv
** Ibid, p. XLv
*** A
yaugika term
is one that has a derivative meaning, that is, one that only
signifies the meaning of its root together with the modifications effected by
the affixes. In fact, the structural elements out of which the word is
compounded, afford the whole and the only clue to the true signification of
the word. The word is purely connotative.