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22 Works of Pandit Guru Datta Vidyarthi
less perspicuous, and many thoughts and expressions are clearly
borrowed from earlier hymns."*
This he calls the
Mantra
period. The 'primitive strains' belong
to what is called the
Chhandas
period. He describes the characteristics
of the
Chhandas
period, as distinguished from the
Mantra
period, that
has been above described, thus; "There is no very deep wisdom in their
teaching, their laws are simple, their poetry shows no very high flights
of fancy, and their religion might be told in a few words. But what
there is of their language, poetry and religion, has a charm which no
other period of Indian literature possesses; it is spontaneous, original
and truthful."**
Professor Max Muller quotes Rig. Veda, VII. 77, as a specimen
hymn of the
Chhandas
period. Says he, "This hymn addressed to
Dawn is a fair specimen of the original simple poetry of the Veda.
It has no reference to any special sacrifice, it contains no technical
expressions, it can hardly be called a hymn, in our sense of the word.
It is simply a poem expressing, without any effort, without any
display of far-fetched thought or brilliant imagery, the feelings of
a man who has watched the approach of the dawn with mingled
delight and awe, and who was moved to give utterance to what he
felt, in measured language."***
From these quotations it will be clear that Professor Max Muller
regards different portions of the Vedas belonging to different periods.
There are some earlier portions, (according to Max MUller's highly
accurate calculations, the very exactness and infallibility of which
Gold stocker bears ample testimony to) which he calls as belonging
to the
Chhandas
period. The word
Chhandas,
in
laukika
Sanskrit,
means spontaneity. Hence he regards
Chhandas
period to be the one,
the hyrnns of which period only teach common things, are free from
the flight Jf fancy, and are the spontaneous utterances of a simple
(foolish) mind. The
Mantra
period (2,900 years older) is full of
technicalities and descriptions of elaborate ceremonies. Now we ask
what proof has Max Muller given to prove that the different portions
of the Vedas belong to different periods. His proofs are only two.
Firstly,
the ill-conceived, confused idea of the difference between
Max Muller, A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, p. 507
Ibid. pp. 481-482
*** Ibid. p. 506