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A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature So Far as it Illustrates the Primitive Religion of the Brahmans - Max, 1859

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tas, however, are later than Apastamba and Pingala; for the author of the Fari^ishf a declares that he made use of Pingala's work : Wnf W^ W^f^^^^n The title ^4>fifi|fi refers, therefore, most likelj to the Nidana-siitra, which also begins with ^RUTFJFT't f^^ <*Hia|14iH*i; l Cf. M& Berol. 95. In the Commentary on the l^akala-pratii^khya, at the end of the 14th Book, the Yedangas are enumerated as follows: 112 27UMBBB OP y£DlNGAS. shad where a mention of the six Yed&ngas might be expected, at the beginning of the ninth Prapftthaka. The number six, however, does not occur there, al- though Yed&nga doctrines are clearly implied under somewhat unusual names.^ The earliest mention of the number six in reference to the Yedftngas seems to be contained in one of the Br&hmanas of the S&ma-veda. But there again, though the number six is given, the titles of the several Yed&ngas are not mentioned. It is said there (Shadvin6a-Br. iy. 7.) of 1 This passage has heen pointed out and translated by Cole- brooke (Miscellaneoas Essays, i. 12.). '< N&rada having solicited instruction from Sanatkum&ra, and being interrogated bj him as to the extent of his previous knowledge, sajs, ' I have learnt the Rig-veda, theYaj ur-veda, the Sama-veda, the Atharvana (which is) the fourth, the Itihftsa and Pnrftna (which are) a fifth, and (gram- mar, or) the Veda of Vedas, the obsequies of the manes (t^79)> the art of computation (^ifli), the knowledge of omens (^^)f the revolution of periods (fi^, com. ^1[|4ilHI|(^p|fl|^|f|X the intention of speech (or art of reasoning) (^|4M4l%iX the maxims of ethics (HT^TRnf X the divine science (or construc- tion of scriptures) (^|fc|f|i, com. ^t^lfO, the sciences append- ant on holy writ (or accentuation, prosody, and religious rites) /H^f^fli), the adjuraUon of spirita (Hcff^Nft* com. ^Hd^X the art of the soldier (^^f^f||, com. V^^)^ the science of as- tronomy (4|^^f^f|j), the charming of serpents (4iM(^f|i), the science of demigods (or music and mechanical arts, J||^^ see page 39.): all this I have studied; yet do I only know the text, and have no knowledge of the soul." 6iksrL 113 Sv&bft) that her body consists of the four Yedas, and that her limbs are tiie six Angas, or members of the Veda.' It is possible, however, that more ancient Br&hmanas allude to the number of six ; at all events we see that it was sanctioned for the Yedftngas before the end of the Br&hmana period. The six doctrines commonly comprehended under the title of Yed&ngas, are diksh& (pronunciation), Chhandas (metre), Yy&karana (grammar), Nirukta (explanation of words), Jyotisha (astronomy), and Ealpa (ceremonial). The first two are considered necessary for reading the Yeda, the two next for understanding it, and the last two for employing it at sacrifices. SikshA, or Phonetics. S4yana, in his Commentary on the Rig-veda, de* fines j§iksh& as the science of the pronunciation of letters, accents, &c. ; and he quotes from a work of the Taittiriyas, who have devoted a chapter of their Aranyaka to this subject. 3S[ow in the seventh book of the Taittirtya- Aranyaka we still find the following headings: "Let us explain theSiksh&,"2 "On Letters," ^TOV wVifTpm '* The four Yedas are her body; the six Angas her limbs; herbs and trees her hair." See also the text frequently quoted from the Veda, "mvi^ir vH^ ^[^ (^M^K^ S^^ ig€|Ji|| ** The Yed% with its six members^ ought to be known and understood by a Brahman without any further inducement * "ift^ MI^I4I1^: The i in ^ikshA is short (hrasva), though it is strong (guru). It is only in the Aranyaka that Sikshft . I . ., . ' 114 SIKSHA. On Accents/'' *' On Quantity," ^^ Oh the Organs of Pronunciation," "On Delivery," "On Euphonic Laws." Unless we admit that the rules on l^ikshlL had formerly their place in this chapter of the Taittirtya- Aranyaka, it would be difficult to explain why all the principal subjects of the ^ikshd. should be mentioned here, why the whole chapter should be called the Sikshd. chapter (ityuktah 6ik3h&dhyd.yah), and why it should begin with the words " Let us now explain the 6iksh&.". S&yana, who was certainly acquainted with the Yedic tradition, takes the same view in his Commentary on the S&nhiti-upanishad.^ He states that the Taittiriya-upanishad consists of three parts \ of the S&hhiti, Y&jniki, and V&runi-upanishad, Of occurs instead of Sikshft. Siksh& is derived from Sak^ to be able, and means originallj a desire to know. From the same root we have iakia, a teacher (Rv. yii. 103. 5.) ; iikshamana^ a pupil (Rv. Tii. 103. 6.). Sishya^ a pupil, comes from a different root. 8a- yanasays, f%r^ ^<^1^MR|^ IsIM^K^^ M^\H\ flr^l ^ aft "4 1 II T^® other headings are, ^: | ^ST^ I 1 I owe a copy of this Commentary of S&yana's to the kindnesa of Dr. Roer, at Calcutta. Seeing, in the catalogue of manuscripts published by the Asiatic Society of Calcutta, a work of Sayana's, called Sikshabhashya^ and imagining this to be a commentary on the Sikshd-vedanga or one of the Pr&tis&khyas, I wrote to Dr. Roer for a copy of it Though I was ultimately disappointed when I found that it had nothing to do with the Pratii^hyas, I still con- aider the Commentary of great interest, particularly Sajrana's in- troduction to the Yedanta-system in it. Dr. Roer has since pub-^ lished the whole Taittiriya-upanishad, with the Commentaries of Sankara and Ananda Giri, in No. 22. of the Bibliotheca Indica. SiKSuA. 115 these tlie last is the most important^ because it teaches the knowledge of the Divine Self. The first serves as an introduction or preparation, in order to bring the mind of the pupil into a proper state for receiving the doctrines on the highest subjects. Now immediately after the first invocation, the Upanishad begins with the dikshd, chapter ; and in order to ex- plain this, S&yana remarks that this doctrine is ne- cessary here, in order to enable the pupil to read and pronounce the sacred texts correctly, and thus to un* derstand their real meaning.^ It might be objected, S&yana remarks, that as a correct pronunciation is equally required for the earlier ceremonial portion of the Veda (Earma-k&nda), the ^ikshft ougfit to have been inserted there. But then, he says, this chapter in its present place stands between the ceremonial and the philosophical portion of the Veda, like a lamp on the threshold of a door giving light to both. He adds, that a right pronunciation and understand- ing is of greater importance for the philosophical part ; because mistakes in the sacrifices and the cere monial can be made good by penance, while there is no penance for a wrong understanding of philo sophical principles. If then there is reason to believe that the doctrine iRrerif^n^ t^i<i*<^4 r3ii^i*ii<n sfi^nfN^ii n ?to l2 glKSHA. J^ccent3." " On Quantity." -On the 0^^ ^ :inciation," "On Delivery," On Euphonic Laws. less we admit that the rules on Sikshfi. Iha Tly their place in this chapter of the Taittxriyj ,-yaka,it would be difficult to explain why all th Cpal subjects of the Siksha. should be mentione why the ^hole chapter should be called th ^ chapter (ityuktah siksh&dhy&yah), and wh ^Tild begin with the words " Let us now explai Skshft.". S&yana, who was certainly acquainte -*he Vedic tradition, takes the same view in h lentary on the S&nhiti-upanishad.^ He 8tat he Taittiriya-upanishad consists of three parts i S&fihiti, YHjnikl, and V&runi-upanlahad. ( instead of 6ikah&. SikshS, is derived from iaA, to \>& ab tans originally a desire to know. ITrotn the same root ' yfeto, a teacher (Rv. vii. 103. 5.) ; iikshamai^a, a pupil (I i. 6.). Sithya, a papil, conies from & difiPerent root. i I ^ n^lll The other headings are, ^^: \ ^f^ _3^ea copy of this Commentary of Sayana'a to the kindr ^K *^f!"^ ^Seeing, in the catalogue of manuacri ":f-t,hCLf ' %^"*^ ?^ Calcutta, a work of S&yar ^.kahabhashya, and imagining this to he a commentar; ''^^T oflrT^'^l '^'^ ^^^*^y". 1 wrote to Dr. B .ion to tbeV^antf-^iemln U' ^^--^-^^ S&ya.a's . m>e whole T.uttiriya-UDaniBH!