Indian Antiquary Vol 01

SR No.: 032493
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 22 MB

Page 207

JUNE 7, 1872.]
supra), in Bharata's return journey from his uncle, and in the journey of the messengers who were sent to fetch him. In Ravana's palace in Lanka, Hanumant seest noble horses from the North-West: Áraṭṭajâñé cha Kambojân Valhikân subhalakshanan, | śukânanâñé cha turagân...; and the powerful hounds which Bharata takes home with him as a present from Asvapatit re-appear in the accounts of the Greeks regarding the country of the Kno§.
I remark further, in the fourth place, that although the word samskrita is applied in the Ramayana in a manner which shows that it had not yet come to be used in its technical meaning as the name of the "Sanskrit" language, yet it is evident that the use of the latter name was just about to come into existence. And accordingly we find frequent reference made to a literature already very widely developed, and designated by names that are comparatively modern (éâstra, for instance, used throughout as the name for a treatise, both standing alone, and as the second part of compound words, as shown in the examples given below). Thus, in addition to the Veda,ft and the vedâñga, consisting of six añga,‡‡ specially the siksh⧧ (mantraiḥ sikshaksharasamanvitail) in addition to the sûtra and bhâshya, sûtra and kalpa TT, kalpasûtra, the following are also mentioned by name: the dhanurveda with añga, upâñga, upanishad and rahasya,† the gandharvavidya, astronomy § (jyotirgatishu
1, 55, 18, ff., II. 70, 6, 11-19, 73, 2 ff. Gorr. Lassen Ind. Alt. II. 523.
† V. 12, 36. II. 72, 24.
WEBER ON THE RAMAYANA.
Alexander receives from Sopeithes as a present 150 of such hunting dogs; (vide Lassen, Ind. Alt. II. 16). Vide Ind. Streifen, II. 53.
As distinguished from the des'abhasha; I. 51, 3, Gorr. E. g. I. 12, 19. II. 109, 30, 63.
tt The praushthapada is the month for the svådhyaya of the Sâmaga IV. 27, 10.
E. g., I. 5, 20. 6, 1, 71. 6, 13, 21. 80, 4. V. 16 41.
32, 9. SS I. 13, 18.
* I. 13, 3.
|||| I. 11, 6. ¶¶ I. 13, 21. I. 56, 16. 79, 20. 80, 27. V. 32, 9. § I. 80, 29. L. 12, 7.
I. 79, 21. 80, 4. TI. 80, 2, 29.
I. 80, 28. V. 1, 82. In this class also, e, g, hastis'ikshás and rathas'ikshis:-treatises (? or merely: Information ?) regarding the management of elephants, and the preparation (guiding? Vide I. 79, 21) of war-chariots; cf. Kadambart, I. 67; Wilson, Hindu Theatre, I.14.
‡‡ I. 79, 22.
tt I. 80, 4.
§§ II. 71, 4. nâtakânyapare chakrur (prahur Schl. II, 69, 4) hâsyáni vividhani cha; cf. nata in combination with nartaka I. 12, 7 (Schl. and Gorr.) II. 67, 12 (Schl., not in Gorr. II. 69).
I. 79, 20.
TT L. 79, 20. 80, 3, 27. Cf. the reference to the kakataliyam vairam, III. 45, 17.
* L. 80, 4.
+II. 116, 1.
181
nishnâtaḥ, ganakâh) writing and reckoning (lekhya-samkhyâ), the arthasâstra,** and all kinds of arts (éilpatt and kala),‡‡ the nataka,§§ but especially the dharmasastram, |, the nîtisâs, tram, TT the nyâyasâstram, (ef. naiyâyika,† and the ânvikshiki buddiḥ.) In this place also may be noticed the frequent references to the heretical views of the materialists and the unbelievers, laukayâtika,§ and nâstika. In addition to these, there are direct quotations: e.g., the Hastibhir gîtâḥ slokâh¶ (regarding enmity among relatives), Kandunâ gâthâs chirodgîtâḥ," (regarding those that pray for help), paurâni gâthâ,†† imam purâņam dharmasamhitam... Riksheņa gito yah slokah‡‡ Finally, we may also refer here to the mention of Dhanvantari as king of the physicians, §§ and father of Susheṇa, as also to the representing of Jaimini,¶¶ Kâtyâyana, Jâvâli and Mârkandeya as among the royal counsellors,† in Ayodhya.-Although these literary data, which I have taken, for the sake of unity, exclusively from the Gauda recension,‡ by no means enable us to determine the precise time at which the poem was composed, yet they certainly furnish, on the other hand, decisive evidence against so high an antiquity as has hitherto been assigned to the Ramayana.
Nor, fifthly, do the data relating to the history of religion, which are furnished by the Ramayana, give any certain evidence that a high antiquity should be assigned to the poem. Specially noticeable in this connection is the
II. 109, 30, (in the Kachchit-Sarga, however). § II. 109, 29, (also in the Kachchit-Sarga).
I. 5, 12, Nastikyam II. 109, 64 (ibid.) 114, 40 (of Javali!). III. 69, 5. IV., 41, 42.
¶ V. 88, 6.
‡‡ VI. 98, 32.
** VI. 91, 7. §§ I. 46, 30. TT II. 82, 10. * I. 71, 4. VI, 112, 73. Similarly the old Vedic rishi, Vas'ishta, Vamadeva, Gotama or Gautama, Maudgalya, Kasyapa, Bhrigu (1.71, 4), and other names that have merely an etymological significance, such as Suyajna, Sumantra, Vijaya-are mentioned among the royal guru or counsellors; the former evidently only in majorem gloriam! Sumitra, the third wife of Das'aratha, is even spoken of as the daughter of Vâmadeva (by a karani) I. 19, 9.-The passages regarding Valmiki's being contemporary with Rama are wanting in the Gauda recension, and are found besides only in some MSS. It is only when we come to the Uttarakanda (and Evabhuti) that the MSS. agree in recording (49, 47, 51, 1 f.) that Sita came into his hermitage and there gave birth to her two sons, whom he afterwards taught to repeat the Rámáyana. Valmiki thus appears to be a new acquaintance of Sita; so that those passages in the previous books, which speak of an earlier meeting having taken place between them, must evidently have been added at a later period.-In the peculiar position which Jâvâli occupies in the Rám., I m inclined to recognise a slight trace of the pique which probably animated our poet, a follower of the black Yajus (vide supra p. 123 6, n.§) against the Javala-school of the white Yajus.
tt VI. 110, 2. I. 66, 22.
Regarding the mention of Buddha, in II. 104, 33 (ed. Schlegel), vide supra p. 122 a, n.**