Indian Antiquary Vol 47

SR No.: 032539
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 386
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 357

GARBE'S INTRODUCTION TO THE BHAGAVADGIT A
7
Ever since the Bhag. was completed as it has come down to us, it has served to the later poets as a model-even with all its admixture, inconsistencies and vagueness-which all, the Indian mysticism can put up with. After the pattern of the Bhag, are composed [Text p. 16] the Anugitâ (Mhb. XIV., Ad. 16-51,) the Iivara Gita (Kûrmap. II. Ad. 1-11), the Vyasa Gitá (Kûrmap. II. Ad. 12-34.) 15 and indeed many other pieces besides, not to mention the borrowings from the Bhag., e.g. in Mhb. III. 120 and in the Pâncharatra Section, Mhb. XII, Adh. 341 and ff., compare particularly Bhag. XI, 15 and ff., and Mhb. XII, verse 12914 and ff. (Calc. edition).
I have read the Bhag. six or seven times during the course of the year, and the impression has ever strengthened itself on my mind that the Vedantic and the Mîmâmsic parts are unoriginal. I have therefore ventured to carry into practical execution the idea of separating the above named parts of the Bhag., not as the result of any abrupt conceit, but on the basis of a slowly accumulating conviction. (By) thus (separating the particular parts) it appears to me that there is (by this process) nowhere caused any real gap in the Bhag., rather the interrupted relationship of the various passages is further restored ;thus, for instance, quite decidedly by removing the passages III. 9-18; VI. 27-32; VII. 7-11; VIII. 20; IX., 6.16 A better confirmation of my theory (than this) cannot possibly, I believe, be expected.
If I might still bring forward a circumstance in favour of my opinion, it is the use of the word "Maya" which occurs six times in the Bhag. Among those passages the word Mâyâ has at IV. 6 and XVIII. 61 the old sense of "miraculous power"; (these passages in my opinion are old since they treat of levara) but the word has at VII, 14 (twice), 15 and 25, the technical Vedanta meaning of the world-appearance, Cosmic Illusion. Over and above this word, which for the religio-philosophical development of India is of very great interest, [Text p. 17] I will not seek to support my theory with (other) literary investigations; and just now I refrain from the possible attempt of bringing to bear on the case literary, stylistic or metrical arguments: because the revision of the Gita has not naturally been carried on so mechanically that the Vedantic and the ritualistic pieces were put in whenever any occasion presented itself as being favourable, and that the old constituent parts of the work scrupulously preserved. It is rather to be supposed that because of the exigencies of the interpolations, most of the poem has been shaped anew. However the old Bhag. has not thereby suffered so radical a transformation of its character that
Rajas and Tamas the different kinds of sacrifices known to him in civilized life of his community, but not thereby to recommend the Vedic sacrifice and the tenets of the Mimâmad. The same is the case with the veneration of the Brahmanas in v. 14 and of the practice of Veda-recitation in v. 15. In XVIII, 5-6, sacrifice, alms-giving and austerities are recognised as means of purification. Still, however, it is emphasised that one should not practice them with a view to their results [and this is opposed to (the tenets of) Mimamed.]
15 Rajendralala Mitra, Catalogue of Bikaner (MSS.), 201, No. 436.
16 For more on this point, see the Appendix "On the passages in the Bhag. not originally belonging to it."