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V - THE DATE OF THE PRESENT GĪTĀ
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only in the forehead-Trans.) and other strange people, and of ants (pipīlikā) who bring up gold are also to be found in the Mahābhārata (Ma. Bhā. Sabhā. 51 and 52). These and other facts clearly prove that not only the Mahābhārata but also the history of Sri Krsna and the worship of Sri Krsna were in vogue already at the date of Megasthenes
When it is remembered that all the proofs mentioned above are not mutually inter-dependent but are independent, it becomes clear beyond doubt that the present Mahābhārata was in vogue at least about 500 years before the Saka era. It is quite likely that some stanzas have been interpolated into or deleted from the Mahābhārata after that date. But we are now dealing with the question not of any particular stanzas but of the principal book itself; and it is quite clear that this book must have been written at least 500 years before the Saka era I have shown at the commencement of this Appendix that the Gitā is a part of the Mahābhārata, and has not been interpolated into it subsequently; therefore, the Gītā must be considered to be of the same date. The original Gitā may have been earlier than this; because, as has been shown in the fourth part of this Appendix, the tradition of the original Gitā has to be taken much further back. But, whatever may be said, it is absolutely clear that its date cannot be placed after the date of the Mahābhārata. This fact is established not merely by the evidence mentioned above; for, there is also independent evidence about it, which I shall now place before my reader3.
THE FIXING OF THE DATE OF THE GITA---The evidence mentioned above does not contain a clear reference by name to the Gitā. Its date has been fixed there by reference to the Mahābhārata. I shall now set out the eridence which contains a clear reference to the Gītā. But before I do so, it must be mentioned that the late Mr. Telang has fixed the date of the Gītā as being before Apastamba, that is to say, at least 300 years before Christ; and Dr. Bhandarkar has in his book in English named Vaisnavism, $uism, and other sects accepted the same opinion. * Prof. Garbe is of the opinion that the data
* See Telang's Bhagavadgita, S. B. E. Vol. VIII Intro pp. 21 and 34; Dr. Bhandarkar’s Vaišnarism, Sairism, and other sects, p. 13; Dr. Garbe's Die Bhagavadgita p. 64.
