Book Reviews

Author(s): J W De Jong
Publisher: J W De Jong

Page 18

132
REVIEWS
part of the article on Aja ekapad refers only to Roth, PW, and to P. E. Dumont's article (JAOS 53, 1933 without page reference) and is as follows: “"der ungeborene Einfuss"; nach Roth, PW auch "der einfüssige Treiber, Stürmer". Wohl ein atmosphärische Gottheit (s. RV 10, 65 u. 66). Seine Bestimmung ist nicht eindeutig. AV 13, 1 sagt von ihm, dass er den beiden Welten Beständigkeit gab. Das TaittiriyaBr.(3, 1, 2,8) erwähnt, er habe sich im Osten erhoben." Probably Paul Horsch's article (Aja Ekapād und die Sonne, IIJ 9, 1965–6, pp. 1–31) appeared too late to be consulted. In any case it is obvious that it is difficult to say something meaningful about Vedic Aja Ekapad in a mere five lines.
In his introduction, Heinz Bechert explains that it has been the purpose to present in the first place factual information (Sachinformation), and that great importance was attached to the documentation, whereas little attention was paid to the interpretation of myths and theories about myths. This is of course a very reasonable and acceptable point of view for a handbook. However, in the domain of the Vedic religion there are very few facts, and even less is there a communis opinio with regard to the meaning of the principal myths and most of the gods. It is, of course, not possible, or even advisable, to report all the theories and explanations given since Roth more than a century ago, but neither is it possible to present a picture of the state of scholarship on Vedic religion without referring to the different interpretations proposed by leading Vedic scholars in recent times.
The present dictionary is a work of immense value because much of the information it contains is not easily found in other publications. Apart from Volker Moeller's rather disappointing contribution, one cannot but have praise for what has been achieved by the team brought together by Heinz Bechert. Without doubt only specialists in the different fields will be able to appreciate fully the difficulties the contributors faced. Full praise is also due to the publisher for having produced a book which will be a lasting treasure in every library.
Australian National University
J. W. DE JONG
Pritam Singh, Sikh Concept of the Divine, GND University, Amritsar, 1985, v, 223 p., Rs 60.
Mül Mantra was the name of the Seminar organized in 1973 "on various aspects of the Sikh doctrine of the Ultimate Reality". It is also a very appropriate name for the present edition of the revised papers of that Seminar. Ten papers (1-127) deal with each one term of the Mül Mantra. In the second part are given considerations of a more general type and comparisons with the Bible, the Quran, Tao and
Indo-Iranian Journal 30 (1987).