________________
PREFACE TO THE COMMENTARY
ON
CHHANDO - DARŠANA
This is the preface to the commentary called 'Anvaya-bhāshya' written by Väsishtha Ganapati Muni, on 'Chhando-darśana.'
This is the commentary called “Vāsishthànvaya-Bhäshya' on the whole of Sri Chhando-darśana' revealed to Rshi Daivarāta.
It is well-known to all learned thinkers on Šāstras (the religious and ethical Laws ) that Veda is the only self-evident, main, and direct authority; because, in every way, in arriving at the full knowledge of the Reality (The Thing-in-itself) which is beyond the reach of the senses, the Veda is selfcorroborative and does not depend on any other authority or evidence, direct or indirect. In Viśva-mimāṁsā' (a work of Ganapati Muni) this subject of Veda being self-evident on account of direct vision, has been discussed, under the heading Discussion about the self-evident nature of the Veda.' The same subject has been summarised here in brief for the attention of readers. In this connection the Rg-Veda states as follows:
“They (the Rshis, seers ) performed sacrifice and acquired Vak (that is, the power of speech); by the same means they acquired the
Mantras which had entered the hearts of the Rshis" (Rg. X-71-3). The Rg-Veda Mantra quoted above is clear. Rshis of old performed Tapas (made creative efforts ) in the form of sacrifice; they obtained the transcendent (parām) inner speech in the form of Vedic Mantras full of insight, which had entered the hearts of the Rshis in the form of true knowledge pregnant with experience. They acquired the Mantras themselves through a divinely inspired inner vision and the grace of God.
That metrical speech of the Rshis is also in the form of poetry with measured metres such as Gayatri and others. She (speech) gives us the knowledge of Reality, has the characteristic of Mantras and leads us to Brahma. It is said that “a Rshi and a Vipra are known to be so because they compose poetry” (Rg. VIII-81-1). “He (the Ķshi ) appropriated to himself all the Kavyas” (Rg. 1-96-1). "He ( the Rshi ) sang Ķks as in old days” (Rg. 1-96-2). These are the quotations which support the statements made above. [b]
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