Development of Hinduism

Author(s): M M Ninan
Publisher: M M Ninan

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2. DATES OF VEDAS
pramana ("self-evident means of knowledge"). These schools accept that the Vedas were "heard" by the Rishis. The Mimamsa school asserts that since the Vedas are composed of words (shabda) and the words are composed of phonemes, the phonemes being eternal, the Vedas are also eternal. To this, if asked whether all words and sentences are eternal, the Mimamsa philosophers reply that the rules behind combination of phonemes are fixed and pre-determined for the Vedas, unlike other words and sentences. The Vedanta school also accepts this line of argument. The question is "Are they?". Evidently it is a way of throwing sand in they eye.
Is there no human author of the Vedas? Are they really Apaurusheya?
"The best evidence on the subject is the evidence of the Anukramanis- a special class of literature, which forms part of the ancient Sanskrit literature. What are called Anukramanis are nothing but systematic indices to various portions of the ancient Vedic literature. Every Veda has an Anukramani, sometimes have more than one Anukramani. Seven Anukramanis for the RigVeda are known to be in existence, five by Shaunaka, one by Katyayana and one by an unknown author. For the Yajur Veda there exist three Anukramanis, one for each of the three Shakhas, Atreyi, Charayaniyas and Madhyandina. For the Sama-Veda there are two Anukramanis, one is called Arsheya-Brahmana and the other is known by the name Parishistas. As to the Atharva-Veda one Anukramani is known to exist. It is known as Brihat-Sarvanukramani.
The perfect Anukramani according to Prof. Max Muller is Katyayana's Sarvanukramani to the RigVeda. Its importance lies in the tact that it gives (1) the first words of each hymn, (2) the number of verses. (3) The name and the family of the Rishi who composed it, (4) the names of the deities
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