Indian Antiquary Vol 47

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 355

GARBE'S INTRODUCTION TO THE BHAGAVADGIT.
down "Krishna as a demi-god." On the ground of this close-fitting theory 8-a theory which in its essentials is quite convincing to me-- I believe Hopkins cannot possibly be regarded as holding that Krishna had developed from a demi-god immediately to an allgod, from a half god to a universal being. In between lies naturally the transition from half (demi-) god to God, and his identification with Vishņu. Only after the Krishņa cult had reached that point in its development, could the one god be identified with the Universal Soul : an event furthermore which signifies more the degradation of the Brahman conception than the exaltation of the personal God.
The original Bhag. has been composed during that period in which KrishnaVishņu had become the highest (or we might simply say, the) God of Brahmanism; and in the period when Krishna began to be identified with Brahman and & Vedântic turn to be given to Krishnaism in general, originates the pantheistic revision of the poem as it lies before us now; and then originate also those constituent parts (of the poem) which in my translation I have exhibited as additions. Indeed, I have already indicated that Krishna first appears in the Gilá to be identified with Brahman only very sporadically. Many times Text p. 13] the conceptions of Krishna and of Brahman are placed in juxtaposition (but) as quite different from each other, so that it almost makes an impression as though the reviser might have shrunk from asserting quite emphatically the identity of Krishņa and Brahman because of the distinctly theistic character of his subject matter. Arjuna indeed says to Krishna (X, 12): "Thou art the Highest Brahman", and in the passage already cited, it is said “Vasudeva is All" (VII, 19). [Similarly in XI, 40). However VIII, 1, Arjuna asks—“What is the Brahman ?", and Krishra answers (v. 3) not that “I am Brahman” but says "Brahman is the unchanging highest principle" and gives & different explanation of himself in v. 4 b. In XIV, 26-27 Krishna says, "He who serves me with an unswerving devotion is fit to become one with Brahman, because I am the substratum of Brahman." In XVIII, 50-53, it is taught how the perfected one reaches Brahman; but immediately thereafter (vv. 54, 55) we hear that having become Brahman, he compasses devotion for Krishna and that consequently he enters into Krishna.
In these passages, then Kțishṇa and Brahman are quite distinctly distinguished from each other. It is not only here that they are separate, but ( they are 80 ) everywhere through the whole poem (excluding of course those passages where the Vedântic reviser has mixed up and completely identified with each other the two ideas). In the older poem Krishna speaks of himself--and Arjuna of Krishṇaas an individual, a person, a conscious God-head. In the additions made at the time of the revision, the neutral Brahman steps in as the highest principle and is occasionally identified with Krishọa. To summarise therefore, in the older poem is preached Krishnaism based philosophically on Sainkhya-yoga;
I might as well leave out of account Joseph Dahlmann's theory regarding the homogeneous character of the Mahabharata- theory that is shared by no non-Indian scholar.
• Of this identification of Kșishna with Vishņu and the reason thereof I shall treat at length in a different connection in part II of this Preface.
1 Even in the description of the Rishis, Moh. VI, Adh. 68 (Calc. Edition), Krishna i- viewed quits empbatioally in & personal capacity.