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234
Review
might belong to the same Brahmanical tradition. The word 'Vasikṛtya' has been always explained as referring to the magical Valikarana, though it could just be subjugation, overpowering (physical or psychological) or impressing in the ordinary sense of the term.
Just a small suggestion-The word 'dehab' (p. 23) need not be interpreted as 'soul'. It could be interpreted as 'person, individual.'
One may have some differences regarding the spirit in which certain Sanskrit texts are interpreted, yet there is no denying the fact that 'Maya Divine and Human' is a very valuable contribution to Sanskrit learning and is sure to prove useful to all students of Oriental learning.
-E. A. Solomon
"CLASSICAL SAMKHYA"-An Interpretation of its History and Meaning, by Gerald James Larson. Publ. Motilal Banarasidass, Delhi, Second Edition, 1972. Price Rs. 60/
The Samkhya outlook of life has exerted an important influence in the development of Indian religious thought, and though one of the oldest tradition, it has proved to be one of the most influential one in the history of Indian philosophy, so much so that many of its terms, and notions have been, and continue to be, employed in other systems, like Yoga and Vedanta. On the general cultural level, the influence of the Samkhya was profound and important over many centuries in such areas as law, medicine, ancient science and ritual and Tantric literature.
Since 1854 when E. Roer delivered his 'Lecture on the Samkhya Personality', in Calcutta, much has been written in regard to the history and interpretation of the Samkhya, and scholars like Garbe, Dahlmann, Oldenberg, Keith, Edgerton, Johnston and others have expressed widely varying opinions interpretating the thought in a number of quite differing and sometimes contradictory ways. Gerald Larson's admirable work traces the history of the Sarhkhya in the Indian intellectual tradition, as also in that of historical criticism, and thus serves to bring the survey of the Samkhya studies uptodate, while it also attempts to offer an interpretation of the history and meaning of classical Samkbya, taking a fresh look at the texts relating to the Samkhya and assessing anew both the historical development of the system, and its significance in the history of religious thought.
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