________________
246
Review
2 3 1 2 3 1 2 (1) (a) Agna a yahi vitäye is translated as ! Agni moves and arouges the desires ......."
3 1 2 (b) ni hota satsi barhisi is translated as “ He presides down
below in existence".
3 2 3 1 2 3 (2) In agnim dütam vīņimahe, we have “Agni chooses great messengers" Oldenberg has, “ We choose Agni as our messenger”.
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 (3) For Jarabodha tad vividdhi više vise, (15), there is " Old age bestows
understanding of it in various ways to man ..........' Oldenberg has, "O Jarabodha, accomplish this task for every hour".
2 3 2 3 1 2 (4) For Asvam na två varavantam ....... (17) there is,
“ Prana (asvam)! you make obvisances to Agni" , Oldenberg has “ With reverance I shall worship thee who art
long-tailed.” These illustrations speak for themselves.
In the Introduction G. has discussed or rather mentioned the Age of the Samaveda in the context of the Rgveda, the origin of the Sāmaveda, the home of the Veda, the Devas aod Asuras, their cultures, the Arctic Home, the Glaciation and the Yuga-years, the Evolution and other matters related to it.
As regards the relative chronology of the two Vedas, G's contention is that, alongwith the Yajurveda, the Sāmaveda was earlier than the Rgveda and that the verses of the Sagrave da were responsible for the formation of the Rgveda. In the present state of our knowledge regardig these two Vedas, one carnot decide anything especially when out of 1875 verses of the Sāmaveda except 105 all are common with those of the Rgveda. Instead of offering a purely personal view regarding the composition, culture and the age of the Sā paveda G could bave with advantage discussed the references to Sāma, Sānāni, Sāmegāda, Sāmavipra, bịhatsāma, sāmnaḥ, Kaviḥ and so on found in a number of Rgveda verses like 2.43.1-2. 5.44.14; 10.107.6; 3.54.14; 8.78.1, 2023.17. Again it is possible that the Ganas of the Sāmaveda might have been earlier than the composition of the Rgvedic hymus. Another aspect of this problem worth considering is the variant readings found in the verses of the Sāmaveda, variants of letters, words, word order, placement of a foot, accent and so on. The mention of such variants in the Samaveda Brāhmaṇas and Srauta
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
