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INTRODUCTION.
Muller puts it, rather than a mind elaborating a complete and organised system of philosophy. There is not even a trace of consciousness on the part of the author that these inconsistencies exist. And the contexts of the various passages indicate, in iny judgment, that a half-truth is struck out here, and another half-truth there, with special reference to the special subject then under discussion ; but Bo attempt is made to organise the various half-truths, which are appareatly incompatible, into a symmetrical whole, where the apparent inconsistencies might possibly vanish altogether in the higher synthesis. And having regard to these various points, and to the further point, that the sequence of ideas throughout the verses of the Gità is not always casily followed, we are, I think, safe in adhering to the opinion expressed above, that the Gîtà is a nonsystematic work, and in that respect belongs to the same class as the older Upanishads.
We acxt come to the consideration of the style and language of the Bhagavadgita. And that, I think, furnishes a strong argument for the proposition, that it belongs to an age considerably prior to the epoch of the artificial depart. ment of Sanskrit literature—the epoch, namely, of the dramas and poems. In its general character, the style impresses me as quite archaic in its simplicity. Compounds, properly so called, are not numerous; such as there are, are not long ones, and very rarely, if ever, present any puzzle ia analysing. The contrast there presented with what is called the classical literature, as represented by Båna or Dandin, or even Kalidasa, is not a little striking. In Kalidasa, doubtless, the love for compounds is pretty well subdued, though I think his works have a perceptibly langer proportion of them than the Gita. But aster Kálidisa the love for compounds goes through a remarkable development, till in later writings it may be said almost to have gone mad. Even in Bana and Dandin, Subandhu and Bhavabhūti, the plethora of compounds is often weari. some. And the same remark applies to many of the copper. plate and other inscriptions which have been recently
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