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INTRODUCTION.
of the Devas (comp. Gita, pp. 76–84'); and to teach that there is no hope of salvation and deliverance except by the individual self recognising the true and universal self, and finding rest there, where alone rest can be found 2' (comp. our Gita Translation, pp. 78-83).
The passages to which I have given references in brackets will show, that Professor Max Müller's words might all be used with strict accuracy regarding the essential teaching of the Bhagavadgita. We have here, therefore, another strong circumstance in favour of grouping the Gita with ibe L'panishads. One more point is worthy of notc. Wherever the Gita refers to the Vedas in the somewhat disparagiag magner I have noted, no distinction is taken between the portion which relates to the ritual and the portion which relates to that higher science, viz. the science of the soul, which Sanatkumara speaks of in his famous dialogue with Narada. At Gità, chapter II, stanza 45, Arguna is told that the Vedas relate only to the effects of the three qualities, which effects Arguna is instructed to Wercome. At Gita, chapter VI, stanza 44, Arguna is told that he who has acquired some little devotion, and then exerts himself for further progress, rises above the Divine word--the Vedas. And there are also one or two other passages of the like nature. They all treat the Vedas as concerned with ritual alone. They make no reference to any portion of the Vedas dealing with the higher knowlodge. If the word Vedanta, at Gita, chapter XV, stanza 15 (p. 113), signifies, as it seems to signify, this latter portion of the Vedas, then that is the only allusion to it. But, from all the passages in the Gita which refer to the Vedas, I am inclioed to draw the inference, that the Upanishads of the Vadas were composed at a time not far removed from the time of the composition of the Gita, and that at that period the Upanishads had not yet risen to the position of
"VTI, 31-33; IX, 13-14.
VIII, 14-16; IX, 29-33. "Se Khadoga-apanishad, p. 473. or rather 1 ought to have referred to the Nordka-uponisbad, where the woperiority and inferiority is more distinctly tad in worde, pp. 766, 367.
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