Review

Author(s): Giuseppe Tucci

Review by: Giuseppe Tucci
Source: East and West, Vol. 10, No. 1/2 (MARCH-JUNE 1959), pp. 122-123
Published by: Istituto Italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente (IsIAO)
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 at a certain nor
stopped the great works of Delbr?ck and why figure of speech, is used;

Speyer: ? Sanskrit ? and <x

Altindi? does he neglect the religious aspect which in
Syntax
sche Syntax ?. These works the A. considers its turn is, in many cases, at the origin of
still valid. He proposes, however, to go for? striking stylistic expressions.
ward, and attempt to raise a modern super? As a result of this new way of enquiring into
structure on those solid foundations. Indeed, the historical reasons of the
usage of given
a study of the Sanskrit texts in the light of expressions in Vedic, this book acquires psy?
Linguistics becomes more and more desirable chological interest, which is quite unusual in
in view of the progress made by both Indology works of this kind.
In this connection, the
and It is Gonda's intention to second General observations on
Linguistics. Chapter (((
deal with the Vedas, above all in their rela? Primitive and Archaic Style and especially,
tion to (( synthetic syntax ?, that is to say, in on Balanced Structures ?) is particularly indi?
their relation to cc that discipline which treats cative. The other chapters are each devoted
of the way in which words are put together ?. to studying one or more (( figures of speech ?,
He is convinced of the fruitful results that countless examples and quotations being given.
can be obtained from studies of this kind, These quotations, far from being mere lists
as the interpretation of the drawn up to serve their own purpose, are of
especially regards
much use in further and inter?
texts. exemplifying
on to the second established fact, preting the point of view of the Author.
Passing
the A. remarks that, within the field of San? PENSA
CORRADO
skrit philology, stylistic studies have been ne?
glected. Up to now ? he points out ? in
###
classic Indian poetry all that is not strictly
related to the main subject dealt with by the
all is repetition, Lokam?nyatilakacaritam, Lokam?nya Tilak
poet, that allitteration, etc.,
to be mere ccfigures Centenary celebration The Life of Lok. Ti
has been held ornament,
laka in easy Sanskrit, by Shri K. W. Chi
of speech ?. Likewise in the case of the Vedas
similar features are referred to as rhetorical tal, published by the Author. (Bombay,
expressions; or even as mere oddities. 1956, pp. 286).
spoken
The attention of scholars has thus been called is well
on the external
The personality of Lok. Tilaka
forms of stylistic expressions. to Indians and to all those who are
known
Gonda is of the opinion that such interpreta? Indian and
acquainted with modern poetry
tions are not acceptable. He believes, on the
His biography is an interesting sub?
culture.
contrary, that a deeper study of the matter both to patriots and literary
ject which appeals
leads necessarily to different conclusions oh men. that some?
It is therefore understandable
the values of Indian ? Is it not one to write it in Sanskrit.
literary style. has undertaken
? ?
a conceivable idea wonders he that a is a master of Sanskrit,
Shri K. W. Chital
poet chose these allitterations, repetitions, ho the book is in prose and not in
and, though
moioteleuta, etc., in order to give utterance
verse, it affords ample proof of the preficiency
to a certain sense which, to his mind, could of the Author in the classical of In?
language
best be expressed by this particular outward dia. His Sanskrit, which is fluent and avoids
form of thewords used in the poem?? (p. 13). the complications of the alank?ra, makes most
The book is essentially an answer to this This I am
pleasant reading. attempt, will,
It deals with the Vedas in relation like
question. sure, be greatly appreciated by all who,
to modern stylistics, which is now much more like Sanskrit studies to be en?
myself, would
developed than it formerly was. It embraces and in India.
couraged sponsored
also syntax, morphology, phonetics; it studies
any types of language (hence the vast docu?
The cultural heritage of India. Vol. I. The
mentation offered in this book about modern and Upa
early phases (Prehistoric, Vedic,
and (( primitive ? languages in their relations
nisadic, Jaina, and Buddhism. (Calcutta,
to Vedic), thus taking into consideration any Ramakrishan Mission, Second edition, 1958,
of
types expression. LXIV + 652).
Indeed, it is just the spoken expression, the
natural speech, that acquires special impor? This is the first volume of a new edition of
tance. recourse to exam? a well-known work (Vol. 1 and 2 are already
By having frequent
ples of that kind of speech, the A. explains out). It has been edited under the supervi

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 sion of Suniti Bh?vabodhah
Kumar
Chatterji, A. D. Pusal Tattvaprak?sik?-vy?khy? by Ra
ker, Nalinaksha Dutt, Nirmal Kumar Bose, ghuttama Yati. Critically edited by R. Na
scholars of well-known attainments and re? garaja Sarma (Madras, Government Orien?
nown. The work aims at providing a synthesis talManuscripts Library, 1956, pp. XVIII,
of Indian in its formation,
culture evolution 67, 585).
and various aspects. Therefore it rightly avoids
details, and purposes rather to grasp the basic This is an accurate edition of the Bh?vabo
features of a system, a trend of thought, a dha, a commentary on the Tattvaprak?sik? of
of In the section dedicated to Jayatirtha: the latter work, as is known, is in
period history.
? its turn, a commentary on the of Ma
prehistoric times the Vedas and Upanishads Bh?sya
down to Buddhism, and Mah?y?na dhva on the Ved?ntas?tras. It facilitates the
Hinayana
? of the and
as well it affords a survey of what we may understanding Tattvaprak?sik?
call the heroic and most creative centuries of therefore the implications of the Dvaita Ve

Indian culture. d?nta, and though of minor well

Being by scholars who
written proportions,
are themselves and of matches that masterpiece of Jayatirtha, the
interpreters depositaries
this culture but who at the same time are not Ny?yasudh?.
unaware of Western methods of research, the There is no doubt that
the Dvaita Ved?nta
has notyet received as much attention as the
authors were well qualified for making this
can Advaita of Visist?dvaita, and therefore such
bold attempt. This well-balanc ed attitude
works as this deserve a warm welcome.
be noted in the most interesting chapters on
At to Ragh?ttama Tirtha, his biography
Vedic culture and exegesis, in which the West?
has been summarized by the learned editor,
ern investigations to which Vedic studies are
as can be reconstructed from the available
so much indebted, are confronted with the
sources. He is said to have been born in 1548
traditional way of
looking atthethem and
and died in 1595. The work is important as
different approaches are considered, thus show?
not only does it clarify the teachings of the
ing once more that a religious book, even
school but it also leads us to the very centre
though philology can be of great help to its
still has many more to
of the heated discussions aroused by the con?
understanding, things
to the nation it was troversy with other schools. The work has
say by which composed
been edited on the basis of four manuscripts
than it has to say to us, and that it never ceases
of which not many details are given but which
to be a living source of inspiration to them.
seem to be not very old. This has made many
The like unbiassed judgment can be noted
emendations necessary, which are always duly
in the chapter on ccBuddhism in Indian life
and thought written by Satkari Mookerji. given as such.
The text contains many quotations from all
In this chapter Buddhism, so strenuously op? sorts of books and it would have been desir?
posed and refuted by Brahmanism, and redis?
able that the editor should have located them
covered to India by European scholarship, is
when possible. At the end of the volume there
rightly examined in its essential contribution
is a most useful alphabetical index. The intro?
to the Indian mind. I have chosen these two
duction is a survey of the Dvaita literature and
sections because they are likely to give rise,
of the activity of the leading Tirthas.
more than the others, to subjective reactions.
Nor can I fail to draw attention to the chapter
written S. K. Chatterji on the contribution Manu Dharma sastra. A and
by sociological
made by different language groups, in which historical study by Kewal Motwani. Fo?
he attempts to sift from the complexity of the reword by Ernest Wood (Madras 1958
Indian mind those peculiarities which seem to Ganesh & Co. pp. XXVII, 384).
have been the inheritance of the main groups
which have blended together in the apparent This book is an exposition of the main

unity of Indians: Negroids, Austrics, Dravi doctrines contained in the M?navadharma

dians, Arians and Mongoloids. sastra, on the social outlook, as contained in
This volume is a very interesting and reli? that work and on the foundations upon which
able presentation of Indian culture made by such a society should be based. This part of
Indian scholars. It the book, giving a classified summary of the
extremely well-qualified
shows how some of the leading scholars and main principles and tenets of the M?navadhar
thinkers understand and the cultural mas?stra, can be read with interest: the Author
explain
heritage of their country. is an enthusiast about his subject and is thus

123

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