Reading section 37

[56] i.e. belonging to the Sama Veda, which used to be sung.—T.

[57] An appellation of Krishna, derived from Ka—Brahmā, and ica—Siva and va—who goes—i.e. one that goes before Brahmā and Siva, or from Kesa—hair, and va—who possesses—fair-haired.—T.

[58] Sacrificial stake.

[59] Hymns of the Rig Veda.—T.

[60] Hindu scriptures are broadly divided into (1) Sruti—audition; and (2) Smriti—reminiscence. The former corresponds to the Christian Revelation, and the other is tradition.—T.

[61] This approaches wonderfully the theory of Spontaneous creation, which is accepted by the out-and-out apostles of Modern Science—The most uncompromising advocates of Evolution could not outdo the Hindu sage of yore, in formulating their faith in (to give a Spencerian turn to the expression) the unknowable force, which, unintelligent itself, brings about this wonderful system of things instinct with infinite wisdom and love! Queer, however, would the classification read,—Parāçara, Darwin, Spencer, Huxley, Heckel, Tyndall, etc.—T.

[62] Ancestral manes.

[63] Tamas brings about love of one's own person, etc., moha produces a sense of authority over offspring, etc. mahamoha generates desire of sensual gratification, tamisra causes anger on any impediment coming in the way of enjoyment, and through andhatamisra one is led to conserve health and the good things of life.—T.

[64] Lit. the stream of beings living according to nature.—T.

[65] Some of these are physical, such as leprosy, deafness, blindness, inertia, dumbness, smellessness, impotence; some are mental and moral. It is, however, difficult for us of these times to see how beasts, &c. are more subject to these evils than human beings. The author may possibly have a meaning of his own, which, in the absence of adequate commentary, we fail to arrive at.—T.

[66] The stream of being, tending upwards.—T.

[67] Lit. soul-satisfying.—T.

[68] The first circumstance, remarks the commentator, is owing to the presence, the next, to that of passion.—T.

[69] Lit. the creation of the elements.

[70] i.e. pertaining to Indriyas—the organ of sense.

[71] From Prakriti—nature.

[72] Creation of the gods.

[73] An order of deities.

[74] i.e. relating to the excited condition of anything.

[75] This passage is very obscure. It is not clear how acts, whether fair or foul or indifferent, can apply to immobile objects, the very statement of whose name carries with it a negation of movement.—T.

[76] In Sanskrit tamas means darkness, along with the principle of foulness.

[77] Meaning, going before twilight.

[78] From Raksha—protect.

[79] From the verb ha leave.

[80] Serpents.

[81] Serpents.

[82] A fabulous animal, having eight legs, inhabiting the snowy mountainous regions.—T.

[83] Bos Gavus.

[84] A species of deer.

[85] i.e. belonging to village.—T.

[86] The most sacred hymn in all the Vedas, in praise of the Sun, as representing the Supreme Sun of the spiritual Universe.—T.

[87] Hymns of the Rig-Veda.

[88] A kind of sacrifice.

[89] A division of the Sama Veda, so named.

[90] A sacrifice.

[91] A division of the Vedas.

[92] Song of the Sama Veda.

[93] A part of the Sama Ved. Vrihat means great.

[94] A metre of the Sama Veda.

[95] Songs of the Sama Veda.

[96] A kind of Sacrifice.

[97] A kind of Sacrifice.

[98] Inferior spectres reveling in the morally foul and the physically filthy.—T.

[99] Horse-hipped beings.

[100] Horse-faced beings.

[101] A profound view, in imaginative vesture, of Heredity. The Author imparts a comprehensiveness and sublimity to the doctrine which is unsurpassed—T.

[102] A little liberty has been indulged in translating this sentence, at the construction of the original is involved and complicated.—T.

[103] subject to duality, i.e. came under the Law of Relativity, in the sense of Professor Bain. See Senses and Intellect.

[104] Rice of various kinds; of which eight only are enumerated by the authorities.

[105] A medicinal plant, and perfume, Panicum Italicum.

[106] A species of grain eaten by the lower people Paspalum Kora.

[107] A sort of panic, P. miliaceum.

[108] A sort of kidney bean:—phaseolus radiatus.

[109] Phaseolus mungo.

[110] A sort of pulse or lentil—Eroum Hirsutum; cassia alata.

[111] Dalichos biflorus.

[112] Cytius cajan.

[113] From grāma—village.

[114] From aranya—wood.

[115] Panicum mantacium. Also P. coloumn.