 |
| The Hindu Phenomenon |
|
Appendix 1 - Resolving the Ancient Language Problem |
|
|
|
|
| It
is known to student of Sanskrit texts that they enumerate Indian
rivers from the east to the west and not the others way around. But
the evidence has not been regarded as strong enough. Telageri comes
up with the stronger evidence and the interesting point about it is
that he locates it in the Rigveda itself.
One of the hymns of the Rigveda (IX. 96) and one of the three verses in another hymn (X. 179.2)are composed by Pratardana, who is clearly described as Kasiraja (king of Kashi). Kashi (Varanasi), as we know, lies in south eastern Uttar Pradesh. The Puranas not only confirm that Pratardana was king of Kashi but name at least six of his predecessors. One entire book (Book III), of the ten books of the Rigveda, is similarly authored by composers belonging to the family of Visvamitra. According to the Puranas, Visvamitra was the ninth descendant of Jahnu, who established the kingdom of Kanyakububja (Kanauj) in Uttar Pradesh. In the Rigveda the composer of the hymn refers to himself as belonging to the house of Jahnu. In other words, the kingdom of Kanyakubja was in existence at least nine generations before the composition of any of the hymns in this book.
|
|
|
|
| About Appendix 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
