A HISTORY OF VEDIC LITERATURE

In the following pages an endeavour has been made to give an account of the history of the Vedic literature. The work is intended to give information in all its details as far as possible, on this subject to the post-graduate students and the teachers alike. There is a general complaint that the existing books do not supply an up-to-date account of the Vedic Literature incorporating the different views on the particular points. There are books which either deal with this literature too generally, or, too exhaustively on a particular topic of this literature. The history books written by Max Mullar, Weber, Macdonell and Winternitz present to us foreign point of views and may not be much palatable to an Indian mind due to their certain pet theories regarding the age and the character of the different Vedic texts. A History book which may refer to all the important views and which may be an independent original contribution in this field was desideratum. The present work is an humble attempt in that direction.

It is hoped, therefore, that this book which was originally intended to serve as a guide to the vedic students preparing for their degree exam. (the History of vedic literature forms part of the Sanskrit M.A. Syllabus in almost all the Universities), will also prove to be a reference book of permanent value.

I express my grateful thanks to the Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, Varanasi, for under-taking to publish this book promptly, and who are doing a very valuable service to the case of Sanskrit learning. Thanks are due to the Editorial Staff of taking every care in the matter of editing and suggesting on certain technical points.