Hinduism: What Really Happenned in India (PDF) - Oration

Hinduism: What Really Happened in India – M. M. Ninan
Oral Transmission and Corruption
Then it is argued that, “The Vedas have been "heard" or composed by
different seers over a great period of time and were handed down from
generation to generation through oral transmission. Since it was essential
to maintain the purity of the hymns, a great emphasis was placed on the
correct chanting of each word in the mantra according to a particular
rhythm to maintain their efficacy during the performance of the rituals.”
“We do not know for certain when exactly the most holy books of
India were first written down. The major and the only really authoritative
way of transmission were oral, and written text was important only in
exegesis and ritual science, not in religion itself. In other genres of
literature, for instance in the Dharmsastra and Ayurveda, it is rather well
established that the extant text tradition was only fixed in the earliest
(written) commentaries. Before that, in oral transmission, the texts were
open to additions and modifications. In the Veda, the texts were fixed
much earlier, and the transmission in the first place remained oral. But
here, too, the texts were probably first written down in connection with
commentaries.” http://folklore.ee/folklore/vol8/veda.htm
We should also remember that, “Vedic Sanskrit places great emphasis on
pronunciation, so each ‘Aksara,’ or letter, covey immense meaning.
Therefore, any deviation in enunciation will change the complete
meaning.” (Dr. Deen B Chandora) It would render the whole of Sruti
and samhita prone to total corruption over the oral transmission over
vast period.
This corruption is hinted in the Matsyavatara story: “This happened at
the end of the last inundation during the period of Svayambhuva Manu
when Lord Brahma at the end of his day (which lasts for trillions of our
years) was ready to sleep, and the Vedas began to emanate from his
mouth. The great demon Hayagriva took this opportunity to try to steal
the Vedas. At this time the Lord appeared in His Matsya avatara to kill
the demon and restore the Vedas to Lord Brahma.” .
(http://iskcondc.prastha.com/cgi-bin/uncgi/renderphilo.pl?ndx=71)
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