BENGALI WRITINGS

III. 1. The Secret of the Veda29words yet without ever impairing the simplicity of the meaningand the harmony of the thought. Historians could not understandthis straightforward meaning that when the motheris compressed or contracted, then the boy is also suppressedor covered. They did not notice or seize the harmonybetween the language and the thought of the Rishi.They understood, by the word peØÈ, some fiendish womanwho stole the power of Agni; the word mahiØÈ suggested tothem ‘a queen’ and the words kumÀra samubdha conveyedto them that a young Brahmin was crushed to death underthe wheels of a chariot. Quite a long legend based on thisinterpretation was fabricated, with the result that the meaningof the Riks became unintelligible. Who was the young man?or the Mother? or the fiendish woman? Was it the story ofAgni or of the young Brahmin? Who is speaking to whomand about what? Everything is in confusion. Everywherethere is such a torture. Pointless tyranny of imagination hasdistorted and mutilated the simple yet profound meaning ofthe Veda and at places where the language and the thoughtare a little involved, by the grace of the commentator theincomprehensibility has assumed a frightfully hideous appearance.Let alone this question of individual Riks and metaphors,there was a great deal of controversy in ancient timeseven regarding the veritable significance of the Veda itself.According to Euhemeros of Greece, the Gods of the Greekswere ever-remembered heroes and kings who with the passageof time were transformed into gods and enthroned inheaven by a different kind of superstition and reckless poeticimagination. There was no dearth of followers of Euhemeroseven in ancient India. Here is an example: they said thatin fact the two Ashwins were neither gods nor stars buttwo renowned kings, men of flesh and blood like us, whoprobably attained godhead after their death. According to