340 ON THE LITERATURE 



XVIII. 



ON THE 



Literature of the Hindus, from the Sanfcrit, 



COMMUNICATED BY 



GOVERDHAN CAUL, 

 With a Jliort Commentary. 



THE TEXT. 



THERE are eighteen Vidyas, or Parts of true 

 Knowledge, and fome branches of knowledge 

 falfely Jo called, of both which a fhort account {hall 

 here be exhibited. 



The fir fb four are the immortal Veda?,, evidently re- 

 vealed by God ; which are entitled, in one compound 

 word, Rigyajuhfdmdfharva 9 or, in feparate words, Rich, 

 YajuJJi, Sdman, and ACharvan. The Rigveda confifts 

 of five fections ; the Yajurveda, of eighty-fix ; the Sd- 

 maveda, of a thou [and; and the At'harvaveda, of nine ; 

 with eleven hundred sac ha s. or branches, in various 

 divisions and fubdivifions. The Veda's, in truth, are in- 

 finite; but were reduced by Vydja to this number and 

 order : the principal part of them is that which explains 

 the duties of man in a methodical arrangement; and 

 in the fourth is a fyitem of divine ordinances. 



From thefe are deduced the four Upavedas, namely, 

 Ayu/Ji, Gdndharva, Dhanv/Ji, and SChapatya ; the firit 

 of which, or Ayurveda, was delivered to mankind by 

 Brahma, Indra, Dhanwantari, and jive other Deities ; 

 and comprifes the theory of diforders and medicines, 

 with the practical methods of curing difcafes. The 

 fecond, or muhek, was invented and explained by 

 Bharata : it is chiefly ufeful in raifing the mind by 

 2 devotion 



