377 



VIII. 



On the Ve'das, or Sacred Writixcs of the 

 Hindus. 



By H. T. COLEBROOKE, ESQ. 



IN the early progress of researches into Indian 

 literature, it was doubted, whether the VMas 

 were extant; or, if portions of them were still pre- 

 served, whether any person, however learned in 

 other respects, might be capable of understanding 

 their obsolete dialect. It was believed too, that, 

 if a Brahmana really possessed the Indian scrip- 

 tures, his religious prejudices would nevertheless 

 prevent his imparting the holy knowledge to any, 

 but a regenerate Hindu. These notions, supported 

 by popular tales, were cherished loiig after the 

 Vtdas had been communicated to Da'ra' Shucoh ; 

 and parts of them translated into the Persian lan- 

 guage, by him, or for his use*. The doubts were 

 not finally abandoned, until Colonel Polier ob- 

 tained from Jei/epi(r a. transcript of what purported 

 to be a complete copy of the Vedas, and v/hich 

 he deposited in the Biitish Pvluseum. About the 

 same time, Sir Robert Chambers collected, at 

 Benares, numerous fragments of the Indian scrip- 

 ture: General Martine, at a later period, ob- 

 tained copies of some parts of it : and Sir William 

 Jo^TES was successful in procuring valuable por- 

 tions of the Vedas, and in translating several cu- 



* Extracts have also been translated into the Hindi lan- 

 guage : but it does not appear, upon what occasion this version 

 into the vulgar dialect was made. 



