480 ON THE Ve'dAS, 



authenticity is founded. It appears necessary to 

 do so» since a late author has abruptly pronounced 

 the Vidas. to be forgeries *» 



It has been already mentioned, that the practice 

 of reading the principal Vtdas in superstitious 

 modes, tends to preserve the genuine text. Copies, 

 prepared for such modes of recital, are spread in 

 various parts of India^ especially Benares^ Jeycnd^ 

 gm\ and the banks of the Gbddvtri. Interpola- 

 tions and forgeries have become impracticable 

 since this usage has been introduced : and the 

 KigvMa^ and both the Yqjushes, belonging to the 

 several S'dclids, in which that custom has been 

 adopted, have been, therefore, long safe from 

 alteration. 



The explanatory table of contents, belonging to 

 the several Vedas, also tends to ensure the purity 

 of the text ; since the subject and length of each 

 passage are therein specified. The index, again, 

 is itself secured from alteration by more than one 

 exposition of its meaning, in the form of a per- 

 petual commentary. 



It is a received and well grounded opinion of 

 the learned in India, that no book is altogether 

 safe from changes and interpolations until it 

 have been commented : but when once a gloss 

 has been published, no fabrication could after- 

 wards succeed ; because the perpetual commentary 

 notices every passage, and, in general, explains 

 every word. 



Mr. PiNK^iiTGN, in his Modern Geography, Vol. 11. 



