OF THE HINDUSo H 



Sankara himself, and the latter a well known and able writer, who lived in 

 the commencement of the 14th century. 



The authenticity of the latter of these two works, there is no room to 

 question; and there is but little reason to attach any doubt to the former. 

 Some of the marvels it records of Sankara, which the author professes to have 

 seen, may be thought to affect its credibility, if not its authenticity, and either 

 Ananda Giri must be an unblushing liar, or the book is not his own : it is, 

 however, of little consequence, as even, if the work be not. that of Ananda 

 Giri himself, it bears internal and indisputable evidence of being the compo- 

 sition of a period, not far removed from that at which he may be supposed 



The study of the Puranas and Smritis of the Sdtwika class, secures Mukti, or final emancipation, 

 that of those of the Edjasa obtains Swerga, or Paradise ; whilst that of the Tdmasa condemns a per- 

 son to hell, and a wise man will avoid them. 



The Vaishnava writers endeavour to enlist the Vedas in their cause, and the following texts are 

 quoted by the Tatparya NIrnaya 



Narayana alone was, not Brahma nor Sankara. 



^r^f It^ T^t^ ^^^ -^W '^ ^ ^^W^'- 1 



Or Vasudeva was before this (universe,) not Brahma nor Sankara. 

 The Saivas cite the Vedas too, as 



The Lord who pervades all things, is thence termed the omnipresent Siva. 

 Rudra is but one, and has no second — 



These citations would scarcely have been made, if not authentic ; they probably do occur in the 

 Vqdas, but the terms Nardyana and Vasudeva, or Siva and Rudra, are not to be taken in the 

 restricted sense, probably, which their respective followers would assign them. 



