216 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscnpfs, 



[Oct. 



To the latter opinion I should incline ; but do not think its original com- 

 position could be later than the beginning of the Christian era, because 

 of the subsequently troubled state of India, from the incursions of foreign 

 conquerors, of which Hindu books give obscure, but powerful, reminis- 

 cences. The original work of course, was written in Sanscrit, and this 

 original from collated copies, as I learn from Monsieur Langlois's version 

 of the Harivanisa, is either translated, or in process of translation, at 

 Paris. A good version, in any European language, of the Sanscrit ori- 

 ginal would supersede any necessity of translating a Tamil document, 

 merely an epitome of the original : meantime I offer the following very 

 meager abstract of the older* part of the work, including the first nine 

 books. The latter portion, from the tenth to the twelfth book inclusive, 

 I need not epitomize. It is the portion most familiar to those who are 

 in any measure acquainted with the work ; and is, in every point of view, 

 least valuable : it has also I think tended to convey quite an erroneous 

 idea of the entire work. I cannot profess to offer a very minute abstract. 

 The Tamil copy, itself an epitome, is too much condensed to admit of 

 much further abridgment, if followed in every particular seriatirn, A 

 general idea, or outline, of the contents is all that I can promise. 



First Candam, or section. 



Homage to Vyasa. Certain rishis, 21,000 in number came to Suta-nshi; 

 and, doing obeisance, said that as the Cali-yugam was about to begin, 

 and men were become very depraved, they wished to hear from him the 

 story of Crishna, and other matters, pertaining to still older times. Suta 

 was rejoiced. He terms Vyasa his guru, or spiritual instmctor. He 

 adverts to Para Brahm, and Paramesvarer ; meaning Vishnu. He dis- 

 courses on the Satwica, Rajasa, and Tamasa, dispositions, and their 

 consequences ; also concerning the ten metamorphoses or superior incar- 

 nations, and the inferior incarnations , of Vishnu. Transition to the story 

 oiParicshit who built a house, and dwelt, in the midst of a tank, in con- 

 sequence of a prediction concerning his speedy death. Thither Sucar 

 the son of Vyasa, came to recite to him, in his last hours, the story of the 

 Bhagavata, that, by the merit of hearing it, his safety after death might 

 be secured. Suta-rishi says, that having heard it from Suca, he now recites 

 it to the before mentioned rz^Au' for their advantage. 



Thus far is the foundation, or introduction, of the narrative. 



The four Vedas were delivered to different persons by Vyasa. The Bor- 

 ratham {ox Mahabharata) is termed the fifth Veda. This, with the eighteen 



* The purva b'hdga contains the dasama-cdnda'^ ; but the contents o f the 10th section 

 relate to matters more modern, thau the preceding nine hooks, or sections. 



