There are people in India and abroad, who love to learn their mother tongue and culture through foreigners.If I want to know more about my mother or father , I would do it by myself, especially if they are alive.Fortunately Sanskrit , other languages of India and Indian culture is still Alive.So,Why not learn from the Source?
No doubt some western scholars had done yeoman service in Indexing and translating Vedic texts. Unfortunately most of them had Agenda, namely proselytizing the population. Some of them were in the Employ of the Church like Max Muller Some information about Max Muller..
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It (The Rigveda) is the root of their religion and to show them what the root is, I feel sure, is the only way of uprooting all that has sprung from it during the last three thousand years.”-Max Mueller to His wife,in his lett
Later he also wrote to the Duke of Argyle, the then acting Secretary of State for India:
“The ancient religion of India is doomed. And if Christianity does not take its place, whose fault will it be?”
The Biblical Creation Theory states that the world was created with all its life forms at 9.00 AM, October 23, 4004 BC .’
Mr.Boulanger, the editor of Russian edition of The Sacred Books of the East Series, in the context of the commentary/translation of the Vedas by Max Muller, stated:
“What struck me in Max Muller’s translation was a lot of absurdities, obscene passages and a lot of what is not lucid…. As far as I can grab the teaching of the Vedas, it is so sublime that I would look upon it as a crime on my part, if the Russian public becomes acquainted with it through the medium of a confused and distorted translation, thus not deriving for its soul that benefit which this teaching should give to the people”. Uproot Rig Veda, Max Muller
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Rig Veda says “Krunvanto Vishwam Aryam”. ( 9.63.5). I did a simple exercise. I checked translation of this by Griffith and Wilson:
“Performing every noble work, active, augmenting Indra’s strength,
Driving away the godless ones.” (Griffith’s translation)
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rigveda/rv09063.htm
“Augmenting Indra,urging the waters,making all our acts prsperous,destroying witholders of oblatins” (Wilson)
Now the phrase is not even typical Vedic Sanskrit. It is a very simple phrase to translate.But to Griffith the words “Krunvanto” and “Vishwam” do not exist. To Wilson, all three words do not exist in the verse. The cardinal mimansa rule of interpreation is “Yatha Vachanam Tatha vachanikam” (Read it as it is without adding anything or subtracting anything).Messrs.Wilson and Griffith discard this rule. Probably, the motive is to paint the word “Aryan” as racist.
Translating the words as “Ennoble the whole world” would mean they cannot attribute racist connotations to the word
.source for the above citation. Excellent site. Please visit. https://sites.google.com/a/vedicgranth.org/www/misconceptions-on-vedas/misconception-5-vedas-can-be-interpreted-by-western-scholars-better-because-they-are-more-scientific
Yet another correct Translation.
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Om Indram vardhanto apturah krinvanto vishwamaryam.
Apaghnanto aravnah
(Rigveda – 9/63/5)
Meaning, the humans must enhance the ‘Indra’ i.e. the soul, the prosperity and the good deeds, removing their attitudes of misery and the evils. This not only helps us improve our own lives but also helps us contribute towards the betterment of others. This was the main reason why Maharshi Dayananda Saraswati declared “Krinvanto Vishwamaryam” as the motto for Arya Samaj.
Here, the word “Arya” does not refer to any particular ‘race’, ‘cast’ or ‘creed’; rather, it means a virtuous person. As it has been said:
Kartavyamacharn Karma, Akratvyamanacharan.
Vishthti Prakritachare yeh sa Arya smriteh
(Vasishtha Smriti)
Meaning, a person who does only praiseworthy acts, holds the traditions in high regard and upholds them, does not adopt harmful habits and actions, but instead gets rid of such, and is, by his or her nature, a caring person, is alone called Arya.
.https://aryasamajhouston.org/resources/articals/veda-sudha/krinvanto-vishwamaryam
One response to “How Western Scholars (Mis)Interpret Sample From Rig Veda”
True – but to get it into the heads of the ” intellectual community ” is rather difficult , to say the least ! – But the world is improving and there are more westerners [ and our own people ] now than before, who will accept that the vedas are greater than what has been bruited about so far .
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