Page:A Collection of Esoteric Writings.djvu/67

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

53

world a new Dispensation, as the author has imagined. Though Vyasa is generally spoken of as the founder of the Vedantic Doctrine, it was not for the Mahabharata, or anything contained in it, that he obtained this title, but on account of his celebrated Brahmasutras which are supposed to contain a complete exposition of the doctrines taught by the Vedantic school. This book is particularly referred to in the 5th verse of the 13th chapter of the Bhagvatgita, where Krishna informs Arjuna, that the nature of Kshatram and Kshatragna has been fully defined in the Bhrahmasutras. Not knowing anything about the exsitence of this great philosophical work, the author thought that the Sanskrit expression Brahmasutras merely meant "precepts taught of truths divine." If the author had known anything about the importance of the work in question, Busiris would, no doubt, have announced himself by this time the author of the Brahmasutras also. If these Sutras were composed by Vyasa before Krishna revealed the truths of the Bhagvatgita to Arjuna, as we are led to infer from the words used in this Slokam, there was no necessity whatsoever for the assistance of Busiris in composing the Bhagvatgita, as the "philosophy of spirit" contained in it was already fully contained in the said Sutras.

The author will probably say: "I see no reason why I should not believe the statement made by Busiris." He may argue that he knows for certain that "it was made by an angel; and as an angel cannot, under any circumstances, utter a falsehood," he has to believe that "the Mahabharata is really the production of Busiris."

The learned author has informed the public in page 51 of his book, that, after making the important declaration that he was the author of the Mahabharata, Busiris proceeded "to give an interesting account of the civilization and manners and customs of the inhabitants in his day, long antecedent to the system of caste which now prevails in India." Unfortunately we do not find the whole of this interesting account published by the learned author for the benefit of the public.