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20 revolving like the wheel on its axle, and bear some resemblance to the golden, silver, brazen and iron ages of the Greeks. Even the European chronologists, who, according to the Hindoos, are always disposed to modernise events, admit that the Vedas must have been composed about 4000 years ago. It has not been shown that any specific book was extant at a time when the Vedas were not in existence. This, at any rate, makes the Vedas older than any other writing on the surface of the earth. In the works of Manu and Panini who, according to the Western Orientalists flourished in B.C. 800 (Wilson) and B.C. 600 (Goldstiicker) respectively, the Vedas are described as eternal (Anadi). Thus in point of antiquity the Vedas stand pre-eminently the first. Some European scholars, attempting to translate portions of the Hindoo Scriptures by the help of grammar and dictionary, but failing to grasp the real meaning, have — and no wonder — succeeded in belittling the sublime ideas therein contained. For the true interpretation of an extremely old and esoteric work, taught and learnt by the initiates only, must be acquired from those who have from generations past studied it systematically with the help of the key they possess. Still,