Page:The Indian Antiquary, Vol. 4-1875.djvu/92

 MAKca, 1875.] THE BHAGAVAD GlTA AND CHRISTIAN TTOITmGS. 79 Dr. Lorinser's book, for an indication of his viewa regarding it. Ho refers mo to a brief mention, of the work in questioa in a rote to an article republished in his Indische Slreifen, vol. II. p. 288, where he speaks of Dr. LorinBer'a remarkable endeavour to point out in the Bha- gavad Gild coincidences with and references to (Anklange und Bezietrungen) the New Testa- ment, and states that althongh he regards this attempt of Dr. Lorinser's to bo overdone, he is not in principle opposed to the idea which tint writer maintains, but regards it as fully entitled to a feir consideration, as the date of the Bha* gavad Gild is not at all settled, and therefore presents no obstacle to the assumption of Chris- tian influences, if these can be otherwise proved. He adds that he regards Wilson's theory that the bhakti of the later Hindu sects is essentially a Christian doctrine, as according well with all that we know already about the Svetadvipa, the Kristin a janmashtami, Ac. As re- gards the age of the MaMbMrata, Prof Weber thinks that it should be borne in mind that in the very passages which treat of the war be- tween the K a u r a v a s ami P a n d a v a s, and which therefore appear to be the oldest parts of that vast epic collection, not only is direct men- tion made of the Tav an as, Sakas, Pah- lavas, and the wars with them (see Prof. Wilson's _ ; al Vnlacition* on I, rature, p. 178), but further that the Ya va- ii a d h i p a B h a ga d a 1 1 a appears there as nn old friend of the father of Tudhishthira (see Itidischo 8 V. 152). He concludes that all those passages must be poster ;■ Alexander the Great, and still continues to regard his calculation that this most original part of the poem was written between the time of Alexander ami that of Dio Chrysostom (see Ac. PrcL p. 17G) as the most probable, I am not aware in which, if in any, of his writings Professor Wilson may have expressed the opinion that the Indian tonet of bhakti is essentially Christian. I find no express state- ment to this effect in his Sketch of the R< / Sect* o/7//. 1 1 Indus, though he there says that 44 the doctrine of Lhe efficacy of hhahii seems to have boen an important innovation upon the primitive system of the Hindu religion." On the same general subject Dr. Bohtlinirk has favoured me with the following expression of his opinion. He writes : " Neither in the JjfoMbJitlrata nor in later writers have I found any utterances of moral or religious import which could with any probability be referred back to any foreign source. In this department the Indians have themselves reflected so much, and presented their thoughts in such elegant forms, that with their riches they might easily supply the rest of the world. The ethics and the religion of different peoples are not so different from one another that here and there coincidences should not bo expected to be found between them. The line of the Kaiha Upa- irtyah i>achya' irajtiijiihi punch" (like corn a mortal ripens, like corn he is produced again) ,€ sounds as if from the New Testament, but. is not therefore borrowed." I should be glad to find that this subject attracted the attention of any correspond ents whose previous studies have qualified them to discuss and elucidate it. •h, November hlh, II. Dr. Lorinser considers that many of the ideas and expressions of the Bh oj 'lu are de- rived from Christianity. There is, no doubt, a general resemblance between the manner in which Krishna asserts his own divine nature, enjoins devotion to his person, and sets forth the blessings which will result to his votaries from such worship, on (lie one band, and, on the other, the strain in which the founder of Christianity is represented in the Gospels, and especially m the fourth, as speaking of himself and his claims, and the redemption which will follow on their faithful recognition. At the same time, the Bhagavad Gitu contains much that is exclusively Indian in its character, and which finds no countcr- purt in the New Testament doctrine. A few of the texts in the Indian poem also present a resemblance more or less close to some in the Bible, Perhaps the mOflt striking is the decla- ration of the Bhagavad G!'«, ix. 2! '' They who devoutly worship me are in me, and I in them," as compared with John vi. 56, !l that eateth my ilesh and drinketh my blood dwellet h in rne. and I in him." Bat it will b 1 that the condition of oneness with the speaker is cliff in each case; and tl ham only that is common to the two texts. (Sec, how- .-.;;. 81 23, where the same reference to the condition of the oneness is not found.)