AN APOLOGY FOR THE PURSUIT OF FINAL BEATITUDE. SOOBRAHMUNYU SHASTREE, a diligent observer of Brahmunical tenets, wishing to prove that those Brahmuns who do not study the Veds with their subordinate sciences, are degraded from the rank of Brahmunism, prepared and offered an Essay on that subject to the Brahmuns of the province of Bengal, who are generally deficient in those studies. In this, he has advanced three assertions: which, however, have no tendency to establish his position. He alleges 1st, that, "to a person not acquainted with the Veds, neither tem 66 66 porary heavenly enjoyments, nor eternal beatitude, "can be allotted." 2dly, that, "he only who has "studied the Veds is authorized to seek the knowledge "of God;" and 3dly, that "men must perform with"out omission all the rites and duties prescribed in "the Veds and Smritis before acquiring a thorough knowledge of God." On these positions he attempts to establish, that the performance of the duties and rites prescribed by the Shastrus for each class according to their religious order, such as the studies of the Veds and the offering of sacrifices, &c., is absolutely necessary towards the acquisition of a knowledge of God. We consequently take upon ourselves to offer in our own defence the following remarks, in answer to those assertions. We admit that it is proper in men to observe the dutes and rites prescribed by the Shastru for each class according to their religious order, in acquiring knowledge respecting God, such observance being conducive to that acquisition; an admission which is not inconsistent with the authorities of the Veds and other Shastrus. But we can by no means admit the necessity of observing those duties and rites as indispensable steps towards attaining divine knowledge, which the learned Shastree pronounces them to be; for the great Vyas, in his work of the Vedant Durshun, or the explanation of the spiritual parts of the Veds, justifies the attainment of the knowledge of God, even by those who never practise the prescribed duties and rites, as appears from the following two passages of Vyas in the same Durshun. "Unturachapitoo tuddrishteh,”— Upichu shmuryute." The celebrated Shunkur Acharyu thus comments upon those two texts: "As "to the question, Whether such men as have not the "sacred fire, or are afflicted with poverty, who profess "no religious order whatsoever, and who do not belong "to any cast, are authorized to seek divine knowledge "or not? On a superficial view, it appears, that they " are not permitted to make such attainments, as the "duties prescribed for each class are declared to lead "to divine knowledge, and to those duties they are "altogether strangers. Such doubt having arisen, the "great Vyas thus decides: Even a person who pro❝fesses no religious order, is permitted to acquire a 66 66 66 66 knowledge of God; for it is found in the Veds that Rüekyu, Bachuknuvee, and others, who, like them, "did not belong to any class, obtained divine know"ledge. It is also mentioned in the sacred tradition, "that Sumvurtu and others, living naked and totally independent of the world, who practised no pre"scribed duties, assumed the rank of the highest "devotees." Besides the texts of the Ved, such as Tuyorhu Müetreyee Bruhmubadinee," &c. and "Atma va Ure," &c. show that Müetreyee and others, who, being women, had not the option of studying the Ved, were, notwithstanding, qualified to acquire divine knowledge; and in the Smriti as well as in the Commentary of the celebrated Shunkur Acharyu, Soolubha and other women are styled knowers of the Supreme Being. Also Bidoor, Dhurmubyadhu, and others of the fourth class, attained the knowledge of God without having an opportunity of studying the Veds. All this we find in the sacred traditions: hence those who have a thorough knowledge of the Veds and Smriti, can pay no deference to the opinion maintained by the learned Shastree, that those only who have studied the Veds are qualified to acquire the knowledge of God. Moreover, to remove all doubt as to Soodrus and others being capable of attaining Divine knowledge without the assistance of the Veds, the celebrated Commentator, in illustrating the text "Sruvunadhyun," &c., asserts, that "the authority of the Smriti, stating that to all "the four classes preaching should be offered,' &c. "shews that to the sacred traditions, and to the Poorans, and also to the Agums, all the four classes have "equally access." Thus establishing that the sacred 66 traditions, Poorans, and Agum without distinction, can impart divine knowledge to mankind at large. From the decided opinion of Vyas, and from the precedents given by the Veds and sacred traditions, and also from the conclusive verdict of the most revered Commentator, those who entertain respect for those authorities, will not admit the studies of the Veds and other duties required of each class to be the only means of acquiring knowledge of God. Hence the sacred tradition, stating that a person, by studying the Geeta alone, had acquired final beatitude, stands unshaken; and also the positive declaration of the great Muhadevu with regard to the authentic and well-accepted Agum Shastrus, as being the means of imparting divine knowledge to those who study them, will not be treated as inconsequential. If the spiritual parts of the Veds can enable men to acquire salvation by teaching them the true and eternal existence of God, and the false and perishable being of the universe, and inducing them to hear and constantly reflect on those doctrines, it is consistent with reason to admit, that the Smriti, and Agum, and other works, inculcating the same doctrines, afford means of attaining final beatitude. What should we say more? |