A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, so far as it illustrates the Primitive Religion of the Brahmans c10.89

c10.89

It by no means follows that all the hymns of the seven middle Rishis are more ancient than those of the first and the last books; or that these books contain nothing but modern hymns. But the very name of Mâdhyama, given to the poets of the books from the second to the seventh, shows that they were considered, even by the Brahmans, as distinct from the first and the three last books. They are not the middle books numerically, but they are called so because they stand by themselves, in the midst of other books of a more miscellaneous character.