History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c91.258

v7.c91.258

The Mīmāṅsakas made a sweeping generalisation that the whole Veda is meant for sacrifice. They went rather too far but they had substantial grounds for doing so. On pp. 980-982 of the H. of Dh. vol. II. it has been shown how even the Ṛgveda discloses that a complicated system of sacrifices with three *savanas*, numerous priests, three fires, existed in those far-off days and sacrifices like Atirātra (Ṛg. VII. 103. 7) and Trikadruka (Ṛg. I 32. 3, II. 11. 17, VIII. 13, 18, VIII. 92. 21, X. 14. 16) were being performed. The Mīmāṅsakas had a long tradition behind them. But the case of Śrī Aurobindo's theories is entirely different. On flimsy grounds and mistaken meanings he builds up an imposing structure of an exoteric and also an esoteric meaning of vedic mantras, propounds that the sages wanted secrecy for their doctrines and all that they were concerned with was Truth, Light and Consciousness. It has been already shown that there are several philosophical and speculative hymns in the Ṛgveda. But there is no motive of secrecy therein. If it is only Truth, Light and Consciousness with which the vedic sages were concerned ten thousand verses would not have been necessary. One should like to know what secret or higher or deeper esoteric Truth or Light or Consciousness to be kept concealed from common men is contained in hymns such as Ṛg. VII. 55 (sleeping charm), VII. 103 (maṇḍūka-stuti), X. 34 (gambler's song), X. 119 (exhilaration of power of Soma on Indra), X. 166 (invoking destruction of enemies), X. 190 (brief creation hymn), X. 191 (for concord and co-operation). Many more such hymns may be cited, where the theory of secrecy and Truth, Light and Consciousness would entirely fail. Besides, what is the secret (or spiritual or esoteric) element in such passages as those quoted above viz. I. 164 46, X. 129. 2, VIII. 58. 2, which clearly express the most profound Truth. If the Mīmāṅsakas made a too wide generalization, Śrī Aurobindo makes a far wider generalization with very little basis