A Vedic Concordance c4.s5.1

c4.s5.1

The working-up of material of texts yet unedited.—The heading of this section implies faith in the future of Vedic studies: I am confident that the Vedas will continue to be studied as long as there is interest in the history of human thought and human institutions. Because of the half-mythical nature of Vedic tradition, we do not know certainly how many different books were originally elaborated by the ancient Hindu poets and theologians of different schools and localities; but India is a very large country, and the seemingly fabulous statistics of the Caraṇa-Vyūhas have proved to contain an estimable measure of truth. Still less certain may we be as to how many of those works are still extant, and as to how many of those which are extant may ultimately come to our hands in manuscript. Nevertheless a considerable number of Vedic texts—their names need not encumber these pages—are even now known to exist in manuscript; and although their publication may be deferred, it is in the end sure to come. It is plain that, all in due time, a supplement to the Concordance will become a necessity. For that supplement it will perhaps be worth while to wait until all, or nearly all, the remaining texts shall have seen the light of day. Meantime I take the liberty of calling the attention of future editors of these texts to the importance of giving with each text-edition an index of metrical lines and of prose formulas, after the manner of this Concordance, and with constant references to it. When I reflect upon the large number of texts elaborated in the present work, or consider, for example, that the forty thousand pādas of the Rig-Veda will not have to be indexed again, I am glad to think that the final supplement, considerable though it may be, cannot possibly involve anything like the labor of the foundation-work.