Indian Philosophy v2.c25.s2.69

v2.c25.s2.69

The Mīmāṃsakas protest against the view which regards the Vedas as the work of God. They hold that the Vedas exist for ever in their own right. God, who is incorporeal, has no organs of speech, and cannot therefore utter the words of the Veda. If it is said that he assumes a human form for the purpose of revelation, then he will be subject to all the limitations of material existence, and his utterances will not carry any authority. Besides, there is no tradition of divine or human authorship. Even on the theory of the creation of the world, the Vedas may be regarded as eternal in the sense that the creator at the beginning of any world-epoch reproduces from memory the Vedas of the last and teaches them.¹ It is sometimes contended that the Vedas are human compositions, since the names of their authors, the ṛṣis, are prefixed to them. It is said in reply that the ṛṣis made a special study of them and taught them to others. The Vedas are uncreated in the sense that they are not controlled by God or the inspired seers, who, at best, apprehend the truths and transmit them.² The authoritativeness of the Vedas is criticised on the ground that they contain references to historical names. It is said, in reply, that the hymns deal with the eternal phenomena of nature. The names occurring in them are of universal applicability and do not have any historical reference. Viśvāmitra means the all-friendly and not any historical character.