for trustworthy information on many obscure portions of Indian religious literature not yet examined by European scholars, and a hope that on my return, should health and strength be spared to me, I may have increased my powers of usefulness within my own province, and be enabled to contribute more than I have yet effected towards making England and India better known to each other, or at least towards making Oxford an attractive centre of Indian studies, and its lecture-rooms, museums, and libraries sources of accurate knowledge on Indian subjects.
Oxford, October 1875.
PREFACE
TO THE FIRST EDITION.
THE present volume1 attempts to supply a want, the existence of which has been impressed upon my mind by an inquiry often addressed to me as Boden Professor:—Is it possible to obtain from any one book a good general idea of the character and contents of Sanskrit literature [1]
Its pages are also intended to subserve a further object. They aim at imparting to educated Englishmen, by means of translations and explanations of portions of the sacred and philosophical literature of India, an insight into the mind, habits of thought, and customs of the Hindus, as well as a correct knowledge of a system of belief and practice which has constantly prevailed for at least three thousand years, and still continues
- ↑ The volume is founded on my official lectures.
