![]() “If I were asked from which literature, we here in Europe would get the refinement, which we need most to make our life more universal, inclusive and perfect,… I would again point to India.” “If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions, I should point to India.” He said the famous sentences in his lecture in Cambridge: The older Max Mueller, however, seemed to have realised the depth of the ancient Indian tradition and praised India highly. Moreover, he proposed without any archaeological evidence the Aryan Invasion Theory, which helped the British to divide and rule. His job was to translate the Vedas, and he was eager to show that the Vedas are worthless and Christianity much superior. Max Mueller did great harm to India as a young, well-paid employee of the British East India Company. He also wrote: “Our religion (Christianity) will never ever take roots in India… On the contrary, Indian wisdom will stream to Europe and will fundamentally change our knowledge and thinking.” He said, “Reading the Upanishads is comforting in my life and will be comforting when I die.” German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 – 1860) called Indians “the most noble and most ancient people”, and the Upanishads “the greatest gift of this century”. India became for them the land of their dreams, where beautiful people and rich nature were still in harmony, and where the soul, which had gone dry in Europe, found plenty of nourishment. They knew the profound philosophy of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana or ‘Shakuntala’ by Kalidasa. They knew India only from those ancient texts. Many German intellectuals became great admirers of India. Our Sanskrit scholars provide us with this wealth from India right here in Bonn or Munich.” Heinrich Heine, (1797 – 1856), a German author, wrote after listening to lectures on the Upanishads, “The Portuguese, Dutch and British have for a long time ferried huge treasures on big ships from India to their home countries. ![]() Germans became interested in India rather late, but when they finally came in touch with ancient Indian manuscripts and their translations, they, especially German philosophers, became VERY interested. How Ancient Indian Manuscripts Influenced German Philosophers ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |