Vedic Hymns, Part I (SBE32): Appendices: III. A Bibliogra... | Internet Sacred Text Archive

III.

A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL LIST OF THE MORE IMPORTANT PUBLICATIONS ON THE RIG-VEDA.

I have often stated how much I was indebted to the labours of others in all I have endeavoured to do for the Veda. I have to make the same acknowledgment once more. Many indeed of those with whom I once worked side by side have ceased from their labours, but the gaps which death has caused have been filled by many young and equally valiant soldiers. I am almost afraid to mention names, lest I should seem forgetful of some by whose labours I have benefitted. The elaborate publications of M. Bergaigne occupy a prominent place, and seem to me to have hardly received the credit which they deserve. Scholars are too apt to forget that we may differ from the results arrived at by our colleagues, and yet admire their industry, their acumen, their genius. Professor Ludwig has continued his work, undismayed by the unjust and unseemly attacks of his rivals. Professor Oldenberg's contributions, Das altindische Âkhyâna, 1883; Ṛigveda-Saṃhitâ and Sâmavedârcika, 1884; Die Adhyâyatheilung des Ṛigveda, 1887, and lastly, the Prolegomena to his Hymnen des Ṛigveda, 1888, have opened new and important fields of critical investigation. Different views have been ably represented by Pischel and Geldner in their Vedische Studien.

Professor Avery's Contributions to the History of Verb-Inflection in Sanskrit (1875), Professor Lanman's Statistical Account of Noun-inflection in the Veda (1877), are indispensable helps to every student of the Veda. Professor Delbrück's Syntaktische Forschungen (1871-1879) and Das Altindische Verbum (1874) marked a decided advance in critical scholarship.

[paragraph continues] Almost every case of the noun in the Veda has found its special investigator, the Dative in Delbrück (1867), the Genitive in Siecke (1869), the Vocative in Benfey (1872), the Instrumental in Wenzel (1879), the Accusative in Gaedicke (1880). The nominal suffixes have been treated by Bruno Lindner in his Altindische Nominalbildung (1878); the suffixes of the Infinitive by Professor Ludwig (1871) and Professor Wilhelm (1870 and 1873). Geldner and Professor Kaegi have given a popular and useful account of the results of Vedic studies in Siebenzig Lieder des Rigveda (1875), and Der Rigveda (1881).

The following is a list of the more important publications on the Rig-veda which have proved useful to myself and will prove useful to others. This list does not pretend to be complete, but even in its incomplete form, I hope that it may be serviceable to students of the Rig-veda.

The following abbreviations have been used:—

Bezz.. Beitr. = Beiträge zur Kunde der indogermanischen Sprachen, herausgegeben von A. Bezzenberger.