WHOSE VEDA? - Bhaashya

[vidya at cco.caltech.edu]

Prof. Witzel wrote: 


> Malla-Veda,  and to the recent `discovery` of  `Vedic mathematics`  
> in ONE manuscript (since, vanished!), allegedly forming an appendix  
> to the 72 appendixes (Aatharva PariziSTaani) of the 

> Atharvaveda...>> 


A clarification - I don't think Sri Bharati Krishna Tirtha ever  
claimed to have found any manuscript containing the sUtras of "vedic  
mathematics". As far as I am aware of, he wrote down his sUtras,  
after a period of meditation. As such, the "discovery" that is  
mentioned in the preface to the available editions of "Vedic  
Mathematics", is one of "mystical intuition". There is no talk of  
having discovered a manuscript of the atharva veda that has since  
vanished. What is said to have been lost in an accident (fire ?) is  
the collection of unpublished sUtras that suposedly cover more  
advanced fields like calculus. The assertion that "vedic mathematics"  
is in one of the Atharva pariSishTas seems to be the standard one by  
which various assorted subjects are ascribed to this veda. One may  
take it or leave it, as per one's predilections. Sometimes I think  
that even those who make such assertions with regard to the atharva  
veda want you to take their claims with a pinch of salt!

Sri Bharati Krishna Tirtha was a Sankaracharya of Puri maTh, and was  
well respected as an advaitin. It may be pertinent, therefore, to  
understand how advaita vedAnta views Sruti, and the process by which  
Sruti was first revealed to the mantra-drashTas. But that is a  
completely different issue of mImAmsA. 


S. Vidyasankar