Indus Script -- sort of far off the point now

[Elliot Stern]

S. Krishna replied to Jonathan Silk:

>Jonathan Silk says:
>
>>>Re: Krishna's comment
>
....
>
><< In his translation introduction Ingalls takes issuewith the Marxist
>interpretation Kosambi offered in his own intro, but asfar as I remember
>(I don't have time to reread it now), Kosambi does *not*
>"bash ... the QUALITY of Sanskrit poetry..."; rather he attacks the
>motives of the poets and their place in the socio-economic order.>>
>
>
>I beg to differ from your interpretation, in my humble opinion, the
>very low opinion that Kosambi seems to have had of the quality of this
>collection is alluded to by Ingalls in the preface to the book (page
>X of the introduction)..."On this subject I and Kosambi are on disagre
>ement, NOT ONLY because I judge the artistic merits of the poems to
>be much higher than he does, but because I feel a class theory......is
>an improper guide...".
>
>
>
>  Thus it is evident that Ingalls differs from Kosambi on two SEPARATE
>issues, namely the artistic merit AND the inapplicability of class
>theory to the problem at hand.
>
> As for Kosambi's bashing of the quality( as opposed to the motives of
>the poets), we have on page (XLVI), : The samskrt stanza implies......,
>ample time to work out it's double and triple meanings"
>
>and quite a few other expressions in the same vein( too numerous to
>list) and finally, at the end of the chapter:
>
>"It is not surprising that this literature produced only one Kalidasa(
>and that with the early Gupta empire[note: please note time period that
>I refered to]}, tending towards the bombast of a Rajasekhara to
>subhASitas packed with intricate subtlities which suffocate the sense".
>
>I therefore believe that Kosambi despised not only the motives, social
>class that the poets belonged to but also the quality of the poetry
>itself.......(Note: these are the references that I could hunt up on the
>spot from the introduction, the next few chapters i.e. Twilight of the
>Gods e.g. also has similar references as I understand them)
>
>
>
><<I have to presume that if he did not share with Ingalls and others an
>appreciation for the quality of the poetry, he would not have worked on
>it. But perhaps my understanding or my memory of this debate is
>flawed?>>
>
>  Well, at the end of the introduction, Ingalls is compelled to make the
>following statements: "I trust that a difference between the editor and
>a co-editor....will in no way diminish the value of their joint efforts.
>Certainly, it has not weakened the bonds of their
>friendship"...Thus, while having major disagreements, they did manage to
>work on the text together and Ingalls also says that he will take up the
>problem in greater detail in chapter 8, which is unfortunately missing
>in the copy that I have now.....
>
>Regards,
>Krishna


D.D. Kosambi did not *bash* the artistic merit of the verses in the
collection.  Here is the final paragraph of section 8 of his introduction
to the edition:

"If these authors dealt with no major problem of the individual spirit, if
they strove neither to burn with a hard gem-like flame nor to free humanity
from any of the shackles man has imposed upon himself in making his own
history, time has exacted full penalty for the failrue. Most of their works
and all their biography have been gathered to an oblivion that makes future
restoration extremely doubtful. The poetry strive to be and is, at best,
exquisite rather than great. Yet, though the voice be thin, it is clear.
The field might be limited as to objectives, vision, or endeavor, but
excess is rare. The poets speak across the centuries in refined musical
tones bearing a soft but indelible charm, visualising an elegant life. The
dominant ideal, frankly expressed, is tasteful though not placid lovemaking
in luxury -- without vice, greed, brutal lust after blood, bourgeois
concentration upon money-breeding profit. It is only fitting that their
names and verses should not altogether be forgotten."


Elliot M. Stern
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