Regarding the Upanishads

[Tarek Wani]

Subrahmanya makes an excellent point regarding the lack
of critical inquiry within the Indological community.
A historical basis to the study of texts is of course
required, but it cannot be done by making simplistic
assumptions about ancient society. Scholars of other
areas have shifted paradigms and incorporated knowledge
from archaeology and anthropology in their analysis. But
not so Indologists. A slavish devotion to philology's
19th century models and a sense of self-righteousness
has created not only wonders such as Witzel's panzer
divisions but whole published volumes that `decipher'
every Indus text!

I would urge that courses on logic and scientific method
should be made compulsory for Indological students and
professors.

To speak of the azvamedha rite, for example: How do we
know for sure that there did not exist several schools
of thought, some of which took it literally and some
others more adhyAtmically? How about the evolution
of these ideas?

Thus Caraka S., 19th adhyAya, says that originally
pazus were not slaughtered in ritual, and this practice
came later.

-TW

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