Introduction to the Study of The Holy Quran — Page 52
52 In Charana Vyuha and other writings of Shaunaka Rishi the account given of the exact number of the Vedic mantras , their words and letters does not apply to the present editions of the Vedas, from which it appears that the Vedas have suffered many additions and subtractions. (5) Pandit Shanti Dev Shastri writes in The Ganga (Feb. 1931): When Charana Vyuha of Shaunaka Rishi was composed, the Shakalya Samhita in the Rig-Veda collection had 153,826 words, 432,000 letters and 10,622 mantras. But today you do not find these numbers (p. 231). (6) Dr. Tarapad Chaudhri writes in The Ganga (Jan. 1932). Besides these, you have in the Vedas, words which quite obviously strike you as foreign to the general text. It seems that the text has been tampered with by the unconscious fault of those who dictated as well as of those who transcribed it (p. 74). (7) Pandit Vedic Muni in his Veda-Sarvasva writes: The time of the composition of Gopatha Brahmana is just the time when the advocates of sacrifices held the field. At that time the votaries of the Rig-Veda , Yajur-Veda , Sama-Ve da and Atharva-Veda were engaged in a fierce controversy and busy in making interpolations on different excuses. The mantras of the Rig-Veda which they fancied they each entered into their own respective Vedas. Everybody thought himself above criticism and hated everybody else. Not only this. Differences which had crept into the different manuscripts had divided the votaries of the different Vedas among themselves. The votaries of Vashkala Samhita had separated from the votaries of Shakalya Samhita , the votaries of Madhyandina Samhita from Kanva Samhita and Shaunaka Samhita from Pippalada Samhita. Each regarded his own fancied text as the best and the purest and all the others as corrupt and fabricated. The many differences in the texts of the Vedas which we find today took their birth in these evil times (pp. 105-106). (8) The same authority goes on to say: Besides these, parts of Brahmana Granthas have also been added to the Vedas, which the discerning reader can detect at once. The Atharva-Veda is in the same plight. Our doctors of theology should ponder over the situation. That a religious book should be in such a sad state is very regrettable (op. cit. p. 10). (9) Further on he writes: It has already been pointed out that we have at present two versions of the Atharva-Veda. One is Pippalada Samhita , the other Shaunaka Samhita. Of the two the Pippalada Samhita is the more reliable. But this has not been pointed out, nor has Sayanacharya written a commentary on it. Printed copies of the Shaunaka Samhita are available in three different editions issued by