Eshwar Chunder Sarma
‘Notes’ on the Sanscrit College
1.
The creation of an enlightened Bengali Literature should be the first
object of those who are entrusted with the superintendence of Education in
Bengal.
2.
Such a Literature cannot be formed by the
exertions of those who are not competent to collect the materials form European
sources and to dress them in elegant expressive idiomatic Bengali.
3.
An elegant, expressive and idiomatic Bengali
style cannot be at the command of those who are not good Sanscrit scholars.
Hence the necessity of making Sanscrit scholars well versed in the English
language and literature.
4.
Experience proves that mere English scholars
are altogether incapable of expressing their ideas in elegant and idiomatic
Bengali. They are so much anglicised that it seems at present almost impossible
for them, even if they make sanscrit their after study, to express their ideas
in an idiomatic and elegant Bengali style.
5.
It is very clear then that if the students of
the Sanscrit College be made familiar with English Literature, they will prove
the best and ablest contributors to an enlightened Bengali Literature.
6.
Our next question is what sort of Instruction
in the Sanscrit college is necessary for the purpose?
7.
The students of the Sanscrit College should be
thoroughly instructed in Grammar and Literature - the latter including poems,
dramas and prose works.
8.
In Rhetoric, they should be instructed in two
or three capital works, such as Kavya Prakasha and two or three chapters of
Sahitya Darpana.
9.
The study of these, that is Grammar, Literature
and Rhetoric will enable the students to acquire a complete mastery of the
Sanscrit Language.
10.
In Law they should study the following works :
the Institutes of Manu, Mitakshara Sec. II Vivada ... Dayabhaga Dattakamimunsa
and Duttakachundrika. the study of these is sufficient to make one conversant
with the Hindu Laws current in almost every part of India.
11.
In mathematics, Lilavati and Vijaganita are the
text books. Lilavati treats of arithmetic and mensuration and Vijaganita of
Algebra. These two works are very meagre and from a curious perversion of
Ingenuity and obsessed of a right sense of real value and object of such
studies, the author has made them so difficult by putting the rules and
questions all in verse that the students cannot go through them in less than
three or four years. The examples are very few. The fact is, the study of
Sansrit mathematics is not only nearly useless in itself, but it interferes
largely with other studies and engrosses a great deal of time and labor which
might be employed in far more useful pursuits.
12.
Hence the study of mathematics in Sanscrit
should be discontinued.
13.
It is not to be understood from this that I
undervalue a knowledge of Mathematics as an essential element of a complete
education. Far from it. I wish to substitute the pursuit of it in English,
whence in less than half the time now given to it an intelligent student will
acquire more than double the amount of sound information that be could obtain
by the most perfect acquaintance of all that exists in the Sanscrit language in
the subject.
14.
There are six prominent schools in Hindu
Philosophy namely Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Patanjala, Vedanta and Mimansa.
The Nyaya system of philosophy principally treats of Logic and Metaphysics and
occasionally touches upon subjects of Chemistry, Optics, Mechanics etc. The
same description applies more or less to the other systems respecting Mimansa
and Patanjala which treat, the former of religious ceremonies and the latter of
abstract contemplation of the Deity.
15.
As to the utility of the study of these in a
college course I should quote the words of my report dated the 16th, December
1850.
16.
‘True it is that the most part of the Hindu
system of Philosophy do not tally with the advanced ideas of modern times, yet
it is undeniable that to a good Sanscrit scholar their knowledge is absolutely
required. By the time that the students come to the Darshana or Philosophy
class their acquirements in English will enable them to study the modern
philosophy of Europe. Thus they shall have ampler opportunity of comparing the
system of philosophy of their own, with the new philosophy of Western World.
Youngmen thus educated will be letter able to expose the errors of ancient
Hundu Philosophy than if they were to derive their knowledge of philosophy
simply from European sources. One of the principal reasons why I have ventured
to suggest the study of all the prevalent systems of philosophy in India is
that the student will clearly see that the propounds of different systems have
attacked each other and have pointed out each others errors and fallacies. Thus
he will be able to judge for himself. His knowledge of European Philosophy
shall be to him an invaluable guide to the understanding of the merits of the
different systems.
17.
Another advantage is that students so prepared
wishing to transfer the philosophy of the West into a native dress will posses
a stock of technical word, already in some degree familiar to intelligent
natives.
18.
A profound knowledge of these is not required.
It will suffice if the students go through these works. In Nyaya Aphorisms of
Gotama and Jussumanjali; in Vaisheshika, Aphorisms of Kanada, in Sankhya,
Aphorisms of Kapila and Tutta Koumudi; in Patanjala, Aphorisms of Patanjala; in
Vedanta the Vedantasara and the I & II Books of the Aphorisms of Vyasa; in
Mimansa, Aphorism of Jaimini. In addition to this the students should read the
Sarbadarshana Sangraha being review of all the systems of Philosophy presented
in India. The study of these works will make one familiar with Hindu Philosophy
without much loss of time.
19.
The students of the Sanscrit College while they
are in the Grammar and Literature classes should direct their attention
principally to Sanscrit studies devoting two thirds of the time to the Sanscrit
and one third to the English. When they are in the Rhetoric, Law and Philosophy
classes their chief attention should be directed to English devoting two thirds
of the time to this important branch of Education.
20.
At present the following are the subjects for
the senior Scholarship Examination in the Sanscrit College; Literature,
Rhetoric, Mathematics, Law and Philosophy, Sanscrit Prose, Essays. These should
be modified Literature and Rhetoric should form our subject. Mathematics in
Sanscrit and Sanscrit essays should be dispensed with and in their stead three
branches in English namely, History, Mathematics and Natural Philosophy should
form each a subject of senior Scholarship Examination in the Sanscrit College.
Moral and Mental Philosophy, Logic and Political Economy should form also
subjects of the same examination being in turn selected every succeeding year.
21.
The English Department consisting of two
teachers is quite inadequate to fulfil the object in contemplation. Moreover
the present teachers are not sufficiently familiar with Mathematics and Natural
Philosophy. I am fully convinced that they are not the class of teachers, which
the necessities of the Sanscrit College absolutely requires. They would do well
if transferred to other Institutions where they will not be required to teach
more than the elementary portions of an educational course.
22.
This Department should therefore be remodeled
and made to consist of four efficient teachers with salaries of Rupeas 100, 90,
60 and 50 respectively. With these remuneration the services of good teachers
may be secured. This arrangement requires 300 Rupees per mensem for the English
Department.
23.
By the discontinuance of the Sanscrit
Mathematics class and the transfer of the two present teachers there will be a
saving of 250 Rupees per month, the remaining 50 Rupees should be supplied from
the funds appropriated to the Institution which are Rupees 24,000 per annum and
out of which only 19,000 and some odd hundreds are at present expended.
24.
But if the state of the Education funds would
not at present in anyway admit of this additional expense, the demand may be
supplied in other ways. There are at present two writers who copy manuscripts,
one in Bengali and one in Nagree, each receiving 16 Rs. per mensem. The
manscripts which they copy are quite useless. Manuscripts are generally very
incorrect, and every time they are copied the mistakes and omissions get at
least doubled. Thus manuscripts copied by mere copyists become almost
unintelligible. Besides, the two writers employed in the Sanscrit College can
copy in one month little more than 50 or 6 Rupees work while they draw 32
Rupees per mensem. Their services therefore should be dispensed with and the 32
Rupees will be saved. There is a Junior Scholarship of 8 Rupees per month
alloted to the English Department. If History and other branches alluded to
before be added to the Senior Scholarship Examination, there will be no use of
allotting a separate scholarship for the English Department and the 8 Rs. thus
saved together with the 32 Rs. saved by dispensing with the services of the two
writers raises the amount to Rs. 40 per month. So only 10 Rs. will be required
to be paid from the appropriated funds.
25.
When I joined the Institution at the end of
1850 the views which I entertained respecting the course of studies to be
adopted in the Sanscrit College I submitted to the council of Education in
report on the Institution. Since that time experience has made me modify my
views on some few points. This will explain why these notes disagree in a few
particulars with my report.
26.
It appears to me that unless the Sanscrit
College be remodelled according to the principles now stated, there exists no
prospect of material improvement or of fully carrying out the objects of the
Institution.
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