Theos-Talk Archives (February 1999 Message tt00033)

In a message dated 2/3/99 10:07:40 PM, Tony wrote:

<<Subba Row actually refers to *ancient* Sanskrit, which is most probably
rather different to Sanskrit as seen to-day?  (Like ancient Greek, is rather
different to modern Greek)?>>

Tony, 

I can't speak for truly ancient Sanskrit, meaning any Sanskrit before there
are records.  The earliest known Sanskrit is that known in the Vedas, and it
is indeed different from Classical Sanskrit.  It is not different in terms of
spelling, but in terms of complexity.  It is a fact that the more ancient
Sanskrit is far more complex than later Sanskrit, a fact which would seem to
prove HPB right that early man was more sophisticated than present
circumstances.

However, with rare exceptions spelling is the same in Vedic and in classical
Sanskrit.  What makes Vedic different is not different spellings, but far more
verbal systems and a greater vocabulary, as well as a slightly different way
of marking prepositions etc.  Greek is in the same case -- Attic Greek, or
Platonic Greek, is mostly different from modern Greek in being more complex,
retaining the subjunctive system, the aorist verbal system, etc.  

But I confess I still don't understand your point about spelling and
numerology.  I am totally open to numerological codes, but I can't see how
spelling "mistakes" (if that's what they are) can be significant.  Again, I am
not advocating changing facsimile texts, but perhaps publishing companion
study guides which would give the accepted spellings of terms, translations,
etc.  And again, I think HPB's Glossary was an attempt to do this.  I suspect
HPB would be horrified to see some of the errors that have been identified,
and had she the time, she would have corrected them herself.

Rich

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