Truths. Prodosh Aich
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first semester of orientation of Friedrich Maximilian is over. We apologise for taking a tiny break to look back. This was needed. There is no indication that he discusses with his mother also “to get an idea of what I should like to study.” After this Semester of orientation, he has started selecting his subjects and his academic teachers. In the Winter Semester 1841/42 he attends 10 lectures:
1 Aeschyli Persae Gottfried Hermann
2 On Criticism Gottfried Hermann
3 German Grammar P. M. Haupt
4 Walther von der Vogelweide P. M. Haupt
5 Latin Society P. M. Haupt
6 Tacitus, Agricola, and De Oratoribus P. M. Haupt
7 On Hegel Weisse
8 Disputatorium (in Latin) Nobbe
9 Modern History Wachsmuth
10 Sanskrit Grammar Hermann Brockhaus
Friedrich Maximilian continues with Greek and Latin and puts special weight on the German language, which is his vernacular, and on vernacular literature. Other subjects of his first semester he has deleted. Lectures on Aesthetics, Anthropology, Psychology and Hebrew Grammar he will not repeat at Leipzig University. Instead, he adds Modern History and Sanskrit Grammar.
We note that “Sanskrit Grammar” taught by Hermann Brockhaus in WS 1841/1842 is Friedrich Maximilian Müller’s first encounter with Sanskrit.
One year at Leipzig University has passed. Friedrich Maximilian Müller is presently 18 and half years old. There is no indication that he discusses any matters regarding the progress of his life as a student at the university with his mother or with anybody else. In his third semester (SS 1842), he has further selected his subjects. He attends the following seven lectures:
1 Pinder Gottfried Hermann
2 Nibelungen P. M. Haupt
3 Latin Society P. M. Haupt
4 Plauti Trinumus Becker
5 Arabic Grammar Fleischer
6 History of Oriental Literature Hermann Brockhaus
7 Nala Hermann Brockhaus
Obviously, Friedrich Maximilian Müller continues with Greek, Latin and German literature. He adds Arabic Grammar. Why does he add "Arabic Grammar”? Is this an indication that he has begun to develop an affinity towards “Orient” in general? “Hebrew Grammar” in his first semester we have noted. Obviously, he is not confident yet about which oriental language would suit to his interests. We raise this issue as a question because we do not get any indication from Max Müller in this regard.
Friedrich Maximilian does not know yet where “Orient” begins and how far it is stretched. It is not his personal deficiency. Europe does not know yet where “Orient” begins and how far it is stretched. Again, we apologise looking a little ahead. We shall deal with this issue in the next chapter. Moreover, how should he be able to differentiate at the age of just passed 18, if the only teacher for Sanskrit at Leipzig University, Hermann Brockhaus, mixes up “Oriental Literature” and “Sanskrit Literature”? Hermann Brockhaus does not include Arabic literature in his “Oriental Literature”. Arabic Grammar is taught, as indicated, by Professor Fleischer whose first name is not known to us. And Hermann Brockhaus does not know Arabic.
Hermann Brockhaus offers “History of Oriental Literature” and “Nala”. Nala is a tiny episode in the gigantic epic Mahabharata written in a language called Sanskrit, which was “deciphered” by the early European “Indologists” through plenty of available Arabic and Persian translations of Sanskrit literature. Hermann Brockhaus obviously uses this tiny Sanskrit Text as a follow up course of his lecture on Sanskrit Grammar.
We withdraw the term ‘early European “Indologists”’ as it might lead to misunderstandings. The term “Indology” is created in Germany only. There is no record that the language named Sanskrit has ever been taught in Europe before 1803. It was a private lesson in Paris then. Institutional teaching of the language named Sanskrit in Europe begins quite a few years later. Presently we write the year 1842. We shall deal with Sanskrit and “Indology” in separate chapters later in due course.
In our present context we put two strong marks of attention looking a little ahead. None of the protagonists teaching “Sanskrit” in Europe at the post-high school level has taken trouble to learn the Sanskrit language in India. This is number one. Secondly, none of them has ever an opportunity to hear the original sound of the language “called” Sanskrit. These “Indologists” have claimed to have learnt the language named Sanskrit all by their own self on the basis of hand written Sanskrit manuscripts only. These manuscripts were brought to Europe indiscriminately as part of the booties of European robbers in India. Is it comprehensible how it could have functioned to learn the Sanskrit language solely on the basis of these booties?
Hermann Brockhaus learnt Sanskrit from persons who believed that the ancient language called Sanskrit could be learnt by reading tiny simple episodes in Mahabharata like Nala with the help of available Arabic and Persian translations of Sanskrit texts. As already mentioned, we shall get into the language named “Sanskrit”, on “Indologists” and on Hermann Brockhaus who teaches “Sanskrit Grammar” and “Nala” at Leipzig University later in the next chapter. Here we just maintain that the knowledge of the language called Sanskrit of Hermann Brockhaus has been at best rudimentary.
Before Friedrich Maximilian Müller begins his 4th semester, i.e. WS 1842/1843, he does not try to earn his first academic degree of “Baccalaureates”. How could he? He is still in the phase of orientation. We recall here the stipulation of the then Leipzig University. The first academic degree of “Baccalaureates” can be earned after completing three semesters. No age limit is stipulated. An age limit is stipulated only for acquiring the academic degree of “Magister artium”. One has to complete his 21 years of age, at least six tightly organized semesters and having a “Baccalaureates” as the first academic degree.
It appears, however, that Friedrich Maximilian Müller intends to earn his first academic degree of “Baccalaureates” after completing his winter term. He almost doubles the number of lectures to be attended:
1 Aristophanes’ Vespac Gottfried Hermann
2 Plauti Rudens Gottfried Hermann
3 Greek Syntax Gottfried Hermann
4 Greek and Latin Seminary Hermann & Klotze
5 Latin Society P. M. Haupt
6 Juvenal Becker
7 Metaphysics and Logic Weisse
8 Philosophy of History Weisse
9 Philosophical Society Weisse
10 Philosophical Society Drobish
11 History of Indian Literature Hermann Brockhaus
12 Probodha Chandrodaya Hermann Brockhaus
Friedrich Maximilian Müller has obviously deleted his fancy for German Literature. He concentrates on Greek, Latin and Philosophy. He continues attending lectures offered by Hermann Brockhaus: History of Indian Literature and Probodha Chandrodaya. Probodha Chandrodaya is one of the dramas with allegories, originally written in the Sanskrit language, composed in a simple form, which arrived in Europe via British occupants rather accidently. When it arrived in England, it is already a translation, a translation and a translation of translations. Hermann