TRANSMISSION OF REVEALED AND NORMATIVE TEXTS IN TRANSLATIONS (Przekaz tekstow objawionych i normatywnych w tlumaczeniach, czyli praktyka zaleznego powstawania)

The transmission of revealed and normative texts through translation into different languages should not be treated as the sole preserve of each subsequent translator. A person who undertakes new translation of such a text does one's best to avoid accusation of plagiarism. Therefore, one does not only rectify mistakes and misinterpretations of one's predecessors but tries to differ on every account from all translations done earlier. The result is that readers often have at their disposal several translations differing from each other substantially. In view of the canonical character of the said texts, this creates a serious problem for the readers. It is, therefore, suggested that from time to time (once upon generation or as the need arises?) all available translations are collated and a canonical translation indicated by a representative group of specialists. With the Internet facility this could also be a continuous process underscored from time to time as indicated above. More than twenty Polish translations of the 'Nasadiya' hymn of the 'Rgveda' (X.129) have been subjected to scrutiny and a tentative canonical version suggested in order to exemplify what could be done in this regard and to initiate a debate of concerned Indologists.