xistence. It is often asked by Hindus as well as by
English men why these Adepts are so very unwilling to publish some
portion at least of the information they possess regarding the truths of
physical science. But, in doing so, they do not seem to perceive the
difference between the method by which they obtain their knowledge and
the process of modern scientific investigation by which the facts of
Nature are ascertained and its laws are discovered. Unless an Adept can
prove his conclusions by the same kind of reasoning as is adopted by the
modern scientist they remain undemonstrated to the outside world. It is
of course impossible for him to develop in a considerable number of
human beings such faculties as would enable them to perceive their
truth; and it is not always practicable to establish them by the
ordinary scientific method unless all the facts and laws on which his
demonstration is to be based have already been ascertained by modern
science. No Adept can be expected to anticipate the discoveries of the
next four or five centuries, and prove some grand scientific truth to
the entire satisfaction of the educated public after having discovered
every fact and law of Nature required for the said purpose by such
process of reasoning as would be accepted by them. They have to
encounter similar difficulties in giving any information regarding the
events of the ancient history of India.

However, before giving the exact date assigned to Sankaracharya by the
Indian and Tibetan initiates, we shall indicate a few circumstances by
which his date may be approximately determined. It is our humble opinion
that the Sankara Vijayams hitherto published can be relied upon as far
as they are consistent with each other regarding the general outlines of
Sankara's life. We cannot, however, place any reliance whatever upon
Anandagiri's Sankara Vijaya published at Calcutta. The Calcutta edition
not only differs in some very material points from the manuscript copies
of the same work found in Southern India, but is opposed to every other
Sankara Vijayam hitherto examined. It is quite clear from its style and
some of the statements contained therein, that it was not the production
of Anandagiri, one of the four chief disciples of Sankara and the
commentator on his Upanishad Bhashyam. For instance, it represents
Sankara as the author of a certain verse which is to be found in
Vidyaranya's Adhikaranaratnamala, written in the fourt