INFLUENCE OF SANSKRIT IN T.S. ELIOTS - WASTELAND

Indian influences are scattered everywhere in the work of the British poet,critic,dramatist T.S.Eliot Eliots interest in Indian thought came large though the influence of his teachers at Howard. The most important influence in Eliots Howard days seems to have been Irving Babbitt whose thoughts were based upon the study of Pali manuscript. The most important influence in Eliot's Harvard days seems to have been Irving Babbitt whose "system of thought was based upon the study of the Pali manuscripts, the earliest authentic Buddhist documents." Eliot later commented that in Babbitt he found not merely a tutor, "but a man who directed my interests, at a particular moment, insuch a way that the marks of that direction are still evident." After studying for one year in Paris which was a centre of Sanskrit studies Eliot back at Howard in Sept 1911, studied ancient Hindu literature and scriptures for two year under the guidance of Charles Layman and also applied himself to the reading of Patanjali, Yoga Suthas under James Wood. A reading of T.S. Eliots poetry reflects the contribution and influence of the ideas and wisdom of ancient India. In his poetry references may be found to the Vedas, the Upanishad, the Bhagwat Gita, Patanjali Yoga Suthas and Buddhist literature.