| Abel Henri Joseph Bergaigne | |
| Birth Date: | 31 August 1838 |
| Birth Place: | Vimy, Pas-de-Calais |
| Death Date: | 6 August 1888 |
| Nationality: | French |
| Occupation: | Indologist |
Abel Henri Joseph Bergaigne (31 August 1838 – 6 August 1888) was a French Indologist and scholar of Sanskrit. He wrote a number of books related to religion and philosophy. He published the beginning of a study on grammatical construction, which is regarded for its historical development. Languages included Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Germanic languages and others.[1]
Born in Vimy, Pas-de-Calais, on 31 August 1838. After his father, he took a job in Registration service; however, his rising interest in literature and science led him to abandon the job.[2]
In 1867, Bergaigne became a coach in Sanskrit. By 1877, he became a lecturer in Sorbonne, and in 1885, he was appointed as a professor of Sanskrit and comparative linguistic. Apart from Vedas, he had also translated Bhagavada Gita.[3]
He died on 6 August 1888.[4]
His interpretation of Rigveda brought him worldwide fame. He was regarded as the leading Orientalist of France[5] for his period. His work has influenced people such as Sylvain Lévi, Paul Mus, and others.[6]
One review described his book La Religion Védique D'après Les Hymnes Du Rig-Veda as "an acute, careful, and comprehensive work by an able scholar."[7]