POLEY, Karl August Ludwig (Louis, born Karl Heinrich Koch). Hordorf, Sachsen-Anhalt 7.9.1805 (hardly 1809) — Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, Austria 14.8. 1885. German Indologist. Illegitimate son of German judicial officer Johann Friedrich Poley and, according to his own, perhaps not too reliable, account, a Frenchwoman (in fact she was Dorothea Koch). He also gave his year of birth as 1812, but this was probably because he was slightly too old to apply for an academic position (in 1867). He was educated at Gymnasium of Aschersleben, and was noted for his talent. From 1825 studies of classical philology (Beckh, Bekker, etc.), Turkish, Arabic and especially Sanskrit (Bopp) at Berlin, himself teacher of Adalbert Kuhn, who was still at school. He is said to have led unstable life and was removed from university register in 1829. Himself he claimed to have defended his thesis in 1831 and actually published a dissertation, but at least Berlin University has not conferred a doctorate to him. Then further studies from 1832 under Burnouf and Silvestre de Sacy in Paris and in 1837-41 in London and Oxford. He aspired for a career in diplomacy and for a while served in Prussian embassy in London. In 1844 he came to Bonn and published his Upaniṣad book (including the editio princeps of BĀU), based on London manuscripts. He had debts and finally became involved in a scandal with married woman, Mary Ann Miéville (1810–1877), who after divorce followed him to Germany. In vain he sought for a position and in 1847 went again to France and lived some 10 years in France, working i.al. as teacher of German and English in French schools. His planned major work about Indian religion and philosophy was not achieved.
In 1866 Poley started teaching of Indian philology at Padova, but when the Austrian university was soon closed, moved in 1867 to Vienna, where he became PD of Indian antiquities, religion and philosophy. Though recommended by —> Fr. Müller, he was not given an eo. chair and, in order to obtain his living, he also taught French at University and Technical Military Academy. He continued his Indological teaching until his death and planned a great work about Sāṁkhya philosophy. It is not quite clear, whether he married Mary Ann, but they had at least two children. Arount 1852 they separated (no formal divorce) and in Vienna Poley married an Hungarian lady, with whom he had two sons.
Poley had a checquered life and never gained much attention. According to L. von Schroeder his works on Vedānta and Upaniṣads were in fact quite good and showed his skill in explaining difficult text, but in any case they attracted little attention.
Publications: Devimahatmyam – Markandeyi Purani sectio, edidit, latinam interpretationem annotationesque adjecit. 13+132 p. B. c. 1831.
– Review of Vans Kennedy’s Researches into the Nature and Affinity of Ancient and Hindu Mythology. Jb. f. wiss. Kritik 1, 1832, 199-220.
– Translated: Oupanichats, théologie des Védas, texte sanscrit commenté par Sankara, traduit. 1-2. P. 1835-37: Kathaka-Oupanichat. Extrait de Yadjour-Véda. 39+199+40 p. P. 1835 (although not indicated in the title, also included Muṇḍaka, and Sanskrit text of both Upaniṣads and of Śaṅkara’s commentary).
– Anonymous Preface to Rosen’s posthumous Rigveda. L. 1838.
– Edited: Vrihadáran’yakam, Káthakam, Íça, Kena, Mun’d’akam oder fünf Upanishads aus dem Yagur-Sáma und Atharva-Veda. 144 p. Bonn 1844.
– Edited: Védânta-Soûtras. Philosophie des Védas, texte Sanskrit commenté par Sankara. 1. 40 p. P. 1835 (title page promises translation, but only the text part came out).
– After Rosen’s death edited his Rigveda (publ. 1838), although he did not givehis name in it.
– Yadjour Véda: Kathaka Çâkhâ ou Kathavallî. 39 p. P. 1849.
– Translated Colebrooke’s Abhandlung über die heiligen Schriften der Indier. Nebst Fragmenten der ältesten religiösen Dichtungen der Indier. 176 p. Lp. 1847.
– Ed. & transl.: “Sadánanda: Vedánta-sára”, SWA 63, 1869, 33-156.
– Articles on Oriental subjects in Revue indépendente (about Old Persian Cuneiform, with transl. of the Behistan inscription, 1848), Encyclopédie catholique, Encyclopédie nouvelle, Berliner Jahrbücher (Indological reviews).
Sources: Bihl 34f.; R. Rocher: A shunned Indologist: L.P. (1805–1885). A.K.M. 130. Vienna 2022; L. v. Schroeder, “L. P. Ein biographisches Abriss”, WZKM 30, 1917/18, 318-330, with notes by L. v. Schroeder & E. Kuhn in ZDMG 74, 1920, 220f.; Stache-Weiske 2017, 551; Windisch 94f. & 207.
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