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The Sacrifices of Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha (study)

by Aparna Dhar | 2016 | 61,606 words

This page relates ‘Contents of the Brahmanas of the Samaveda� of the study dealing with the Sacrifices such as Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha including their ritualistic and monarchial strata with reference to the Shatapatha-Brahmana. These Brahmanas represent a category of ancient Sanskrit texts dealing with ancient Vedic rituals and ceremonies based on the Vedas.

Contents of the 󳾲ṇas of the 峾岹

[Full title: A brief description of the contents of the 󳾲ṇa literature of the four Veda: (2): 󳾲ṇas of the 峾岹]

i) ṇḍⲹ Mahā 󳾲ṇa

The ṇḍⲹ 󳾲ṇa belongs to the 峾岹 also called Pañcaviṃsa 󳾲ṇa, because it contains of 25 books (ṻ첹). This 󳾲ṇa of the Kauthumas is also known as Prauḍa 󳾲ṇa. This is one of the oldest 󳾲ṇa and contains many old legends which are historically very important for the student of Indian mythology. This 󳾲ṇa informs us of many varieties of Soma sacrifice. It describes such sacrificial ceremonies by means of which the հٲⲹ were received in to the community of the 󳾲ṇas. The main contents of this 󳾲ṇa are ۲ܲṃh, Vistutis, Ҳ峾ⲹṇa, Ծṣṭdz, Ukthya, پٰ, ٱ岹, 󲹲, Ahins, Sattras, the հٲⲹṣṭdz (in17-1-4) form a matter of special interest.

ii) Sadviṃsa 󳾲ṇa

The Sadviṃsa 󳾲ṇa belongs to the 峾岹 is a supplement to the Pañcaviṃsa 󳾲ṇa. As it is enumerated as the twenty-sixth chapter of the Pañcaviṃsa 󳾲ṇa, therefore it is called Sadviṃsa 󳾲ṇa. It consists of five chapter or ṻ첹, each of which is further divided in to ṇḍ. The last ʰṻ첹 is called Adbhuta 󳾲ṇa. The Adbhuta 󳾲ṇa is small and separate work, which is later added to the Sadviṃsa 󳾲ṇa. This 󳾲ṇa deals with the performances of Գپ첹 to silence the ups and downs caused by earth-quakes, untimed proclamation of flowers and fruits in the trees and so on. This text is important as a source of information on such beliefs and application of the 峾Բ in magical rites. The main contents of the previous chapter are as follows: Subrahmanya formula, 󾱳 (sorcery) rites, performance of Ի and some other matters relating to the Soma sacrifice and Agnihotra.

iii) Chāndogya 󳾲ṇa

The Chāndogya 󳾲ṇa of the 峾岹 otherwise called 貹Ծṣa 󳾲ṇa has ten ṻ첹. The first two ṻ첹 of this 󳾲ṇa are adopted as Mantra 󳾲ṇa, while the rest of eight ṻ첹 make the Chāndogya Upaniṣat. Each of first two ṻ첹 ruins in to eight ṇḍ. This 󳾲ṇa is no doubt, a fine collection of the mantras on ṛhⲹ-ṃs.

iv) The Jaiminīya 󳾲ṇa

This 󳾲ṇa is also known as Talavakāra 󳾲ṇa, is an important work of the īⲹ, a rare Vedic school. Like the Śatapatha 󳾲ṇa this 󳾲ṇa is a large one. It is also available to us not in all its sections. As the Jaiminīya Upaniṣat 󳾲ṇa is the part of this 󳾲ṇa, it consists of more which are again sub divided in to Գܱ첹, which are further divided in to ṇḍ.

A table is presented below to show its division and sub-division:

Գܱ첹 ṇḍ
1 18 60
2 5 15
3 7 42
4 12 28
Total 4 42 145


This 󳾲ṇa is very rich in myths and legends and also difficult because of its grammatical peculiarities and complicated details of the chanting of the 峾Բ. The described in this 󳾲ṇa are in philosophical style. According to the opinion of the critics this 󳾲ṇa is next to the Chāndogya Upaniṣat. Many Ā⾱ of the Chāndogya Upaniṣat are found in this 󳾲ṇa. The main contents of this 󳾲ṇa are as follows:

Agnihotra, Ծṣṭdz, 󲹲, Ahins, ٱ岹, Ҳ峾ⲹṇa and other Sattras. Any commentary of this 󳾲ṇa is not available.

v) The 峾vidhāna 󳾲ṇa

The 峾vidhāna 󳾲ṇa of the 峾岹 consists of three 첹ṇa named as ṛc, Atikṛcahra and ṛcti-kṛcchra. It contents are heterogeneous in nature. The sources of Vratas narrated in the ṛt and ʳܰṇa texts are found in this 󳾲ṇa. The method of 峾Բ and performance of Գپ첹 to draw out the evil effects against wealth-acquisition, destruction of the enemies and others are also explained. In addition, execution of Kāmya karmas and ʰⲹٳٲ karmas are explained here. The third ʰ첹ṇa narrate the process of 峾Բ to acquire long life, abundant wealth. The subject matter related to ūٲԲ ṛh, animal wealth, victory of the enemies in the battle, direct-vision of Gandharvas, etc are also discussed. In this way, this 󳾲ṇa absorb the depiction of various topics.

vi) The Ārṣeya 󳾲ṇa

The Ārṣeya 󳾲ṇa is another 󳾲ṇa that belongs to the 峾岹. It has only three ṻ첹 and eighty two (82) ṇḍ. The first ʰṻ첹 has (28) ṇḍ, the second one has twenty five (25) and in the third one there are twenty nine (29) ṇḍ. The first one is nearly in aphoristic style, and the later portion is in normal style. The author of this 󳾲ṇa is not mentioned anywhere. As the title indicates, it consists of the chants of various seers, like Gotamasherka, ⲹ貹󾱲, 󲹰屹Ჹ and others also.

vii) The Vaṃsa 󳾲ṇa

The 峾岹 has been passed through a linage of Āⲹ or followers. One of the eight 󳾲ṇas of the 峾岹 called Vaṃsa 󳾲ṇa mentions this lineage of Āⲹ. It contains a list of fifty three teachers, the last of whom ⲹ貹, is supposed to have received the custom from Agni. This 󳾲ṇa consists of three ṇḍ and is called a guide book of the history of ancient seers.

viii) The Devatādhyāya 󳾲ṇa

This 󳾲ṇa is the smallest 󳾲ṇa belongs to the 峾岹. It has three ṇḍ, of them the first has twenty six 첹ṇḍ, the second has eleven and the third one has twenty-five ṇḍ. The first ṇḍ gives us the description of 峾-𱹲 such as Agni, Indra, ʰ貹پ, Soma, ղṇa, Tvasta, Angirasa, ʳṣa and Saraswati. The second ṇḍ narrates the features of chando-𱹲. The third ṇḍ interpret the derivation of various Chandas. This ṇḍ is important from linguistic point of view.

ix) The Samhitaponiṣad 󳾲ṇa

This 󳾲ṇa is also a very small 󳾲ṇa consisting of five ṇḍ, describing the power of impact caused by singing the .

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