The Sacrifices of Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha (study)
by Aparna Dhar | 2016 | 61,606 words
This page relates 鈥楽ocial and Cultural condition of the Brahmanical age鈥� 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.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Social and Cultural condition of the Brahmanical age
[Full title: A brief description of the social and cultural condition of the Brahmanical age]
It was not the aim of the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 to draw a pen picture of the contemporary society. But the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 contain various explanations on many topics from which we get an idea of the social and cultural conditions of the people in the age of the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁噑.
I) Four 痴补谤峁嘺
The four social classes were there in the age of the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉. The 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 states that there are four varnas viz. 叠谤腻丑尘补峁�, 搁腻箩补苍测补, 痴补颈艣测补 and Sudra[1]. It is also mentions in the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 that this class of division was also there among the Gods[2]. The metres also have such kind of division e.g.-骋腻测补迟谤颈 chanda is for 叠谤腻丑尘补峁�, where as Tristup is meant for 碍峁迟谤颈测补. The 叠谤腻丑尘颈苍蝉 were supreme in ritualistic and spiritual matters. They are called the Gods on the earth[3]. The 碍峁迟谤颈测补s were identified by their chariots and weapons; they are symbol of vigour and strength[4]. The 碍峁迟谤颈测补s are employer of people, protector of the 叠谤腻丑尘颈峁噑, and kills the enemies. The 叠谤腻丑尘颈峁� and the 碍峁迟谤颈测补s are interdependent to each other. The major activities of the 痴补颈艣测补s appertained in trade and agriculture. The 痴补颈艣测补s were also initiated in the Vedic study and have the right to perform some Vedic sacrifices. Among the four social classes the 厂奴诲谤补蝉 are called the most lower class in the society. They have no right to perform any Vedic sacrifices. The 厂奴诲谤补蝉 are called unfit for sacrifice. The 叠谤腻丑尘颈峁噑 and the 碍峁迟谤颈测补s never go behind the 痴补颈艣测补s and the 厂奴诲谤补蝉[5].
According to 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, the 叠谤腻丑尘颈峁� Priest and 碍峁迟谤颈测补s are regarded as complete, where as the remaining two, i.e. the 厂奴诲谤补蝉 and the 痴补颈艣测补s are incomplete[6]. Though it appears that there are class distinctions among the people of the Brahmanical age, but it was not yet very rigid. It can be ascertained by one of the records in the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 that the 叠谤腻丑尘颈峁噑 accepted the 碍峁迟谤颈测补 king Janaka as a 叠谤腻丑尘颈峁� because of his spiritual knowledge[7]. Thus in spite of the establishment of the class system, learning and enlightenment were given adequate value.
II) Four orders of life
The four orders of life viz.
- Studentship (叠谤补丑尘补肠腻谤测补).
- Domestic life (骋腻谤丑补蝉迟测补).
- Third stage of religious life (痴腻苍补辫谤补蝉迟补)
- Ascetic life (厂补苍苍测腻蝉补)[8]
Only the first two are clearly mentioned in the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉. The main dimension of the society was patriarchal family. The women鈥檚 rule was subordinate to that of the man.
Women were sometimes praised and sometimes blamed as recorded in the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 and 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺鈥�
鈥�艢r墨y膩 v膩 etad 谤耻辫补峁� yat patnaya岣モ��[9].
鈥�厂迟谤墨 v膩 e峁Ｄ� yacchirnna岣�鈥�[10]
鈥�tasm膩d apy-etarhi moghasa峁僪it膩 eva yo峁 y膩 eva...................................... n峁泃yati yo g膩yati tasmin evaita nimislatam膩 iva鈥�[11]
III) Polygamy and Polyandry
Polygamy was in vague in the Brahmanical age, but Polyandry was not there[12]. It is stated in the B峁沨ad膩ra峁噛aka Upani峁t that sage 驰腻箩帽补惫补濒办测补 has two wives by the name Maitreyee and 碍腻迟测补测补苍墨. The 惭补颈迟谤腻测补苍颈 厂补峁僪颈迟腻 also records the ten wives of Manu. According to Aitareya 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 the king 贬补谤颈艣肠丑补苍诲谤补 had hundred wives[28]. Every king was legally allowed to have four wives or queen named as 惭补丑颈蝉墨, V膩vata, Pariv峁沰t膩 and P膩l膩gali. Thus we find that polygamy was the common rule of that time but Polyandry was unknown; means one man may have many wives but one wife should not have more than one husband.
IV) Importance of the wife
The sacrificer together with his wife performed the sacrifices, though there were many sacrificial duties which were not performed by her. The wife of the sacrifice is regarded as the hind half of the sacrifice. Though she has no right to perform all the activities in the sacrifice, but there were many sacrifices which were not completed without the presence of wife of the sacrificer[13]. According to 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 the wife is one鈥檚 half and she is regarded as the husband鈥檚 friend.
The wife is called 闯腻测腻 because the husband is reborn in her in the form of a son. According to 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 a man is incomplete without wife and child -鈥淪he, the wife, in sooth is one half of his own self; hence, as long as he does not obtain her, he is not re generated, for so long he is not re generated, he is incomplete. But as soon as he obtains her he is generated, for then he is complete鈥�[14].
V) Occupation, Entertainment and System of Education
Agriculture was the major occupation of the people of that time. Numerous occupations were also mentioned in the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, which indicates economic development of that time. Various arts and crafts and agriculture enabled the people to lead a settled life.
The three higher classes (叠谤腻丑尘补峁�, 碍峁迟谤颈测补, and 痴补颈艣测补) learned the Vedas as the main subject of study. Other than Veda, another subject of study was also there, as for example-滨迟颈丑腻蝉补, 笔耻谤腻峁嘺, 厂补谤辫补惫颈诲测腻, Devajanavidy膩 and others. Though these subjects were also studied but Vedic study was highly prised.
In the Brahmanical age we find initiative of scientific treatment of subjects in ancient India. The six 痴别诲腻苍驳补蝉 (厂颈蝉办腻, kalpa, Nirukta, Chanda, 痴测腻办补谤补峁嘺, 闯测辞迟颈峁), the subsidiary subjects meant for proper recitation, understanding and ritual employment of the Vedas, had their beginnings in the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉. Later on these subjects were studied much methodologically in the 痴别诲腻苍驳补 texts.
The major entertainment of that period was dice play, chariot race, music and dance. Dice play was the oldest game started from the 峁歡vedic age. Chariot race was also practised by Gods. It was also a part of the ritual called 痴腻箩补辫别测补 sacrifice. Music and dance were especially popular among women. Various musical instruments like 痴颈苍腻, Dundhubhi etc. were also used in that time.
The 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 mention the use of various metals of which gold were naturally preferred most. Ornaments made by gold and silver were also used by the people. Gold was also used as a sacrificial gift.
VI) Political Condition鈥�
Monarchy was the prevailing system of government of that age. Though there was a system of election but later on kingship became hereditary as the famous 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 gives the records of a kingdom ruled by ten generations of a dynasty. But unsuccessful king was dethroned[15].
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-br膩hma峁嘺 -V/5/4/9 鈥淐hatv膩ro vai var峁嚹乭 莯 叠谤腻丑尘补峁噊 r膩janya 痴补颈艣测补 Sudra触鈥�
[2]:
Ibid-XIV/3/2/23-25.
[4]:
Ibid-I/2/4/2 鈥湹宄蟪静贯箛a rathena ca 艣are峁嘺 ca r膩janya bandhaba触鈥�
[5]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-br膩hma峁嘺 -VI/4/4/13 鈥淣a kad膩cana 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉cca k峁triyascca 惫补颈蝉补峁� ca s奴dra峁� ca pa艣cc膩d触鈥�
[6]:
Ibid-VI/6/3/13 鈥淎ksatriyasya v膩 purohitasya v膩 sarva峁�............................purohita 惫腻触鈥�.
[8]:
颁丑腻苍诲辞驳测补-鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 II/23, VIII/15 叠峁沨补诲腻谤补峁噛补办辞辫补苍颈峁诲-II/4/1-鈥渕aitrayey墨ti hov膩ca yaj帽avalkya udy膩syan v膩 are鈥檋amasm膩t st膩n膩tasmi hanta Teanay膩 k膩ty膩yany膩鈥檔ta峁� karav膩n墨ti触鈥�
[9]:
罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补-br膩hma峁嘺-III/9/4/7-8
[10]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-br膩hma峁嘺-XI/4/3/2
[11]:
Ibid-III/2/4/6
[12]:
[13]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-br膩hma峁嘺-I/9/2/3
[15]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-br膩hma峁嘺-XII/9/3/1-鈥淒u峁ａ弓ar墨turhapau峁僺膩ya峁嘺|Da艣apuru峁 r膩jj膩y膩d....................................apururudhu|触鈥�