Compositions on the

Sacred Wisdom

The Veda

• Veda “Sacred Knowledge”

• Compositions traditionally divided into two main categories:

Introduction

Mantra-s “the spoken word(s) as an exercise of power”

[Etymology: man- “think” + the primary suffix -tra signifying the means or instrument of the action expressed by the root: “the instrument or means of thinking”: thus any speech act that projects power: a Vedic hymn, portion of the Veda, incantation, sacrificial formula, or even a syllable]

(1) Mantra

• Compositions that explain or elucidate a (ritual) action or mantra. It may

– Explain the origin or reason of sacrificial action

– Prove their validity.

(2) Brhmaa

Brhmaa: Explanation

• “pertaining to bráhman-• Bráhman- refers to

– the fundamental and sustaining principle or power which causes ‘increase’ (i.e. fecundity), or

– (if pitch accent on –mán): That class of society, the brhmaas, who are the repositories and communicators of sacred, sacrificial knowledge

• Four types: c- ‘metrical verse’

– Sman- ‘chanted verse’

– Yajus- ‘non-metrical verses which form complete sentences

– Nigada- ‘a yajus- addressed loudly to another officiant calling upon him to perform a certain action (= praia-)

The Vedic mantra-

Mantras and Brhmaas

• Found singly or in combination in the following Vedic compositions– Sahit-s ‘collections’ or (in grammar)

‘uninterrupted texts (i.e., ‘connected speech)

– Brhmaa-s ‘pertaining to bráhman

g-veda-sahit-• Sma-veda-sahit-• Yajur-veda-sahit-• Atharva-veda-sahit-

The Four Sahit-s

g-veda-sahit-

• The oldest and most important of the sahit-s.

• Its importance is due to the content, originality, and breadth of the material

• Age: ?perhaps from 2000 to 1000 BCE• Length: 1028 hymns, 10,000 lines of

verse, 153,826 words, and 432,000 syllables.

g-veda-sahit- (2)

• The hymns are in the main addressed to a god or gods usually in a ritual context.

• The Sahit itself assumed the form of a “collection” around 600 BCE.

• The collection consists of ten “books” (maala-s or ‘cycles’)

g-veda-sahit- (3)

• The second to seventh books are composed by members of a single family

• Books 1, 8, and 10 are composed by a combination of families.

• The recension of this sahit, as well as other sahit -s and brhmaa-s, belong to a specific school (kha ‘branch’)

The Sma-veda-sahit

• This is mainly derived from the g-veda• The Kauthuma Sma-veda is divided into

two parts:– The rcika (‘collection of metrical verses or

strophes’)– Uttarrcika (‘the later or latter strophe

collection’)

The Sma-veda-sahit (2)

• There are1810 verses comprising the Sma-veda

• Only 75 are original• Three recensions exists:

– Kauthuma

– Ryanya

– Jaiminya

Yajur-veda-sahit

• “The sacred knowledge pertaining to the yajus- (non-metrical verses; sacrificial formula)

• The Yajur-veda is divided into two main parts: ukla (White) Yajur-veda: contains only yajus-

verses

– Ka (Black) Yajur-veda: also contains

explanatory material: i.e. brhmaa-s.

• Different recensions:

– White (ukla-): • Mdhyadina

• Kva

Yajur-veda-sahit (2)

• Recensions of the Black (Ka) Yajurveda– Kaha- (Khaka-) sahit – Kapihala-kaha-sahit – Maitrayanya-sahit – Taittirya-sahit

Yajur-veda-sahit (3)

Atharva-veda-sahit

• This composition originally played no role in the major sacrifices

• Its purpose was to appease, bless, and to curse.

• It was used more by domestic priests against disease, evil beings, and dangerous animals

• It was also used by the domestic priest for the promotion of marital happiness, protection, fame, and other positive results

• Only in a later portion of the Atharva-veda (Book 20) did it claim to be the fourth veda

Atharva-veda-sahit (2)

• Two recensions: aunaka

– Kamr (discovered in 1875)

Atharva-veda-sahit (3)

• These compositions are concerned with “bráhman-s”

• bráhman- ‘a power that sustains, animates and increases’. When the pitch changes to the second syllable --

brahmán- -- it refers to the ‘priest’ or the repositories and communicators of sacred knowledge.

The Brhmaas

• Explanation of the bráhman as manifested as a mántra- or any sacred knowledge bearing inherent power. Used as a collective (the brhmaa-s) or a collection of the discussions of the brahmán-s or priest-sacrificiants.

Brhmaa-: Definition

• These compositions connect the mántra with the ritual by explaining their direct mutual relation and their symbolic connection.

• Under symbolic connection we find legends, cosmogonic myths, linguistic and etymological explanations and philosophic explanation.

Brhmaas

Brhmaas of the gveda

• Aitareya Brhmaa: deals with the Soma sacrifice (agnioma)

• Kautaki Brhmaa : has a wider range of subject matter—the Setting Up of the Fire, the New and Full Moon Sacrifice, the Agnihotra, and the Soma Sacrifice.

Brhmaas of the Smaveda

• Pacavia Brhmaa: deals with the significance and types of chants (sman-s), lauds (stotra), and praises (stoma)

advia Brhmaa (Kauthuma School): a supplement to the Pacavia dealing with the Soma ritual.

Brhmaas of the Smaveda (2)

• Adbhuta Brhmaa (Chapter 6 of advia): contains portents, omens and their appeasements.

• Jaiminya Brhmaa: deals with a number

rituals and the place of sman-s, lauds, and chants in them. Much important mythological and legendary material is contained herein.

Brhmaas of the Smaveda (3)

• Smavidhna Brhmaa: composed for the purpose of achieving those ends (heaven, warding off of ‘evil’) ordinarily obtained through the great rituals (such as the Agnihotra). This is achieved by the proper arrangement (vidhna) of the sman-s.

Brhmaas of the Smaveda (4)

reya Brhmaa-: names of sman-s; this work is actually an index or table of contents (anukramaik-)

• Mantra Brhmaa-: contains household ritualistic mántra-s.

• Sahit-Upaniad-Brhmaa-: the upaniad (‘secret meaning; connection’) of the sahit or verse-chant. A text of melodies and the rewards of the chanter of these verse-chants.

Brhmaas of the Smaveda (5)

• Vaa Brhmaa: gives the lineage of the i-s—real or legendary

• Devatdhyya Brhmaa: divinities to which the sman’s are addressed. Also, the etymology of the meters and their colors.

Brhmaas of the Yajur Veda

• Taittirya Brhmaa: a major work containing mantras and explanations of a number of major rituals.

atapatha Brhmaa: another major work. This is connected to the White Yajur Veda and comes in the Mdhyandina and Kva recensions.

• Gopatha Brhmaa: a late derivative work (from the atapatha, Aitareya, and Kautaki Brhmaas

Brhmaas of the Atharva Veda

• A section of the Veda intended to offer secret instructions and explanations (presumably instruction given in the forest and not the home) given in the forest.

• These rituals emphasized the mystical or speculative aspect of certain rites.

rayakas

• Aitareya rayaka comprises a discussion of the Mahvrata rite

• Kautaki rayaka: similar to the the Aitareya rayaka in content

gveda rayakas

• Jaiminya (Talavakra) Upaniads Brhmaa (attached to the Jaiminya Brhmaa).

• Contains a discussion of O and a number of teleological myths.

Smaveda rayakas

• The Taittirya rayaka: a continuaion of

the Taittirya Brhmaa, so it is more of a

Brhmaa rather than a true rayaka.

Yajurveda rayaka (2)

• The fourth part of the Veda• Although there may be over 200

Upaniads, only about nine are Vedic– By date or– By nature.

Upaniads

• The other Upaniads are sectarian in nature for the most part.

Upaniads (2)

• Bhad-rayaka-upaniad (concluding portion of the atapatha Brhmaa: B 14.4-9 = BU): a White Yajur-vedic

work.• Chndogya Upaniad (= Mantra Brhmaa:

Chapter 3-10): Smaveda

Upaniads (3)

• Aitareya Upaniad (= Aitareya rayaka 2.4-6)

• Taittirya Upaniad (Taittirya rayaka Ch. 7-9)

• Kena Upaniad (= Jaiminya Upaniad Brhmaa)

Upaniads (4)

• Kautaki Upaniad (Kautaki Arayaka 3-6)

• Kaha Upaniad (Kaha School)

a Upaniad : belongs to the White Yajur Veda and Vjasaneyi Sahit (Chapter 40 of the Vjasaneyi Sahit

Upaniads (5)

• Mahnaryaya Upaniad (= Taittirya Arayaka Chapter 10, the last chapter)

• Late Upaniads– Maitri (Maitryaya Upaniad)– Svetvatara-Upaniad (Yajurveda) – Muaka Upaniad– Prana Upaniad– Mukya Upaniad (Atharvaveda)

Upaniads (6)