4501 children of the rishi Kratu. Mandala IX, a unique book inasmuch as it is almost exclusively ...

251 Pages·2011·0.87 MB·English

4501
children of the rishi Kratu.
Mandala IX, a unique book inasmuch as it is almost
exclusively devoted to a single deity, Soma. Its
arrangement is also peculiar, as the first 60 hymns are set
up in the order of diminishing length; the remainder,
however, show no signs of order.
Mandala X, differs from the other nine in subject and
language. Linguistically this tenth book belongs to a later
period than the rest, and in many respects forms a
transition to the other Vedas. Many of the hymns are highly
philosophical, some sacerdotal and legendary, others
divinatory or designed for magical purposes, including
charms for averting miscarriage, curing consumption,
securing the destruction of a rival, and so on. About a
dozzen hymns contain dialogues foreshadowing the
dramatic and epic poetry of later times. There are prayers
to the greater and lesser gods, to cows, rivers, dice and
rain. The Purusha Sukta, which makes an allusion to the
distinctions of caste, is found in this mandala, and so also
is the famous hymn of creation, commencing with the
words, 'In the beginning there was neither nought nor
aught'. Also included in this Book is the hymn on the
burning of a corpse which starts, 'Let the eye repair to the
sun, the breath to the wind. Go thou to heaven or to earth
according to thy merit'.
An interesting feature of the Rig-veda is what is
known as the samvada (conversation) hymns, about twenty
in number, scattered through the various books. They have
no specific ritualistic application and were either treated
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as ballads, or as ceremonial dramas. Many autho0rities
trace the origin of the Indian drama to the samvada hymns.
Another set of hymns, the so-called danastuti (gift-
praising), are panegyrics commemorating the generosity of
kings and other wealthy patrons towards the priests
employed by them and describing the amount and nature of
the gifts. Of late date, the danastuti hymns possess some
literary merit, and are important since they furnish
historical data about the families and genealogies of the
composers, their patrons, and the Vedic tribes. In these
hymns are to be traced the beginnings of the future epic
narratives in praise of princes and heroes of battle.
For the above descriptions, learned author had
referred to the books “Some Aspects of Ancient Indian
Culture”, Madras, 1940 by Bhandarkar, D.R., “The Hymns
of the Rig-veda”, 1889-92 by Griffith, R.T.H., “ The
Religion of the Rig-veda, Oxford”, 1923, by Griswold,
H.D., “Sacred Literature”, Landon, 1905 by Hurst, G.I.,
“The Rigveda”, Boston, 1886 by Kaegi, A., “Hymns of the
Rig-veda”, Landon 1922, by Macdonell, A.A. (Tr.), “The
Vedic Age”, London, 1951 by Majumdar, R.C. (Ed.), “The
Rigveda Hymns”, Oxford, 1891-7, by Muller, F.Max, and
Oldenberg, H. (Tr.), “Samhita of the Rigveda”, 1833, by
Stevenson, J. (Tr.), “Researches into the Antiquity of the
Vedas”, 1893, by Tilak, B.G. Orion, “The Arctic Home of
the Vedas”, Bombay, 1903 by Tilak, B.G. and “The
Rigveda”, 1859 by Wilson, H.H. (Tr.)
4113. “The Sacred Scriptures of India”, Swami
Chidatman Jee Maharaj, first published in 2009 by Anmol
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Publications Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi says that “Rigveda” consists
of 1,017 or 1,028 hymns. This contains a total of about 10,600
stanzas, which give an average of ten stanzas to each hymn. The
shortest hymn has only one stanza, while the longest has fifty-
eight. It says that the knowledge of Richas or Suktas itself is the
literal meaning of Rigveda. 'Rit' means an incantation that
contains praises and Veda means knowledge. Rigveda is the
oldest veda. It comprises of 10 Mandals, 102 Suktas and
contains 10,555 mantras.
4114. Yajurveda has been dealt with in Hindu World
(supra) Vol. II at page 613 as under:
Yajur-veda (?700-?300 BC), the second Veda,
compiled mainly from Rig-vedic hymns, but showing
considerable deviation from the original Rig-vedic text. It
also has prose passages of a later date. The Yajur-veda,
like the Sama-veda samhita (collection), introduces a
geographical milieu different from that of the Rig-veda. It
is not so much the Indus and its tributaries any more, but
the areas of the Satlej, Jamna and Ganges rivers. Along
with this we find new development of religious and social
life, an age when the Epic tribes contended for supremacy
in the Indo-Gangetic plain, and the castes were already
clearly divided. The Yajur-veda represents a transition
between the spontaneous, free-worshipping period of the
Rig-veda and the later brahmanical period when ritualism
had become firmly established.
The Yajur-veda is a priestly handbook, arranged in
liturgical form for the performance of sacrifices (yaja), as
its name implies. It embodies the sacrificial formulas in
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their entirety, prescribes rules for the construction of
altars, for the new and full-moon sacrifices, the rajasuya,
the asvamedha, and the soma sacrifices. Strict observance
of the ceremonial in every detail was insisted upon, and
deviations led to the formation of new schools, there being
over one hundred Yajur-vedic schools at the time of
Patanjali (200 BC). Much of the sakha literature grew up
out of variants of the Yajur-vedic texts.
In the Yajur-veda the sacrifice becomes so important
that even the gods are compelled to do the will of the
brahimns. Religion becomes a mechanical ritual in which
crowds of priests conduct vast and complicated ceremonies
whose effects are believed to be felt in the farthermost
heavens. Its under-lying principles were so ridden with
superstition and belief in the power of the priests to do and
undo the cosmic order itself that critics have likened their
formulas to the ravings of mental delirium. The priest
especially associated with the Yajur-vedic ceremonial was
the adhvaryu.
The Yajur-veda now consists of two samhitas, which
once existed in one hundred and one recensions. Both the
samhitas contain almost the same subject matter but
differently arranged. The Taittiriya Samhita, commonly
called the Black Yajur-veda for its obscurity of meaning,
was known in the third century BC, and is the older of the
two. It has been described as an 'undigested jumble of
different pieces', and as having 'a motley character'. In this
samhita the distinction between the Mantra and the
Brahmana portions is not as clear as in the other Vedas.
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The Vajasaneyi Samhita, or the White Yajur-veda, was
communicated to the sage Yajasaneti Samhita by the sun-
god in his equine form. It has a much more methodical
arrangement and brings order and light, as opposed to the
confusion and darkness of the Black Yajur-veda.
For the above descriptions, learned author had
referred to the book “The Texts of the White Yajur-veda”,
1899 by Griffiths, R.T.H.
4115. To “Yajurveda”, in Sacred Scriptures of India
(supra), on page 207 it says that Yajurveda inspires humans to
walk on the path of Karma and that is why it is also referred to
as Karma-Veda. The essence of the Yajurveda lies in those
mantras (incantations) that inspire people to initiate action. It
further says that there are many branches of Yajurveda but two
branches, namely, Krishna and Shukla Yajurveda have gained
relatively more prominence, i.e., Krishna Yajurveda and Shukla
Yajurveda. Besides it, it says that Yajurveda was later on named
as “Taitareya Samhita”.
4116. Samveda is discussed in Hindu World (supra) Vol.
II at page 343 as under:
Sama-veda (c. 700-300 BC) (saman, 'melody'), the
third Veda. Its samhita or principal part is wholly metrical,
consisting of 1549 verses, of which only 75 are not
traceable to the Rig-veda. The stanzas are arranged in two
books or collections of verses.
The Sama-veda embodies the knowledge of melodies
and chants. The samhita of this Veda served as a textbook
for the priests who officiated at the Soma sacrifices. It
indicates the 'tunes' to which the sacred hymns are to be
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sung, by showing the prolongation, the repetition and
interpolation of syllables required in the singing. The
Sama-veda also contains a detailed account of the soma
rites. The hierophants associated with the Sama-veda are
known as the udgatri.
Many of the invocations in the Sama-veda are
addressed to Soma, some to Agni and some to Indra. The
mantra part of the Sama-veda is poor in literary quality
and historical interest, but the Brahmanas belonging to it
are important. Of the once numerous samhitas of the Sama-
veda (the Puranas speak of a thousand) only one has
reached us, in three recensions, namely: the Kauthama,
current in Gujarat, the Ranayaniya which survives in
Maharashtra, and the Jaiminiya in the Karnatic.
For the above descriptions, learned author had
referred to the books “The Samaveda”, Banaras, 1896 by
Griffith, R.T.H.(Ed.) and “The Samaveda”, 1843 by
Stevenson, J.
4117. “Samveda” has been discussed in Vol. 2 of Sacred
Scriptures of India (supra) on page 1 and onwards and it says
that the compilation of Richas (Shlokas) is known as Sama.
Sama is dependent on the Richas. The beauty of speech lied in
the Richas. The beauty of Richas lie in the sama and the beauty
of the same lies in the style of pronunciation and singing. The
knowledge of sama, therefore, is Samaveda. This refers to
Geeta-10/22 where Sri Krishna has stated the importance of
Samaveda in the following manner :
Vedamana Samavedo Asmi meaning “I am samaveda
myself amongst the Vedas.”
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4118. There are two parts of the Samaveda (1) Purvarchik
(2) Uttararchik. In between both of them is 'Mahanamnayarchik
which comprises of 10 incantations. There are four parts of
Purvarchika Aagneya, Aendra, Paavmaan and Aasanya.
4119. Atharvaveda is considered in Hindu World (supra)
Vol. I at page 94 as under:
Atharva-Veda, the fourth Veda, of whose origin
there has been much contentious speculation. It is also
referred to as the Brahma-veda because it served as the
manual of the chief sacrificial priests, the brahmins. A
great deal is said in the Atharva-veda hymns about the
brahmins and the honours due to them. One-sixth of the
work is not metrical, and about one-six of the hymns are
also found among the hymns of the Rig-veda, mostly in the
first, eight and tenth books. The rest of the subject matter is
peculiar to the Atharva-veda, This Veda was once current
in nine different redactions, of which only two, the
Pippalada and Sunaka recensions are extant, the former in
a single unpublished 'Tubingen manuscript' discovered by
Roth.
The Atharva-veda embodies the magical formulary of
ancient India, and much of it is devoted to spells,
incantations, chants and charms. In general the charms
and spells are divided into two classes; they are either
bheshajani, which are of medicinal, healing and peaceful
nature, dealing with cures and herbs for treating fever,
leprosy, jaundice, dropsy and other diseases; this class
includes prayers for successful childbirth, love spells,
charms for fecundity, for the recovery of virility, hymns for
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the birth of sons, and a quaint chant to put the household to
sleep while the lover steals into the girl's home at night. Or
else they belong to the abhichara class, which are of a
bewitching and malevolent nature; these include spells for
producing diseases and bringing ill-luck to enemies.
Among them is a spell that a woman may use against her
rival to make her remain a spinster; another spell is meant
to destroy a man's virility, and so forth. There are hymns to
serpents and demons, and incantations replete with
witchcraft, sorcery and black magic.
One of the reputed authors of the Atharva-veda was
the rishi Atharvan, of Maga of Persian ancestry. But
certain parts, especially the verses dealing with the rites of
sorcerers and wizards were attributed to the rishi Angiras,
of pre-Aryan, probably Dravidian stock. The hymns were
said to have been collected by Sumantu, a rishi of great
antiquity who bequeathed the material to Vyasa for
arranging.
The Atharva-veda is the most interesting of the sruti,
for it has preserved to a great extent a solid core of pre-
Aryan and non-Aryan tradition. It is unique among the
texts of Vedic period and 'an important source of
information regarding popular religious belief, not so far
modified by priestly religion.' It reveals in fact a vast
substratum of indigenous doctrine that is not only non-
Vedic but at times contra-Vedic.
Scholars trace Mesopotamian influences in the
Atharva-veda, among them Dr. Bhandarkar, who discerns
in it the magical lore of the Asuras. Others see evidence of
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Vratya and Maga Doctrines. The Vishnu Purana and the
Bhavishya Purana speak of the Angiras as one of the four
Vedas of the Magas. The foreign words occurring in the
Atharva-veda, which Tilak traced to Chaldea, may have
been only strange to Sanskrit, and may well have formed
part of the regular vocabulary of the Maga priests.
For centuries the Vedid Aryans held all practitioners
of astrology in disrepute and regarded them as 'unclean',
and excluded them from the sraddha rites. They also
ostracized from their social environment those who
followed the profession of physician. Both these sciences,
be it noted, were associated with the Magas, and are
prominent in the Atharva-veda. Some authorities claim that
this Veda represents the oldest stratum of Indian liturgy and
belief, and embodies the creeds of the pre-Aryans. It thus
constitutes a record of non-Aryan aboriginal or popular
religion before the arrival of the Aryans on the scene.
For long the Atharva-veda was not included among
the other three Vedas. Although the Vedas are now said to
be four in number this was not the originally recognized
number of the compilations. Max Muller held the view that
the original division of the Vedas was a threefold one. The
oldest records refer to only three Vedas, namely, the Rig,
Sama and Yajur. Manu speaks of these as the trayi (triad)
milked out from the fire, air, and sun, and the Atharva-veda
was not even acknowledged in his time. There is no
reference to it in the Chhandogya Upanishad; the
Brahmana texts mention only three Vedas; the Jatakas
know of only three.
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This would seem to indicate not that the Atharva-
veda was non-existent at the time the other Vedas were
composed, but that it did not for several centuries form
part of the sacred scriptures of the Aryans. Of its canonical
status today it has been said that 'influential scholars of
South India still deny the genuineness of the Atharva-veda'.
For the above descriptions, learned author had
referred to books “Some Aspects of Ancient Indian
Culture”, Madras, 1940 by Bhandarkar D.R., “The
Atharvaveda”, Strassburg, 1899 by Bloomfield M., “The
Hymns of the Atharvaveda”, Oxford, 1897 by Bloomfield
M., “The Hymns of the Atharvaveds”, Banaras, 1895-96 by
Griffith R.T.H. (Tr. & Ed.), “The Atharvavedic
Civilisation”, Nagpur, 1959 by Karambelkar V.W. and
“Atharvaveda”, Cambridge, Mass., 1905 by Whitney W.D.
& Lanman C.R. (Tr.).
4120. The fourth Veda “Atharvaveda” has been discussed
in Vol. 2 of Sacred Scriptures of India (supra) on page 25 and
onwards. The meaning of the word Atharveda (Atharva) is
devoid of movement or concentration. The word Tharva means
fickleness or movement and accordingly the word “Atharva”
means that which is unwavering, concentrated or unchanging.
That is why it is said :
Tharva Gati Karma Na Tharva Eti Atharva
4121. The philosophy of Yoga speaks that:
Yogash Chitta Vritti Nirodhah, which means
controlling the different impulses of the mind and senses
in Yoga. The Gita re-iterates that when the mind is free
from impulses and flaws, the mind becomes stable and the