Satapatha Bramhana Part 05

SR No.: 007680
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Julius Eggeling
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1900
Total Pages: 2017
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 44 MB

Page 18

xvi
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
received a very unequal treatment in the different rituals. Of the two recensions of the Brahmana of the Rig-veda priests, the Aitareya-brâhmana takes no account whatever of the Horse-sacrifice, whilst its last two books (VII, VIII)— generally regarded as a later supplement, though probably already attached to the work in Pânini's time-are mainly taken up with the discussion of the Râgasûya. The Kaushîtaki-brâhmana, on the other hand, passes over both ceremonies, their explanation being only supplied by the Sankhayana-sutra, along with that of some other sacrifices, in two of its chapters (15 and 16), composed in Brâhmana style, and said to be extracted from the Mahâ-Kaushitaki-brâhmana1. In the principal Brahmana of the Sâman priests, the Pankavimsa-brâhmana, the Asvamedha, as a trirâtra, or triduum, is dealt with in its proper place (XXI, 4), among the Ahînas, or several days' performances. As regards the Black Yagus, both the Kâthaka and the Maitrâyanî Samhitâ give merely the mantras of the Asvamedha 2, to which they assign pretty much the same place in the ritual as is done in the White Yagus. In the Taittirîya-samhitâ, on the other hand, the mantras are scattered piecemeal over the last four kândas; whilst, with the exception of a short introductory vidhi-passage, likewise given in the Samhita (V, 3, 12), the whole of the exegetic matter connected with this ceremony is contained, in a continuous form, in the Taittirîya-brâhmana (VIII and IX). Lastly, in the Vaitâna-sûtra of the Atharva-veda-doubtless a comparatively late work, though probably older than the Gopatha
1 Besides the two chapters referred to, nothing more than quotations are known of this work. Possibly, however, the difference between it and the Kaushitaki-brâhmana consisted merely of such supplements which would thus be very much of the same character as the last two paЯkikâs of the Aitareyabrahmana, except that they never became so generally recognised.
Though this circumstance seems to favour the supposition of the more recent ritualistic treatment of the Asvamedha, it may not be out of place to notice that, in the Maitrayant Samhitâ, the Asvamedha section is followed by several Brahmana sections; amongst them that of the Ragasiya which is not found in the Kathaka at all. Sat. Br. XIII, 3, 3, 6, calls the Asvamedha an 'utsannayagita'; but it is not quite clear what is meant thereby, seeing that the same term is applied to the Kâturmâsyâni, or Seasonal offerings (II, 5, 2, 48).
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