Bruhat Katha kosha

Author(s): Harishen Acharya,
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 38

INTRODUCTION
other, Rituals and worship, as well as devotion and meditation, are primarily associated with the first and gradually get embodied in the second Particular doctrines, dogmas and teachings constitute the Scripture which in turn glorifies the Divinity and edifies the Hero. The Hero represents or is inspired by the Divinity; he has inherited or come to possess the knowledge of the Scripture; and being a successful follower of the religion, his doings are an example for others. These three are interdependent and gradually contribute to the detailed evolution of religion and religious literature. The growth of Indian literature fully testifies to this general procedure.
Apart from its theoretical and mystical elements, religion, so far as it has grown on the Indian soil, has constantly attempted to evolve and propagate certain ethical standards for the good behaviour of man as a constituent of the society. Thus religion has also played the role of the norm of good behaviour for the guidance of which some objective criteria were necessary. They were put in various forms: they may be the instructions of the Divinity inherited from times immemorial; they may be the sanctions of the old Scriptures; and they may be the preachings and examples of the Heroes of the past. It is in the last tendency that we can trace the ante. cedents of the epic poetry, heroic legends and didactic tale in India, which began moderately but assumed massive magnitude as time passed on.
The songs of Rgveda can hardly be called popular poetry, but they had their origin, in the majority of cases, in the priestly circles. As a favourite of the deities addressed and as the custodian of the sacrificial cult elaborated, the priest is always trying to stand above the people, though not outside. Thus he is not altogether immune from the influence of popular traditions and devoid of appeal to the people at large. Vedic poetry has preserved many an interesting tale to narrate. We are told how that militant Indra destroys the demons like Vrtra and removes drought and darkness. Various myths are told about the twin Aśvins who are succouring divinities. The priest, who possesses a correct knowledge of the sacrifice, has these gods in his power: thus the priest only strengthens his hands and the cult of sacrifice by glorifying the various divinities that are said to bestow so much wellbeing on the people. The so-called Akhyāna hymns are ancient mythological ballads containing narrative and dramatic elements. It is here that we come across the dialogue between Purūravas and Urvasi and the passionate conversation between Yama and Yami; the former, however, is elaborately immortalised in later Indian literature. The Dänastutis have preserved to us lavish praise bestowed on those donors who showered their bounty on the priests; and it is quite likely that some of these patrons of sacrifices were historical persons, though unluckily we know nothing beyond their names.
As we pass on to the Brāhmaṇas, which present a dreary reading
t of their priestly twaddle about theology and sacrifice, their chief human interest is that they contain many myths and legends. They present