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A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAM
stars of the Great Bear. In the Rgveda (IV. 42.8) They are numbered as seven, are associated with gods (X.109.4) and are called divine (X.130.7). The Satapatha Brāhmaṇa for the first time conceives them as the constellations of the Great Bear (2.1.2.4). In the BỊhadaranyaka Upanişad (2.2.6) they are named as Gautama, Bharadvāja, Viśvāmitra, Jamadagni, Vaśiştha, Kaśyapa and Atri. They are often referred to as the mind-born sons of Brahma and their reference is available in the Mahābhārata and the Purānas (Vāyu & Vişnu) with some difference in number going upto nine and their names also?. But none of their names is indentical with those of the PCV.
Brahmanical Rituals: The PCV reveals that Brahmin Kapila used to go to the forest every morning to gather 'Kuśa' grass, fire sticks and fruits. His abode is called Agnihotragpha (35,5,7,9,27). It indicates that every morning and evening oblations were poured into the sacred fire. The domestic fire was the essential feature of the Vedic rituals, because all the rituals for householders centred round the worship of the fire to which oblations were offered.
Deity worship: The deities which have been referred to as held in reverence by the followers of Brahmanism are Caturmukha, Indra Skanda, Rudra and Soma.
Caturmukha:-The PCV (11.72) mentions that he expounded the Yajñas (killing of animals in sacrifices) as described in the Vedas. According to the Brahmanical tradition he is the first member of the Hindu triad and the active creator of the universe. Originally he had five hands but one of them was destroyed by the fire emitting from the central eye of Śiva when the former showed disrespect to the latter. His name is not found in the Vedas and the Brāhmaṇas in which the active creator is Hiranyagarbha. According to the Rāmāyana he sprang from the ether on earth which originated from water, the first element of creation. In the Mahābhārata he is said to have sprung from the navel of Vişņu. In the Purānas he is held inferior to Vişņu and the Saiva authorities regard Mahādeva as the creator of Brahmā.3
The PCV while critisizing the persons who are not celibate, who indulge in injurious activities, but pretend to be Brāhmaṇas, refers to Skanda (khanda), Indra and Rudra (105.49) as the persons who
1. OP. Cit. J. Dowson, p. 268. 2. SRL Gr, p. 207; 3, Dowson, p.56.
