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( Astronomy ) 11. Removing demons and evil spirits from one's body 12 Inviting a god through the medium of a virgin or a mirror etc. These arts and sciences were very prevalent among Brahmins.
Indra, Agni ( fire ) Soma ( the Moon ) and Varuņa-déva were alloted a prominent place in the Vedas and Prithvi, Light, Sürya (the Sun) and Candra ( the Moon ) were kept in the back-ground. Later on the goddess Sri Devi ( the goddess of Wealth and Prosperity ) was added to the list Besides these, there were also Gandharvas Nāga-déva (Cobra ), Garuda ( feather king ) and evil spirits residing on trees in Védas, the natural elements of the world are worshipped everywere. Išāna. the terrible Śiva, Soma, Varuņa Prajapati, and Brahmā are consi. dered to be of the rank of an indra. There are Agni, Vayu Varuņa, Prajapati Visnu. Parjanya, Mitra, Sâvtrı, Pusan, Aditya, Asvin, Marut, Aditi and Diti also Buddhist Works mention only Agni, Vāyu, Varuņa, Nägarāja, Vasnu and Purjanya.
Sacrifical Rules of the Brāhmaṇas There is nothing more cruel and more abominable than the methods of propitiating god adopted by the Brâtmins in course of tine, the ideas improved gradually in coniirmity with usage, and finally they attained practical morality in the begir ning they were barbarous. The great French Scholar Sylvan Lévi, after a critical study of Easteru Religions writes - There is no place for practical morality in their Brahmin's śāstras. The way in which the Brahmins regulate their relations with the gods is only a mechanical one. It does its work by a natural effort lving hidden in the heart of Nature But 1 becomes minifest only by the magical powers of the Brahmins" The Brahmins assert that the greatness of the gods and their residence in the Heavens are caused by the devout worship with sacrificial offerings given by them to the ancient gods during their previous lives and that the gods were able to defeat their rivals-the demi-gods through the medium of sacrificial offerings, su that the demi-gods may not offer re. sistance at the doors of the Svarga (the Heavens ).
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