ब्राह्मण

wonderpluginslider id63 The name 8216Veda8217 is given to the vast body of literature made up of Mantra and Brahmana So far we have been referring mostly to Mantras which constitute the Samhita portion of the Veda now we go to the Brahmanas Brahmanas are most important among several other texts which were composed in ancient times to explain the difficult meaning and secret knowledge of the Vedic Samhitas 1 Meaning of the Term 8216Brahmana8217 The word Brahmana in neuter gender means Brahmana texts Why these literary compositions are given this name Authors of Brahmanas and their commentators have not offered any definition of this word Sayana has only said in the introduction of his commentary on the Rigveda 8220Which in tradition is not a hymn or a Mantra is a Brahmana and which is not Brahmana is a Mantra8221 The term 8216Brahmana8217 has been variously interpreted by the scholars It comes from the word Brahman which means both the Veda and the Mantra 8211 8220Brahma Vai Mantrah8221 Thus the word Brahmana means 8216that which relates to Brahman or the Veda8217 It is derived from the root brih 8216to grow8217 8216to expand8217 In other words the name 8216Brahmana8217 means the explanation of a ritual by a learned priest Later this word came to mean a collection of such explanations by the priest on the science of sacrifice The Brahmanas are thus the ritual textbooks on the details of sacrifice or Yajna 2 Contents of the Brahmanas Apastamba defines Brahmanas as 8216Karmacodana Brahmanani8217 meaning Brahmanas are injunctions for the performance of sacrificial rites According to him these texts deal with the following six topicsVidhi Arthavada Ninda Prashansha Purakalpa and Parakriti Vidhi means injunctions for the performance of particular rites Arthavada comprises the numerous explanatory remarks on the meaning of Mantras and particular rites Ninda or censure consists in criticism and refutation of the opponents8217 views Prashansha means eulogy recommendation Purakalpa refers to the performance of sacrificial rites in former times Parakriti means the achievements of others The main subject of the Brahmanas is injunction Vidhi all other topics being subservient to it They may be classified differently Shabara in his commentary has summed up their subjects into ten following heads Hetu 8211 reasons Nirvacana 8211 etymology Ninda 8211 censure condemn Prashansha 8211 eulogy praise Sanshaya 8211 doubtuncertainty Vidhi 8211 injunctionsanction Parakriya 8211 featsdeeds of others Purakalpa 8211 legendary background Vyavadharana8211 Kalpana 8211 managerial application Upamana 8211 illustration Yajna is not only sacrifice In Brahmanas we find it as symbolic also Here it often represents the knowledge of creation and thus describes the secrets of creation 3 Classification of the Brahmanas Originally there were numerous Brahmanas of which only a few have survived to us There are a number of lost Brahmanas which are quoted in the available Sanskrit LiteratureFor each Samhita there are corresponding Brahmanas Names of the principal Brahmanas of all the Vedas are listed here A Rigveda Aitareya Brahmana Kaushitaki Sankhayana Brahmana B Shuklayajurveda Shatapatha Brahmana C KrishnaYajurveda Taittiriya Brahmana D Samaveda Tandya Brahmana Shadvinsha Brahmana Samavidhana Brahmana Arsheya Brahmana Daivata Devatadhyaya Brahmana Upanishad Brahmana Samhitopanishad Brahmana Vamsha Brahmana Jaiminiya Brahmana JaiminiyaAsheyaBrahmana Jaiminiyopanishad Brahmana E Atharvaveda Gopatha Bramana By DrShashi Tiwari Retd Sanskrit Department Delhi University