The Sacrifices of Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha (study)
by Aparna Dhar | 2016 | 61,606 words
This page relates 鈥楥ontents of the Gopatha-brahmana of the Atharvaveda鈥� of the study dealing with the Sacrifices such as Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha including their ritualistic and monarchial strata with reference to the Shatapatha-Brahmana. These Brahmanas represent a category of ancient Sanskrit texts dealing with ancient Vedic rituals and ceremonies based on the Vedas.
Contents of the Gopatha-br膩hma峁嘺 of the Atharvaveda
[Full title: A brief description of the contents of the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 literature of the four Veda: (4): 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺s of the Atharvaveda]
The Gopatha 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 is the only 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 that belongs to the Atharvaveda. In its modern part the Gopatha 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 follows 痴补颈迟腻苍补蝉奴迟谤补. It quotes from the earlier 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺s like the Aitareya 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, the Kau峁taki 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, the 艢atapatha 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, the Sadvi峁僺a 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 and others. Therefore, it is said that this 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 is exterior to 2000 B.C. The Gopatha 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 glorifies the Atharvaveda and the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 priest, who according to this 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 should be expert in the Atharvaveda.
The Gopatha 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 is extensively divided in to Purva Gopatha and Uttara Gopatha. The Purva Gopatha contains some original matters like (cosmogony, duties of a Vedic scholar and others). The Uttara Gopatha deals with the 艢谤补耻迟补 Sacrifices. The former one consists of 135 办腻峁囜笉颈办腻蝉 grouped under five 辫谤补辫腻峁环补办补蝉, and the latter one has 123 办腻峁囜笉颈办腻蝉 grouped under six 辫谤补辫腻峁环补办补蝉. This 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 is often regarded as a late composition, borrowing freely from other 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺s. This 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 describes the significance of the Atharvaveda. It also mentions that 鈥�翱尘办腻谤补鈥� have originate from the Atharvaveda.
A brief description of this 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 is enumerated below:
笔耻谤惫腻谤诲丑补:
First 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补鈥揟丑别 first 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补 deals with the description of 翱尘办腻谤补 and the greatness of goddess 骋腻测补迟谤颈.
Second 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补鈥揟丑别 second 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补 describes the discipline of Celibacy.
Third 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补鈥揇uties of four 峁歵惫颈办补蝉 and the stories relating to them found in the third 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补.
Fourth 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补鈥揟丑别 Initiation of 峁歵惫颈办补蝉 described in the fourth 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补.
Fifth 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补鈥揑n the fifth 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补 description of Prathama Samvatsara sacrifice, 础驳苍测腻诲丑补苍补, Purn膩huti, Agnihotra, Dar艣apaurnam膩sa, 颁腻迟耻谤尘腻蝉测补, 笔补艣耻产补苍诲丑补, 础驳苍颈峁ａ弓辞尘补, 搁腻箩补蝉奴测补, 痴腻箩补辫别测补, 础艣惫补尘别诲丑补, 笔耻谤耻峁尘别诲丑补, Sarvamedha sacrifices are found.
鲍迟迟补谤腻谤诲丑补:
First 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补鈥揑n the 鲍迟迟补谤腻谤诲丑补 the first 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补 deals with the description of various sacrifices like Rudra鈥檚 struggle for oblation, meat offering in the sacrifices and others.
Second and third 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补鈥揟丑别 second and the third 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补 deals with the 鈥�叠补峁迟鈥� and 鈥�贬颈苍办腻谤补鈥� description.
Last three 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补s鈥揟丑别 last three 笔谤补辫腻峁环补办补s deals with the subject matter which are to be performed at morning, afternoon and evening time during 贰办腻丑补, Ukthya and 贰办腻峁补办补.
This 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 gives derivative interpretation of various Vedic terms like 痴补谤耻峁嘺, Angira and others. Therefore, it plays an important role to show its contribution to the science of linguistics. As a whole, the Gopatha 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 is extensive one in various disciplines. No commentary of this work is available. The 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 literature that has come down to us only represents a small part of the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 literature as a whole. There are many 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺s which are not available to us, such as鈥�Caraka, Ahvaraka, Saty膩yana, 闯补产腻濒补, Haridravika and many others.