--- In cybalist@..., "wtsdv" <liberty@...> wrote:
> But Vishal, there's nothing at all to stop a speaker of
> an Indo-Aryan language from passing on stories passed down
> to him from his non-Indo-Aryan-speaking ancestors, about
> events that took place before the Indo-Aryan languages
> entered India. There are English speaking Americans who
> tell their children stories that were passed down to them
> from a native American great-grandparent,
VA: We are not talking of mere grandmother tales. We are talking of a
corpus that is 8-10 times the length of the Bible, and is full of
stories, mythical or otherwise.
In these tales, the Vedic Seers (that is what we call them in India,
whether you like them or note)are not merely participants, they are
often the main enactors or actors.
There are stories of why Vipas got its name (Rishi Vasishtha is
involved), why Satadru split up into a 100 channels (again Vasishtha
is involved), how the Sarasvati became muddy for an year (Vishvamitra
is involved), why the Sarasvati went underground in the desert (new
warlike barbarians from West are mentioned, and they apparently
harrass the descendants of Vedic Rishis!). Where Central Asian
influences were adopted, they are mentioned. For instance, the 3
Fires of Shrauta ritual were given to Pururava by Gandharvas (many
treat this as mythical, whereas others place Gandharvas in POK and
adjacent areas). The Soma comes from Munjavant and is distant for the
Plains IA speakers.
Instances can be multiplied. If you want to wish away these passages
and come up with your own non-verifiable speculations, the sky is the
limit. There is nothing I can disprove in your speculations, and
there is nothing you can prove.
The view that you are proposing has been expounded earlier by
Indologist Malati Shengde. She traces the legends of Mahabharata,
Ramayana, Vedic texts etc. to a pre-Aryan population with close
cultural contacts with the Middle-East. Then she proposes that IA
speakers came and surreptitiously appropriated the entire popular and
religious corpus of of the pre-Aryan population, and merely
translated it into IA tongues.
For this, Professor Witzel and Steve Farmer called her a revisionist
and lumped her with Hindu Nationalists.
When she protested in a letter that she has actually opposed Hindu
nationalists, they retorted that nevertheless she is crediting Indian
traditions with a 'hoary antiquity' and thus her views are consistent
with Hindu nationalism and their devious political agendas. Therefore
they are fair in lumping her with the 'revisionists'.
So this is the level of debate we readers in India have to contend
with - "My speculations are more holy than your facts. Your
literature is myth and fancy when compared to my linguistic dogmas,
which are perfectly objective BTW."
I do need to know BTW, what is your extent of knowledge with the
Vedic literature (not just linguistic aspects) before we proceed
ahead. For your convenience, I am listing the texts with a brief
mention of their contents (only Samhita-Brahmana-Aranyaka). Please
let me know which text(s) you would like to discuss in the view of
your speculation of IA speakers appropriating pre-Aryan legends in
toto.
Vishal
*************
1. The Rigveda Samhita
This is the oldest Vedic text, as also the largest. It comprises of
10552 mantras in 1028 hymns (=Suktas). The hymns are divided amongst
10 books called the `mandalas'. Mandala 9 has 114 hymns address to
Soma. Portions of Mandalas 1 and 10 are considered later additions.
The hymns are altogether attributed to 407 Rishis, or Sages, of which
21 are women Sages ( = Rishika). The Sages belong, in general, to 10
families, each of which has a special hymn (=Apri Sukta) associated
with them. Mandalas 2-8 are family mandalas since each of these
mandalas contains hymns predominantly from 1 major family of Vedic
seers. These families subsequently gave rise to most of the Brahmin
communities of the Hindu society. Mandala 2 is associated with
Grtsamadas, Mandala 3 is associated with Vishvamitra and his lineage,
4 with Vamadeva and related Rishis, 5 with Atris, 6 with Bharadvajas,
7 with Vasisthas. Mandala 8 has numerous hymns by Kanvas.
2. Yajurveda Samhitas:
As stated earlier, the Yajurveda has two main divisions Shukla
Yajurveda and Krishna Yajurveda. In the former, the mantra and
Brahmana portions are collected in separate texts, whereas in the
later, the two portions are found interspersed.
The extant Shukla Yajurveda Samhitas are Madhyandina and Kanva.
The extant Krishna Yajurveda Samhitas are Kathaka, Maitrayaniya,
Taittiriya (also called `Apastambi' Samhita), Kapishthala
(fragmentary) and possibly Charaka.
Of the extant Yajurveda Samhitas, the two major ones currently are
the Madhyandina and the Taittiriya.
The great sage Yajnavalkya is said to have collected and edited the
Ur-Shukla Yajurveda Samhita, called the Vajasneyi Samhita. The
Madhyandina Samhita comprises of 1975 kandikas or 3988 mantras (the
prose kandikas are split up into several mantras) arranged into 40
chapters according to the order of performance of Vedic sacrifices.
All but the last chapter (which is called the Ishavasya Upanishad)
are employed in the Vedic ritual. The Yajurveda is largely prose,
with about 700 verse mantras, most of which are directly borrowed
from the Rigveda. The Yajurveda therefore is a liturgical text, but
also contains sacrificial formulas to serve the purpose of ceremonial
religion (yaju is derived from the root "yag" to sacrifice). Coming
to the Madhyandina Samhita specifically,
· Chapters 1-2 deal with Darsapurnamasa rites,
· Chapter 3 with sacrifices performed in the morning and the
evenings, sacrifices performed very four months at the start of the
three seasons
· Chapters 4-8 with Soma sacrifices
· Chapters 9-10 with Rajasuya and Vajapeya
· Chapters 11-18 with construction of altars for yajnas
· Chapters 19-31 with Sautramani rite
· Chapters 22-25 with the Ashvamedha
· Chapters 26-29 give material supplementary to earlier chapters
· Chapters 30-39 contain mantras for novel and unique rites
like the Purushamedha, Sarvamedha, Pitrmedha and Pravargya
· Chapter 40 is the Isavasya Upanishad
Very popular in South India, the Taittiriya Samhita deals with
detailed descriptions of sacrifices like Agnishtoma, Jyotishtoma,
Vajapeya, Rajasuya, etc It is divided into 7 kandas which are further
divided into 5-8 Prapathakas each. The Taittiriya Brahmana, the
Taittiriya Aranyaka and the Taittiriya Upanishad are associated with
this Samhita. In the Yajur Veda, Vishnu becomes more important. Shiva
is also mentioned. Prajapati, the creator of the world, is identified
with Vishvakarman. Brahman comes to signify the creative principle of
the world. In general, the contents of this Samhita parallel the
Shukla Yajurveda Samhitas although exotic and special rites like the
Purushamedha are absent here.
3. The Samaveda Samhitas and Melodies:
It is purely a liturgical collection which comprises of 1875 Rks, of
which all but 75 Rks are traceable to the published Shakala Samhita
of the Rigveda. The rest are all said to occur in the Shankhayana
Samhita of the Rigveda. All these verses are set to melodies, called
the Samans. The origins of Indian classical music lies in the Sama
Veda.
The Samhita is divided into two broad divisions- Purvarchika, on
which the Gramageya and the Aranyaka samans are set, and the
Uttararchika, on which the Uha and the Uhya chants are set. The ganas
(=samans) of Gramageya and Aranyageya form the basic collection
called the Prakritigana or the archetypes of ganas, to which the
Uttaragana based on the Uttararchika is adapted. The marked
difference between the melodies of Purvarchika and Uttararchika is
that the former is constituted on a single verse basis while the
latter on units of three verses. The Uttaragana is divided into two
sections known as the Uha and the Uhya or Rahasya: the first is
adapted to the Gramageya while the second to Aranyageya. Thus the
Uttaragana closely follows the Purvagana in its structure, divisions
and notations including the melodic notes. While Purvagana forms part
of the Swadhyaya or daily recitations, like the Samhitas, which are
considered to be apaurusheya, meaning thereby that they were not
composed by the Rishis but revealed to them by Brahma, whereas the
Uttaragana was believed to have been composed by the acharyas for
liturgical purposes by adapting them to the Purvagana. Hence, they
are called Uhaganas, adapted melodies. The Uha and Uhya ganas of
Uttararchika are divided into seven divisions namely Dasharatra,
Samvatsara, Ekaha, Ahina, Sattra, Kshudra and Prayaschitta, clearly
indicating the class of sacrifices at which they are generally
executed.
The Ranayaniya Samhita is not published yet but appears to be
materially identical to the Kauthuma Sahmita, although its Samans are
quite different.
The root text of the Jaiminiyas, on which their melodies are based,
is the Jaiminiya Archika Samhita. This text runs parellel to the
Kauthuma Samhita of Samaveda, available in easily accessible
editions. The Samhita has approximately 1650 mantras and its Saman
tradition is quite different from the main Kauthuma tradition. The
Jaiminiya chants can be subdivided into 3 variations:
1. The Nambudiri chants,
2. Thanjavur/Thiruchi districts in Tamil Nadu
3· Tirunalveli district and the area close to Palaghat (Kerala)
in Tamil Nadu.
The Kauthumas have 4000 melodies, and so do the Jamiminyas. So we
have approximately 8000 melodies extant today.
4. Atharvaveda Samhita:
The two extant Samhitas of Atharvaveda are Shaunakiya and Paippalada.
The former has 5977 mantras arranged in 20 books called `kandas'
while the latter has approximately 7950 mantras arranged in as many
kandas.
This Veda offers a better insight into the actual culture and life of
the Vedic society, because of its significant `popular' content
hymns connected with wedding, agriculture, battle, medicine, domestic
ceremonies, coronation, sorcery and so on. Significantly, dozens of
hymns are also devoted to Hindu spirituality, and are often at par
with the Upanishads.
The Atharvaveda has numerous names
· Bhrgvangirasa Veda because of association with Bhrigus and
Angirases
· Atharvangirasa Veda Because of association with Atharvana
and Angirasa priests, and because of a dual nature (sorcery as well
as `shanti-pushti' rites)
· Kshatraveda because it has several hymns dealing with war,
rites of coronation and so on.
· Brahmaveda because it has several hymns dealing with
spirituality
5. Aitareya Brahmana of Rigveda:
This Brahmana is common to the Shakala and Ashvalayana shakhas of
Rigveda. It comprises of 8 groups (called `Panchikas') of 5 chapters
each. Hence, the text comprises of 40 chapters. Of these, the first
30 are presumably the composition of Rishi Mahidasa Aitareya, whereas
the last 10 chapters were added by Rishi Shaunaka. The main contents
of this text are as follows
· Chapters 1-13 deal with the duties of the Hotr priest in the
Agnishtoma sacrifice
· Chapter 14 deals with the meaning of the word `Agnishtoma'
and sundry matters
· Chapters 15-17 describe the Ukthya, Shodasha, Atiratra and
other sacrifices
· Chapter 18 contains rules for the Hotr priest
· Chapters 19-24 discuss the duties of the Hotr priest at the
twelve minor sacrifices
· Chapters 25 deals with sundry matters expiations needed to
be performed by the sacrificer, appropriate times of performing the
Agnishtoma, duties of Brahma priest
· Chapters 26-30 deal with the duties of the Gravastuta,
Subrahmanya and 6 other minor priests involved in the Soma sacrifices
· Chapters 31-40 deal with the sacrifices performed by the
Kshatriyas (e.g. Vajapeya and Rajasuya) and the mutual relationships
of Brahmanas and Kshatriyas.
6. Shankhayana Brahmana of Rigveda:
This Brahmana text comprises of 30 chapters and is still studied in
Gujarat and parts of Maharashtra. Its contents run parallel to the
Aitareya Brahmanam but its arrangement I more systematic.
7. Kausitaki Brahmana of Rigveda:
This text differs from the Shankhayana Brahmana only in a few words
and syllables here and there. The other difference is that in this
Brahmana, even the sentences are enumerated. It is prevalent only in
Kerala, where it is recited orally. Portions of the text are recited
with accents.
8. Kanva and Madhyandina Shatapatha Brahmanas of the Shukla Yajurveda:
The Madhyandina Shatapatha Brahmana is divided into 14 Kandas
containing 100 adhyayas, 68 prapathakas, 436 Brahmanas and 7179
Kandikas
The Kanva text is divided into 17 Kandas, 104 adhyayas, 435 Brahmanas
and 6806 Kandikas. Note that unlike the Madhyandina version, there is
no division into Prapathakas.
The following table lists the contents of their respective sections
Name of the Kanda
Ekapat Kanda
Haviryajna Kanda
Udhari Kanda
Adhvara Kanda
Graha Kanda
Vajapeya Kanda
Sava Kanda
Rajasuya Kanda
Ukhasambharana Kanda
Hastighata Kanda
Citi Kanda
Sagnitciti (Saciti) Kanda
Sanciti Kanda
Agnirahasya Kanda
Astadhyayi Kanda
Madhyama Kanda
Asvamedha Kanda
Pravargya Kanda
Brihadaranyaka Kanda
The Shatapatha Brahmana is perhaps the most important Brahmana text
from the perspective of Vedic studies.
9. Taittiriya Brahamana of Krishna Yajurveda: The Brahmana comprises
of 3 kandas, which are divided into 8, 8 and 12 adhyayas
respectively. The Brahmana is also sometimes divided into 8 ashtakas,
in the style of Rigveda. These adhyayas are further divided into
anuvakas or sections, which contain sentences on a particular topic.
There are a total of 17480 sentences in the Brahmana. The first kanda
of the text deals with the Agnyadhana, Gavamayana, Vajapeya, Soma,
Nakshatreshti and Rajasuya. The 2nd kanda deals with Agnihotra,
Upahomas, Sautramani, Vaisysava and others. The last kanda gives some
additional details on the Nakshatreshti, the Ashvamedha and some
parables like that of Bharadvaja, together with the Purushamedha
Yajna.
10. Vadhula Brahmana or the Anvakhyana Brahmana of Krishna Yajurveda:
It is an anu-brahmana or a minor Brahmana like work, embedded in the
Vadhula Shrautasutra. The work has not been published so far and is
in manuscript.
11. Panchavimsa Brahmana of Samaveda:
This text derives its name from the fact that it has 25 chapters
called Prapathakas, which are further subdivided into 347 sections
called `khandas'. It is also called the `Tandya Mahabrahmana' and is
the principal Brahmana text of the Kauthuma and the Ranayaniya
schools. This Brahmana deals with the employment of various Samans in
different Vedic rituals, discusses Soma sacrifices in detail, and
narrates legends about various Sages to whom different Samans were
revealed. The contents of the Brahmana are as follows
· Prapathaka I : Collection of Yajus
· Prapathakas II-III : Vistutis
· Prapathaka IV IX.2 : Various rites (Jyotishtoma, Ukthya,
Atiratra, Prakrtis of ekahas and ahinas)
· Prapathaka IX.3 IX.10 : Somaprayaschittas
· Prapathaka X XV : Dvadashaha rite
· Prapathaka XVI XIX : One day rites
· Prapathaka XX XXII: Ahina rites
· Prapathaka XXIII XXV : Longer rites i.e., the Sattras
12. Shadavimsa Brahmana of Samaveda:
As the name suggests, it is an appendix to the Panchavimsa Brahmana,
forming its 26th chapter as it were. The text deals with the
Subrahmanya litanies and with one-day abhichara (sorcery) rites. This
is a short text comprising 5 sections.
13. Samavidhana Brahmana of Samaveda:
This text comprises of 3 prapathakas. It deals with the recitation of
Samans with a view of obtaining specific fruit/results. It is
paralleled in the Rigveda tradition by a text called Shaunakiya
Rigvidhana, and in the Yajurveda tradition by Katyayaniya
Yajurvidhana.
14. Arsheya Brahmana of Samaveda:
The text is merely a kind of an Arshanukramani, or an index of Sages
connected with the Gramageya and Aranya Samans. A particular Saman
might have more than one Rishi or Sage associated with it, and these
might be different from the Sage linked to the underlying Rk on which
the Saman is sung. It is divided into 3 Prapathakas.
15. Devatadhyaya Brahmana:
It lays down the criterion for deciding the deity of the Samaganas.
16. Chhandogya Brahmana -
The Chhandogya Brahmana is a work of ten divisions
called `Prapathakas' and comprises of two parts
· Prapathakas 1-2 form the Mantra Brahmana or the Mantra Parvan
and contain mantras used in Grhya rites.
· Prapathakas 3-10 constitute the famous Chhandogya Upanishad.
Coming to the Mantra Brahmana, each of the two Prapathakas is further
subdivided into eight khandas, or sections. The entire text has 268
mantras, including the 11 additional formulae noted in the most
ancient extant commentary by Gunavishnu. These mantras are pre-
supposed by the Grhyasutras of Khadira and Gobhila, which prescribe
them for various Grhya rites. In fact, the order of the mantras on
the Mantra Brahmana parallels the corresponding rites in the
Grhyasutras, in the same order. It is as if the Grhyasutras and the
Mantra Brahmana complement each other.
17. Samhitopanishad Brahmana:
This text deals with the `secret' aspect of the Samhitas. The
collections of verses are grouped together for various purposes. It
emphasizes the responsibilities of the great tradition of the
Samaveda and the correct doctrine reflected therein, through the
chosen line of disciples. It also discusses the fee that ought to be
given to one's religious teachers.
18. Vamsa Brahmana:
This is a very short Brahmana, containing lists of ancient Samavedic
teachers.
19. Jaiminiya Brahmana:
After the Shatapatha Brahmana, this is perhaps the second most
important Brahmanas because it is a fairly long text and because it
is a storehouse of several Vedic legends and stories. The text is
divided into three main divisions called the `kandas'. The main
ritual sections of the text are Agnihotra (1.1-1.65), Agnishtoma
(1.65-1.364); Gavaayamaana (2.1-80); Ekaahas (2.81-234) or one day
Soma sacrifices; Ahinas or sacrifices lasting upto 12 days (2.235-
333); Sattras or longer sacrifices (2.334-370); Gavaayamaana (2.371-
442), Dvadashaaha (kanda 3). The last kanda has very interesting
geographical and historical information. The text as printed has
several unclear words. Although it runs parallel to the Tandya
Mahabrahmana, it is more detailed in its treatment than the latter.
The other two Brahmanas of the Jaiminiya shakha are the Jaiminiya
Arsheya Brahmana and the Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana.
20. Jaiminiya Arsheya Brahmana:
Its contents are similar to the Arsheya Brahmana of the Kauthuma
shakha, but the specific names of the two texts differ a lot. This
text names only 1 Sage per Saman, while the Kauthuma Arsheya Brahmana
often lists more than one Sage.
21. Gopatha Brahmana:
This is the only extant Brahmana of the Atharvaveda. It is divided
into two major parts Purvabhaaga and Uttarabhaaga. These in turn
are altogether divided into 11 sections called `Prapathakas'. The
Purvabhaga of the Gopatha Brahman exhibits more originality of
content in that it glorifies the Athavan and its priests. In
contrast, the Uttarabhaga follows the other Brahmanas in its content,
although it introduces legends related to other Atharvan teachers.
Embedded in the Gopatha Brahmana are Upanishad texts like the Pranava
Upanishad. According to the Atharvana Charanavyuha, the text
originally had 100 Prapathakas and was therefore much larger in
extent. Significantly, Gopatha Brahmana 1.1.29 quotes Vyasa to the
effect that he who knows the Atharvaveda knows all.
22. Aitareya Aranyaka:
It comprises of 5 Aranyakas further divided into 18 chapters. The
first three Aranyakas are ascribed to Mahidasa Aitareya, the 4th is
merely a collection of Mahanamni verses, and the fifth Aranyaka is
attributed to Ashvalayana (or sometimes, to Rishi Shaunaka).
· Aranyaka I deals with with the Mahavratas of the fundamental
duties, and with Saman-stotras meant to be sung on particular days.
· Aranyaka II.1-3 explain the meaning of `uktha' while Aranyaka
II.4-6 are the famous Aitareya Upanishad.
· Aranyaka III is a `Samhita Upanishad', i.e., it treats the
Rigveda Samhita and its various mnemonic forms as objects of
meditation and reflection. Numerous Vedic Sages are mentioned in this
section.
· Aranyaka IV is merely a collection of Mahanamni verses.
· Aranyaka V is like a Sutra text, and deals mainly with the
Nishkaivalya shastra that is recited during the afternoon ceremony
portion of the Mahavrata rite.
23. Shankhayana Aranyaka:
The text is divided into 15 chapters, and its contents are similar to
the Aitareya Aranyaka. The famous Kaushitaki Upanishad is embedded in
this text as sections III-VI.1-4. The first two chapters resemble
Brahmanas, and the last chapter is often considered a later addition.
24. Taittiriya Aranyaka:
This work comprises of 10 Prapathakas. The first two are
called `Kathakam' because they are said to have been borrowed from
the Kathaka shakha of Yajurveda.
Prapathaka 5 deals with the Pravargya rite.
Prapathakas 7-9 are the famous Taittiriya Upanishad.
Prapathaka 10 is the Mahanarayana Upanishad, or the Yajnika
Upanishad. This Prapathaka is often considered an appendix because
its extent and contents are unsettled and vary from region to region.
It is a compilation of Upanishadic matter together with miscellaneous
mantras for recitation at various occasions and for various purposes.
25. Brihadaranyaka of Shukla Yajurveda:
This text forms the 17th book of the Kanva Shatapatha Brahmana, and
the 14th book of the Madhyandina Shatapatha Brahmana. The initial 2
Prapathakas in the Madhyandina version deal with the Pravargya rite,
and the last 6 constitute the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, whose details
are beyond the scope of this webpage. In the Kanva version, the
Pravargya portions are present separately as kanda XVI.
26. Maitrayaniya Aranyaka:
This text is identical with the Maitrayaniya Upanishad in 7
Prapathakas
27. Katha Aranyaka:
It comprises of 3 Prapathakas, of which II and III largely deal with
the Pravargya rite.
28. Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana:
This text is also known as the Talavakara Aranyaka and is the only
extant Aranyaka of Samaveda. In the introduction to his commentary on
the Kena Upanishad, Shankaracharya states that the Upanishad forms
the beginning of the 9th chapter of Brahmana of that Sakha. In the
extant manuscripts, the Kena Upanishad forms the 10th Anuvaka of the
Upanishad Brahmana section, which occurs in the 4th Adhyaya of the
Jaiminiya Brahmana proper. The JUB is then followed by the Jaiminiya
Arsheya Brahmana. This Aranyaka deals with the esoteric meanings of
various Samans, and also deals with concepts that are later found in
Tantric Hinduism. It also gives spiritual interpretations of several
Rigvedic mantras.