Later Vedic Literature

Dr.Shashi Tiwari Department of Sanskrit, Maitreyi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi-110021, India [email protected]

Introduction

• Vedic literature has texts of four types • All are designated as 'Vedic' • First are Samhita texts • Each Samhita has corresponding: 1.Brahmanas, 2.Aranyakas, and 3. Upanishads 2

Four Vedic Priests

Vedic Priest is called

Ritvij

• The Rigveda deities • Yajurveda –

Hota Ritvij

in a ritual - invokes

Adhvaryu Ritvij –

offers oblations in ritual fire • Samaveda-

Udgata Ritvij-

• Atharvaveda sings Samans

Brahma Ritvij –

overall in charge of ritual 3

Two Categories Later Literature

1.

Vedic Texts-

Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads 2.

Vedangas (six subjects

)-

Shiksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta ,Chanda, Jyotisha

= Phonetics, Rituals, Grammar, Etymology, Metrics and Astronomy.

4

Purpose of Later Vedic Literature

• “After the sacred and revealed Vedic Mantra texts, • there is another class of Vedic texts, • which are closely connected with the Vedic mantras, • and are helpful for reading and understanding them”. 5

Classification of Vedic Texts

VEDA >SAMHITA > BRAHMANA > ARANYAKA > UPANISHAD

1.

Rigveda - RigvedaSamhita > Aitareya-Brahmana> Aitareya Aranyaka >Aitareya Upanishad 2.

Samaveda -Sama Samhita> Pancavisha- Brahmana> TalavakaraAranyaka >Chandogya-Upanishad 3.

Yajurveda 1.Shukla-Yajurveda>Shatapatha-Brahaman>Brihdanyaka > Ishavasya-Upanishad 2.Krishna-Yajurveda>Taittiriya-Brahaman > Taittiriya Aranyaka Taittiriya Upanishad 4.

Atharvaveda – Atharvaveda Samhita > Gopatha- Brahmana > X >Mundaka Upanishad 6

I. The Brahmanas (1)

'Veda' made up of Mantra and Brahmana 7

Brahmanas - Meaning (2)

• • The word in neuter gender means Brahmana texts.

• "Which in tradition is not a hymn or a Mantra is a Brahmana and which is not Brahmana is a Mantra".- Sayana

"Brahma Vai Mantrah

" -'that which relates to

Brahman

or the Veda'.

8

Brahmanas- Ritual books (3)

A Yajna being performed on Vedic Alter 9

Brahmanas -Contents (4)

Used for the performance of sacrificial rites Six topics given by Apastamba : • 1

. Vidhi

- injunctions for the performance of rites • 2.

Arthavada-

explanatory remarks • 3.

Ninda

- criticism, refutation of views • 4.

Prashansha-

eulogy, praise • 5.

Purakalpa

- performance of former times • 6.

Parakriti-

achievements of others 10

Brahmanas -Contents (5)

•

1. Hetu

• 2.

- reasons

Nirvacana

- etymology • 3.

• 4.

Ninda

- censure

Prashansha

- eulogy • 5.

• 6.

• 7.

• 8.

• 9.

• 10.

Sanshaya Vidhi

- doubt - injunction

Parakriya Purakalpa Vyavadharana Upamana

- deeds/feats of others - legendary background -Kalpana - managerial application - illustration. = 10 topics By Shabara 11

Brahmanas - Classification(6)

• Sixteen Brahmanas available today Rigveda : Aitareya/Kaushitaki. = 2 • • Shukla-yajurveda : Shatapatha =1 Krishna-Yajurveda : Taittiriya =1 • • Samaveda: (5) Tandya etc. =11 Atharvaveda : Gopatha = 1 12

II. Aranyakas- Nature (1)

• The concluding portions of the several Brahmanas, • But distinct category of literature, • Due to distinct character, contents and language • Aranyaka literature is rather small • Deal with philosophical speculations (

Jnana-Kanda)

13

Aranyakas - Meaning (2)

Derived from the word '

Aranya

' (forest) • The texts to be read in forest

Aranyadhyayanad-etad –aranyakam itiryate -

Sayana • Brahmanas advocate sacrifices for

Grihastha

• Aranyakas describe rituals for

Vanprasthas

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Aranyakas-Contents (3)

Main subjects :

• Theosophy (

Brahmavidya)/

Meditation (

Upasana)

/Knowledge of breath (

Pranavidya

) • Secret meaning of the sacrifices • Stories & dialogues - Maitreyi &Yajnavalkya • Bridge between

Karma-kanda (Br.) & Jnana-kanda(Up.)

• Give geographical, historical, cultural points 15

Aranyakas- Classification(4)

• • • • • Seven Aranyakas available.

Rigveda :

Aitareya/Kaushitaki -2

Samaveda :

Talavakara/ Chandogya -2

Shukla Yajurveda :

Brihadaranyaka -1

Krishna Yajurveda :

Taittiriya -2 No Aranyaka of Atharvaveda 16

III. Upanishads - Nature (1)

• Concluding part of the Veda • Called '

Vedanta'

. -

Vedasya antah

, - the conclusion (

Ant

a ), or - the goal (

Anta

) of Vedas • • Upanishads are the ripe fruits of Vedas

Jnana-Kanda

dealing with knowledge • Most popular Vedic texts in world 17

Upanishads -Meaning (2)

• Word derived from

Upa+ Ni+ Sad

(to sit) • means 'sitting very near to a teacher devotedly '. • secret teaching/ doctrine (

Rahasya/ Guhya

) • Constant association of Guru with

Antevasin

• High moral character of student (

Tapas/Yama/Niyama

) • High knowledge of Guru (

Shrotriya & Brahmanishtha

) 18

Upanishads - Number (3)

• Old Upanishads & Later Upanishads • Samhita Upanishad – Ishavasya- YU 40th • Later additions by religious sects for scriptural authority •

Allah Upanishad

, 16th A.D., time of Akbar • Generally 108 Upanishads • • Ten -Principal Upaniashads- 'Dashopanishad' : Isha, Kena, Katha , Prashna , Munda , Mandukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya, Chandogya and Brihadaranyaka - states Muktikopanishad 19

Upanishads - Division (4)

• • • • • Principal thirteen Upanishads : Rigveda : Aitareya , Kaushitaki -2 Shukla-Yajur : Brihadaranyaka ,Isha -2 Krishna-Yajur : Taittiriya , Katha, Shvetashvatara, Maitrayaniya -4 Samaveda: Chandogya, Kena - 2 Aharvaveda: Mundaka, Mandukya, Prashna -3 20

Upanishads - Theme (5)

Brahma-Vidya /Jyana- kanda • Religious and philosophical treatises • Represent knowledge of Brahman • E

kam sad vipra bahudha vadanti

' -RV • Mark the culmination of Vedic wisdom • Basically Anti-ritualistic.

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Upanishads - Importance (6)

Unique place in Indian philosophy Foundation of Vedanta philosophy Adi Shankara, Commentator of Upanishads 22

Upanishads - Importance (7)

Brahmavidya

or the knowledge of Brahman • Give importance to 'Knowledge' alone • Any one with

Jyana

A

carya

, is GREAT can be

Guru

or • Raikva instructed king Janashruti Chando.Up

• king Pravahana instructed to Gautama • Ashvapati Kaikeya instructed to five Brahmanas 23

Upanishads - Great sayings (8)

• • • •

Mahavakyas

: Establish the non-duality of Atman and Brahman

Prajnanam Brahma -

Rigveda

Aham Brahmasm Tattvamasi Ayamatma Brahma

Yajurveda - Samveda -Aharvaveda 24

IV.Vedangas –Nature (1)

Vedangas: last treatises of Vedic Literature Veda Purusha have six limbs as six Vedangas : • Chandas are His two feet, • Kalpas are His two arms, • Jyotisha are His eyes, • Nirukta is His ears, • Shiksha is His nose & • Vyakarana is His mouth. Paniniya Shiksha (41-42) 25

Vedangas –Purpose (2)

• (1)

Shiksha

or phonetics or pronunciation • (2)

Kalpa

or ritual • (3)

Vyakarana

or grammar • (4)

Nirukta

or etymology • (5)

Chandas

or meter • (6)

Jyotisha

or astronomy 26

Vedangas –Shiksha (3)

Shiksha -Nose of Veda Purusha • It means instruction: Instruction in reciting, correct pronunciation, accents • Shiksha-Sutras - texts on phonetics • Phonetics is important for Vedic language • Some

Pratishakhyas

are : Rigveda-Pratishakhya /Taittiriya-Pratishakhya / Aharvaveda-Pratishakhya 27

Vedangas –Kalpa (4)

• •

Kalpa

(ritual) - Arms of Veda Purusha • • • Systematic treatment or rituals, rules for sacrifices Four types of the Kalpasutras: —

Shrauta-sutras

Grihya-sutras,

ceremonies , dealing with

Shrauta

dealing with domestic sacrifices

Dharma-sutras,

Shulba-sutras

dealing religious, social laws , dealing measurement of altars 28

Vedangas –Vyakarana (5)

Grammar- mouth of Veda Purusha • Discuss (

Prakriti

) and suffix (

Pratyaya

) • Old Vedanga-texts on Vyakarana are lost • Aranyakas give some technical terms • Ashtadhyayi of Panini( of later period), fourteen Sutras called Maheswara Sutras, originated from Nataraja's d

amuru

sound • Vararuci –

Vartika,

Patanjali-

Bhashya

29

Vedangas –Nirukta (6)

Nirukta -ears of Veda Purusha • 'Nirukta' means 'etymology'- helps to know meaning of words • Only work survived is Nirukta of Yaska • Commentary on

Nighantu

- list of Vedic words and name of Deities • Yaska mentioned his predecessors Galava, Shakapuni, Katthakya 30

Vedangas –Chandas (7)

Chandas - Feet of Veda Purusha • Important to know Chandas of a Mantra, just as Devata • Term

Chandas

is derived from the root

Chad

(to cover) •

Chandas

covers the sense of the Mantra • Some texts, dealing with Vedic meters:

Rikpratishakhya / Shankhayana Shrauta-sutra / Nidana sutra

of Samaveda/

Chandas-sutras

of Pingala 31

Vedangas –Jyotish (8)

Jyotisha - Eye, organ of sight of Veda Purusha • It is not to teach astronomy but to fix days and time of sacrifices • It gives rules for calculating time for sacrifices • No work available of Vedic astronomy (

Jyotisha

) • Maharshi Lagadha is known as author

Vedanga Jyotisha

• Later Bhaskaracharya, Varahamihira and Aryabhatta are well known in Jyotish 32

Conclusion

• The

Anukramanis

or systematic indices and

Prishishtas

or appendices are the last portion of Vedic Literature.

• Vedic Literature is compact in all sense. • It presents varied and comprehensive wisdom of Vedic seers.

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OM

Thank You

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