The sacrificial ritual in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa

Motilal Banarsidass

1981

viii, 137 p.

Includes index. Bibliography: p. [124]-131

The Satapatha Brahmana, five volumes of commentary and speculation, written by priests participating in the ritual, has usually been passed over by scholars as too difficult to read, and merely ritualistic. This book proves that viewpoint erroneous. The author has presented three extraordinary rituals of the S. Br., the Agnistoma, the Asvamedha, and the Agnicayana in everyday language but without losing their distinctive identity as Brahmanic ritual. The S. Br. is revealed as storehouse of rituals, myths, and symbols and these were used to express the religious experiences of a highly complex culture. At the same time, because of her interest in world religions, ancient and modern, the author has been able to make comparisons between the Brahmanic material and carefully selected material from cultures other than Indian. These comparisons serve not only to deepen our understanding of the complexity of the Brahmanic experience, but also demonstrate that no comparative study of ritual or sacrifice can be complete unless the Brahmanic contribution is considered. This book also examines the profound religious experiences which were part of the ritual / sacrificial system, that very core of the Brahmanic system which when ritual lost its vitality, formed part of new developments in religious experience

Английский