Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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In very few cases only are we likewise able to ascertain which of
their ideas are ancient and modern. ’38
d) Custom, Ritualism and ceremonalism: Custom, ceremonialism,
and ritualism do not tag behind in claiming sanction of the sacred
scriptures. “The bridge between speculation on the one hand, and ritual
and custom on the other, is not so long in India as it is with us. Both
disciplines claim to be founded on the Veda, with nearly the same
justice in either case. ’39 The Vedas and the brahmanas, in fact,
concentrate upon sacrifice and ritual. Even the Upanisads are a mixture
of philosophy, Mantras and ritualism. The importance attached to
custom and rituals may be gauged from the fact that a separate body
of literature, the Griyasutras (which are, of course, not Mantras), deals
almost entirely with these. In the Brahmanas it is the sacrifice that is
good-compelling. 40 ‘By sacrifice’, says the Taittriya Brahmana, ‘the gods
obtain heaven. ’41 According to Atharva Veda, should sacrifice cease
for an instant to be offered, the gods would cease to send us rain, to
bring back at the appointed hour Aurora and the sun, to raise and
ripen our harvests, because they would no longer be inclined to do so
and also, as is sometimes surmised, because they could not any longer
do so. 42
The hymns of the Rig Veda take quite a strong line towards the
omission of ceremonial obligations. “Indra, who is the slayer of him,
however strong, who offers no libations.” 43 “The hostile man, the
malicious enemy, who pours out no libation to you, O Mitra and
Varuna, plants fever in his own heart…” 44 “Slay every one who offers
no oblations…” 45 “… the sacrifice shall divide the spoils of the
unsacrificing.” 46 On the other hand, even the thief the sinner, or the
malefactor, who wishes to sacrifice, is a good man. 47 Hence, the
assertion of Manu that a number of Kshatriya races sank among men
to the lowest of the four castes on account of their omission to perform
holy rites and to see the Brahmins. 48 Similarly, children, although the
offsprings of a couple in the same caste, were likely to forfeit their
caste status if the obligatory ceremonies were neglected. A special
term Vratyas was used to distinguish them from other. 49
The Path of action (Karma-marga), one of the three recognised
paths of attaining salvation, which was emphasized by the