VEDIC HINDUISM by S. W. Jamison and M. Witzel - people.fas ...

Jamison & Witzel VEDIC HINDUISM 46
The funeral hymns clearly describe cremation, though in other parts of
the RV burial seems to be indicated [cf. Keith, ERE XI, 842]. Satī seems not to
have been practiced; in fact there is evidence for levirate marriage; see Schmidt
1987.
Ancestor worship has been dealt with at length by Caland (1893) who
also wrote a comparison with the corresponding rituals of other Indo-European
peoples, especially the conservative Lithuanians (Caland 1914). Nevertheless,
the same materials still contain much that has not been used, e.g. for the
emergence for the idea of rebirth (further see below).
For the other sa�skåras so elaborately treated in the G�hya Sūtras and in
later Hindu texts we have far less evidence in earlier texts. There is essentially no
treatment in the RV of the ceremonies surrounding the birth of a child, though
the AV does contain a few appropriate hymns, e.g. one on the occasion of the
appearance of the child's first tooth -- not, interestingly enough, the occasion
for separate treatment in the G�hya Sūtras. Other G�hya observances have
received less attention, at least in a Vedic context, though the Sa�skåras (rites of
passage, see Pandey 1957) are usually treated in general works on Hinduism.
Of the Sa�skåras one that receives occasional attention from Vedicists is
the upanayana or 'initiation' of a young boy into studentship, since this event
(and the consequent period of study) make him fit to establish the fires and
perform the Śrauta rituals. The upanayana and subsequent studentship are
passed over without mention in early Vedic texts [except for PS book 20 in its
second, late part, ŚB 11, and TĀ 2, cf. also TU 1.11, Ka�hŚiU], though fully
treated in the G�hya texts, and often the mise-en-scène of the Upani�adic
dialogues, see Jolly 1897, Malamoud 1977. A detailed comparison of these
materials has, as so much in the field, not yet been carried out. The final
admonition on good behavior in adult life by a Veda teacher to his departing
student is appropriately (cf. above, Thieme on BĀU) contained in the
Upani�ads (TU 1, Ka�hŚiU, see Witzel 1979a/1980a).
The special topic of the yearly return of the Veda student to his teacher
has been discussed by Heesterman (1968a). In fact, students spent about half of
the year away from "school" -- something that had not sufficiently been paid
attention to until Falk published his book on the old Indian sodalities and on
dicing games (1986, cf. also Bollée 1981). This aspect of a young man's life, the
membership in a Männerbund, goes without comment in the G�hya texts, but
may be reflected in some earlier Vedic texts. See again by Falk 1986a, and cf. also
Wikander 1938, Heesterman, 1981, Bollée 1981. A picture of young Vedic men
quite opposite to that of a Veda student emerges: the members (vråtya) of a