Brahman

BRAHMAN: THE DISCOVERY OF THE GOD OF ABRAHAM: M. M. NINAN
sacrificies grew up into religion of killing. This probably was the direct outcome of a warrior
people. Same was true of the Jewish religion. We can see the same sacrificial culture in both
these people who were essentially marauders to start with.
The Ashvamedha ritual - in which a horse is sacrificed - is described in the Rigveda, the Shukla
Yajurveda, the Taittiriya Shakha of Yajurveda, the Shatapatha Brahmana and in the Srauta-sutras
of the Aitareya Brahmana and in the Kaushtikati Brahmana of the Rigveda. In the Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad the symbolism of the sacrifice is described, with the horse symbolising the cosmos.
In the Rig Veda, there are mention of animal sacrifices,
• such as mantras for the sacrifice of a Goat in the Rig;
• the Jyotistoma sacrifice in which three animal-sacrifices are performed, namely, Agnisomiya,
Savaniya and Anubandhya. Agnisomiya was the simplest of all Soma sacrifices in which
animal sacrifice played an important part; it required that a goat be sacrificed to Agni and Soma
preceding the day of offering of nectar to the gods. In the Savaniya sacrifice, victims were
offered throughout the day of offering to Agni. In the Anubandhya sacrifice either a barren cow
or an ox was offered to Varuna and Mitra on the day of Soma sacrifice.
• The Yajurveda is considered the Veda of sacrifices and rituals, and consists of a number of
animal sacrifices,
o such as mantras and procedures for the sacrifices of a white goat to Vayu,
o a calf to Sarasvati,
o a speckled ox to Savitr,
o a bull to Indra,
o a castrated ox to Varuna and so on.
In some cases the sacrifice of a goat to Agni and Soma was replaced by Nirudha Pashu-Bandha.
This form of sacrifice is described in the Aitareya Brahmana and the Rig-Vedic Brahmanas. The rite
was performed by a man yearly or half-yearly before he ate meat. The goat was sacrificed to either
Indra, Agni, Varuna or Prajapati while a Maitravaruna priest gave directions to a Hotṛ priest to recite
the verses. The sacrificial goat had to be completely healthy and free of any disabilities.
This has brought in its reaction in the evolution of the rationalistic religions of India- Atheistic
Religions which did not practise sacrifice viz. Jainism and Buddhism. These started as a reaction
to the horror of Vedic religion and superstitions of the day. Essentially they were rationalistic
approach of life replacing superstitions of spirits that haunted the people in hills and rivers during
day and night.
There was no theistic religion in the pre - Christian era in India.
Vedic Worship
Regarding the Vedas, it is generally thought that they are very ancient and are the basis for the
development of Saivism and Vaishnavism. Before 2nd c. A.D. the languages that are seen in the
inscriptions in India are Tamil, Pali, Arthamakathi, Greek, Aramaic... but not Sanskrit. The
inscriptions of Ashoka were also in Greek, Aramaic... but not in Sanskrit.
Since the Vedas are in Sanskrit (though it may be archaic or classical Sanskrit), the earliest
Sanskrit inscription is seen only in the 2nd c.A.D. and thus the period of the Vedas cannot be
ascribed to the pre - Christian era. The basic doctrines of Saivism and Vaishnavism are not found in
the Vedas.
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