Let us open the books which come after the (four) Vedas in the vedic literature. These books are known as Brahmanas or brahminical literature. Majority of them explain the yaaga / yajna rituals which is practically difficult for anyone to understand without their commentaries. The books are meant for vedic scholars. Some of the brahmanas may contain different subjects also. These literature , in some cases form the continuation of the Vedas and some are separately available. Many of the information given in Brahmanas are separately available. Many of the information given in Brahmanas are the authentic references for the history of ancient India. Even some of the UGC approved history texts are /were prepared based on the descriptions given in the brahmanas (particularly satha patha brahmana and gopatha brahmana). Generally brahmanas are composed as prose mixed with veda mantrs.
The brahmanas are classified under each Veda. They are Rig vedic - sukla yajurvedic – Krishna yajurvedic – samavedic and atharva vedic brahmanas. The yaagas are performed by the vedic scholars of respective Veda sakha based on the explanations given in their respective vedic brahmanas. If I belong to Rig Veda sakha, then I am expected to perform the yaga based on the brahmanas of Rigveda. How ever all the Vedas and many Veda mantras from different sakhas will be used in every yaagas. However the chief priest and yajamana will follow the yaga karmas based on the respective brahmanas of the Vedas. As mentioned earlier there are other subjects also in this text. Number of pages, contents, descriptions methods, presentation styles, etc of each of the brahmanas vary. They also contain sometimes, social, psychological, historical, spiritual, religious, linguistic,.. subjects also.
Rigvedeeya Brahmana: Aithareya brahmana, saankhyaayana brahmana and kousheetakee brahmana are the three brahmanas of Rigveda of which aithareya and saankhyayana brahmana are available in full, where as kousheetaki brahmana is almost lost for ever.
Yajurvedeeya Brahmana: We have already discussed the brahmanas of Rigveda and now we shall move to brahmanas of Yajurveda. Most important among the brahmanas of vedic literature is Sathapatha brahmana. It is so called because it has hundred chapters. The satha patha brahmana has two versions /recensions. One having 100 chapters belonging to Vajasaneyee maadhyndina Sukla Yajurveda and the other having 104 chapters, belonging to Kanwa sakha. Both the texts resemble very much in their contents. They are also divided into 14 kaandas (parts) or 438 brahmanas (sub titles ). Generally the book gives the explanations of yaagas to be performed by the Vedic scholars belonging to the Yajurveda saakha. How ever the information when deeply and systematically analyzed, one can get lot of information on the ancient history of India. in fact many of the Indian history books quote a lot from this brahmana text.
Saamavedeeya brahmana: Now we shall go through the Sama vedeeya brahmana. There are eleven brahmanas for the Sama Veda. They are Thaandya brahmana, Jaimineeya brahmana, Upanishad brahmana, Devathaadhyaaya brahmana, Jaimineeyopanishad brahmana, Samhithopanishad brahmana Vamsabrahmana Aarsheya brahmana , Shadvimsa brahmana, Saamavidhana brahmana and Chandogya brahmana.
Atharva vedeeya brahmana: Gopatha Brahmana is the brahmana connected with Atharva Veda. It is perfectly organized in content and literary beauty. Gopatha word is said to have the meaning guptha = deep / secret and it also is said to have another meaning following the footsteps of Veda ( Go means Vedas and patha means footsteps/ pathways). So gopatha means the footsteps of Vedas. It is as big as Rig-Veda and almost similar in size with the sathapatha brahmana. It has been divided into two parts. In the first part there are five prapaatakas which is known as poorva brahmana and in the second part there are six prapatakaas which is known as uttara brahmana.
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The brahmanas are classified under each Veda. They are Rig vedic - sukla yajurvedic – Krishna yajurvedic – samavedic and atharva vedic brahmanas. The yaagas are performed by the vedic scholars of respective Veda sakha based on the explanations given in their respective vedic brahmanas. If I belong to Rig Veda sakha, then I am expected to perform the yaga based on the brahmanas of Rigveda. How ever all the Vedas and many Veda mantras from different sakhas will be used in every yaagas. However the chief priest and yajamana will follow the yaga karmas based on the respective brahmanas of the Vedas. As mentioned earlier there are other subjects also in this text. Number of pages, contents, descriptions methods, presentation styles, etc of each of the brahmanas vary. They also contain sometimes, social, psychological, historical, spiritual, religious, linguistic,.. subjects also.
Rigvedeeya Brahmana: Aithareya brahmana, saankhyaayana brahmana and kousheetakee brahmana are the three brahmanas of Rigveda of which aithareya and saankhyayana brahmana are available in full, where as kousheetaki brahmana is almost lost for ever.
Yajurvedeeya Brahmana: We have already discussed the brahmanas of Rigveda and now we shall move to brahmanas of Yajurveda. Most important among the brahmanas of vedic literature is Sathapatha brahmana. It is so called because it has hundred chapters. The satha patha brahmana has two versions /recensions. One having 100 chapters belonging to Vajasaneyee maadhyndina Sukla Yajurveda and the other having 104 chapters, belonging to Kanwa sakha. Both the texts resemble very much in their contents. They are also divided into 14 kaandas (parts) or 438 brahmanas (sub titles ). Generally the book gives the explanations of yaagas to be performed by the Vedic scholars belonging to the Yajurveda saakha. How ever the information when deeply and systematically analyzed, one can get lot of information on the ancient history of India. in fact many of the Indian history books quote a lot from this brahmana text.
Saamavedeeya brahmana: Now we shall go through the Sama vedeeya brahmana. There are eleven brahmanas for the Sama Veda. They are Thaandya brahmana, Jaimineeya brahmana, Upanishad brahmana, Devathaadhyaaya brahmana, Jaimineeyopanishad brahmana, Samhithopanishad brahmana Vamsabrahmana Aarsheya brahmana , Shadvimsa brahmana, Saamavidhana brahmana and Chandogya brahmana.
Atharva vedeeya brahmana: Gopatha Brahmana is the brahmana connected with Atharva Veda. It is perfectly organized in content and literary beauty. Gopatha word is said to have the meaning guptha = deep / secret and it also is said to have another meaning following the footsteps of Veda ( Go means Vedas and patha means footsteps/ pathways). So gopatha means the footsteps of Vedas. It is as big as Rig-Veda and almost similar in size with the sathapatha brahmana. It has been divided into two parts. In the first part there are five prapaatakas which is known as poorva brahmana and in the second part there are six prapatakaas which is known as uttara brahmana.
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