Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c31.77

c31.77

Tradition supplies some indications touching the compilation of the Veda. Although the later theory was that the Vedas issued from Brahmā's mouths at the beginning of creation (p. 30), yet other statements occur which betray some recollection of their real commencement. Thus it is said,¹ that the mantras were put together (samhita) in the Tretā age;² that the Vedas were put together at the beginning of the Tretā age and were arranged in the Dvāpara age;³ and that sacrifice (yajña) was instituted at the same time,⁴ and so dharma was constituted then.⁵ This taken literally is erroneous, because tradition suggests that the Tretā age began about Sagara's time, and most of the rishis who composed the great bulk of the hymns were much later.⁶ According to that reckoning Viśvāmitra and his sons (with whom began the real Vedic age, as mentioned above) lived towards the close of the Kṛta age, and so also Jamadagni; Ucathya, Bṛhaspati and Saṃvarta lived at its end; Dīrghatamas and the first Bharadvāja at the beginning of the Tretā, and the earliest Ātreya hymn-makers about the same time. The above statements however would be true to this extent, that the hymns composed by these rishis would have formed incipient collections (saṃhitās) among the Viśvāmitras, Bhārgavas, Āṅgirasas and Ātreyas about the commencement of the Tretā age. The alleged institution of sacrifice then agrees with the remarks above about its development soon after Bharata's time.