The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c17.106

v1.c17.106

The conjunction of the prose explanation with the formulae does not prove the later composition of both the prose and the formulae, and there is no ground for attributing the two strata to the same date. On the other hand, the prose of the Yajurveda Saṃhitās is amongst the earliest Vedic prose. Possibly somewhat earlier may be that of the Pañchaviṃça Brāhmaṇa, which is the Brāhmaṇa of the Sāmaveda, and which, despite the extraordinary technicality of its details, is yet not without importance for the history of the civilisation of the period. The Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda are probably slightly later in date, the older being unquestionably the earlier part (books I-V) of the Aitareya, and the younger the Kaushītaki or Çāṅkhāyana¹. When the Atharvaveda, which long was not recognised as fully entitled to claim rank as a Veda proper, came within the circle of the Vedas, it was considered desirable to provide it with a Brāhmaṇa, the Gopatha, but this strange work is in part a cento from other texts, including the Çatapatha Brāhmaṇa, and appears to be later than the Kauçika and Vaitāna Sūtras attached to the Atharvaveda: its value then for this period is negligible.