A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, so far as it illustrates the Primitive Religion of the Brahmans c10.45

c10.45

The whole construction of these hymns is clearly artificial. They share the character of the hymns which we find in the Sâma and Yajur-vedas, being evidently composed for sacrificial purposes. Nevertheless, we find these artificial hymns in seven out of the ten Maṇḍalas, in I., II., III., V., VII., IX., X. This proves a previous agreement among the collectors. For some reason or other, each family wished to have its own Âprî hymn, a hymn which had to be recited by the Hotṛ priest, previous to the immolation of certain victims¹, and such a hymn was inserted, not once for all in the Sanhitâ, but ten times over. Some of the verses in the Âprî hymns are mere repetitions, and even families so hostile to each other as the Vasisṭhas and Viśvâmitras have some verses in common in these Âprî hymns. But, if on one side the presence of the Âprî hymns in different Maṇḍalas proves a certain advance of the ceremonial system in the Mantra period, and the influence of a priestly society even in the first collection of the hymns; it proves likewise, that the traditional distribution of the Maṇḍalas among various Vedic families is not a merely arbitrary arrangement. These families insisted on having each their own Âprî hymn recorded, and whereas for the general ceremonial, as fixed in the Brâhmaṇas and Sûtras, the family of the poet of certain hymns employed at the sacrifices, is never taken into account, we find an exception made in favour of the Âprî hymns. If a verse of Viśvâmitra is once fixed by the Brâhmaṇas and Sûtras as part of any of the solemn sacrifices, no sacrificer, even if he were of the family of the Vasisṭhas, would have a right to replace that verse by another. But with regard to the Âprî hymns that liberty is conceded. The Aitareya-brâhmaṇa records this fact in the most general form.¹ “Let the priest use the Âprîs according to the Rishi. If he uses the Âprîs according to the Rishi, he does not allow the sacrificer to escape from the relationship of that Rishi.” Âśvalâyana enters more into details.² He says that those who belong to the Śunakas, should use the hymn of Gṛitsamada; those who belong to the Vasisṭhas, that of Vasisṭha. The Âprî hymn of Râma or Jamadgni he allows to be used by all families, (excepting the Śunakas and Vasisṭhas) but, he adds, that each family may choose the Âprî hymn of its own Rishi. How this is to be done is explained in a Śloka, ascribed to Śaunaka.³ He ascribes the first Âprî hymn to the Kaṇvas; the second to the Angiras’, with the exception of the Kaṇvas; the third to the Agastis; the fourth to the Śunakas; the fifth to the Viśvâmitras; the sixth to the Atris; the seventh to the Vasisṭhas; the eighth to the Kaśyapas; the ninth to the Badhryaśvas; the tenth to the Bhrigus, with the exception of the Śunakas and Badhryaśvas.⁴