A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, so far as it illustrates the Primitive Religion of the Brahmans c10.7

c10.7

" Has Âśvalâyana," he says, " when composing his ceremonial Sûtras, followed the order of the Sanhitâ of the Rig-veda, or of the Brâhmaṇa? He could not have followed the order of the hymns, because he says at the beginning of his Sûtras, that first of all he is going to explain the new and full-moon sacrifices (Darśa pûrṇamâsa), while the first hymns of the Rig-veda are never used at that sacrifice. Nor does he seem to have followed the Brâhmaṇa. For the Brâhmaṇa begins with the Dîkshaṇîyâ ceremony. Here then it must be observed that the collection of hymns follows the order which is observed at the Brahmayajna and on other occasions where prayers are to be recited. It does not follow the order in which hymns are employed at the different sacrifices. Brahmayajna is the name given to the act of repeating by heart one's own sacred text or even a single verse of it, whether a Ṛich, Yajush or Sâman. This repeating of all the Ṛich, Yajush or Sâman verses is enjoined by many passages of the Brâhmaṇas, and whenever hymns are thus enjoined to be repeated, that order is to be observed in which they have been handed down by an uninterrupted tradition. But as Âśvalâyana teaches the particular employment of particular hymns, basing it upon the authority of what are termed indicative passages of the revelation, it is but natural that he can not follow the order of the hymns of the Rig-veda. The texts of the Yajur-veda, however, are given, from the first beginning, according to their order at the performance of sacrifices, and thus have Âpastamba and others proceeded in the same order in the composition of their Sûtras. As this order has once been received, it is likewise adopted in the Brahmayajna. That Âsvalâyana should explain in the first place the Darśapûrṇamâsa sacrifice, while the Brâhmaṇa begins with the Dîkshaṇîyâ sacrifice, is no objection, because the Dîkshaṇîyâ is only a modification of the Darśapûrṇamâsa, and many of its rules must be supplied from the typical sacrifice. Thus the Kalpa-sûtra of Âsvalâyana assists in teaching the performance of the sacrifice by showing the employment of the hymns. That Âsvalâyana should teach the employment of passages which do not occur in the Sanhitâ of the Rig-veda¹, is no fault, because these hymns occur in different Śâkhâs, and their employment is prescribed by a different Brâhmaṇa, so that their being mentioned can only increase the value of his Sûtras. Those who know the logic of this subject say, that there is but one sacrifice and that it is to be learnt from all the different Śâkhâs.”