The History of Indian Literature c8.172

c8.172

The *Shaḍviṅśa-Bráhmaṇa* by its very name proclaims itself a supplement to the Pañchaviṅśa-Bráhmaṇa. It forms, as it were, its twenty-sixth book, although itself consisting of several books. Sáyaṇa, when giving a summary of its contents at the commencement of his here excellent commentary, says that it both treats of such ceremonies as are not contained in the Pañchaviṅśa-Bráhmaṇa, and also gives points of divergence from the latter. It is chiefly expiatory sacrifices and ceremonies of imprecation that we find in it, as also short, comprehensive general rules. The fifth book (or sixth *adhyáya*) has quite a peculiar character of its own, and is also found as a separate Bráhmaṇa under the name of *Adbhuta-Bráhmaṇa*; in the latter form, however, with some additions at the end. It enumerates untoward occurrences of daily life, omens and portents, along with the rites to be performed to avert their evil consequences. These afford us a deep insight into the condition of civilisation of the period, which, as might have been expected, exhibits a very advanced phase. The ceremonies first given are those to be observed on the occurrence of vexatious events generally; then come those for cases of sickness among men and cattle, of damaged crops, losses of precious things, &c.; those to be performed in the event of earthquakes, of phenomena in the air and in the heavens, &c., of marvellous appearances on altars and on the images of the gods, of electric phenomena and the like, and of miscarriages.⁶⁶ This sort of superstition is elsewhere only treated of in the Gṛihya-Sútras, or in the Pariśishṭas (supplements); and this imparts to the last *adhyáya* of the Shaḍviṅśa-Bráhmaṇa—as the remaining contents do to the work generally—the appearance of belonging to a very modern period. And, in accordance with this, we find mention here made of Uddálaka Áruṇi, and other teachers, whose names are altogether unknown to the Pañchaviṅśa-Bráhmaṇa.—A *śloka* is cited in the course of the work, in which the four *yugas* are still designated by their more ancient names, and are connected with the four lunar phases, to which they evidently owe their origin, although all recollection of the fact had in later times died out.⁶⁷ This *śloka* itself we are perhaps justified in assigning to an earlier time than that of Megasthenes, who informs us of a fabulous division of the mundane ages analogous to that given in the epic. But it does not by any means follow that the Shaḍviṅśa-Bráhmaṇa, in which the *śloka* is quoted, itself dates earlier than the time of Megasthenes.