The History of Indian Literature c8.228

c8.228

The *Yajurveda*, to which we now turn, is distinguished above the other Vedas by the great number of different schools which belong to it. This is at once a consequence and a proof of the fact that it became pre-eminently the subject of study, inasmuch as it contains the formulas for the entire sacrificial ceremonial, and indeed forms its proper foundation; whilst the Ṛigveda prominently, and the Sámaveda exclusively, devote themselves to a part of it only, viz., to the Soma sacrifice. The Yajurveda divides itself, in the first place, into two parts, the *Black* and the *White Yajus.* These, upon the whole, indeed, have their matter in common; but they differ fundamentally from each other as regards its arrangement. In the Saṃhitá of the Black Yajus the sacrificial formulas are for the most part immediately followed by their dogmatic explanation, &c., and by an account of the ceremonial belonging to them; the portion bearing the name of Bráhmana differing only in point of time from this Saṃhitá, to which it must be viewed as a supplement. In the White Yajus, on the contrary, the sacrificial formulas, and their explanation and ritual, are entirely separated from one another, the first being assigned to the Saṃhitá, and their explanation and ritual to the Bráhmaṇa, as is also the case in the Ṛigveda and the Sámaveda. A further difference apparently consists in the fact that in the Black Yajus very great attention is paid to the Hotar and his duties, which in the White Yajus is of rare occurrence. By the nature of the case in such matters, what is undigested is to be regarded as the commencement, as the earlier stage, and what exhibits method as the later stage; and this view will be found to be correct in the present instance. As each Yajus possesses an entirely independent literature, we must deal with each *separately.*