The History of Indian Literature c8.98

c8.98

The great number of myths and legends contained in both these Bráhmaṇas of the Ṛik invests them with a peculiar interest. These are not indeed introduced for their own sake, but merely with a view to explain the origin of some hymn; but this, of course, does not detract from their value. One of them, the legend of Śunaḥśepa, which is found in the second part of the Aitareya-Bráhmaṇa, is translated by Roth in the *Indische Studien*, i. 458-464, and discussed in detail, *ibid.*, ii. 112-123. According to him, it follows a more ancient metrical version. We must indeed assume generally, with regard to many of these legends, that they had already gained a rounded, independent shape in tradition before they were incorporated into the Bráhmaṇa, and of this we have frequent evidence in the distinctly archaic character of their language, compared with that of the rest of the text. Now these legends possess great value for us from two points of view: first, because they contain, to some extent at least, directly or indirectly, historical data, often stated in a plain and artless manner, but at other times disguised and only perceptible to the eye of criticism; and, secondly, because they present connecting links with the legends of later times, the origin of which would otherwise have remained almost entirely obscure.