A History of Indian Literature v1.c8.s6.22

v1.c8.s6.22

¹ So also *Oldenberg*, Religion des Veda, 2nd Ed., pp. 362 f. and *Keith*, HOS., Vol. 18, pp. cxxxviii, who says: "There can be no doubt that the ritual is a mere priestly invention to fill up the apparent gap in the sacrificial system which provided no place for man." *Hillebrandt* (Rituallitteratur, Grundriss III, 2, pp. 153), however, considers the Puruṣamedha to be a real human sacrifice. There can be no doubt that human sacrifices occurred in ancient India, though not in the Brahmanical cult—only survivals of it can be traced in the rite of building the brick-altar for the fire, and in the Śunaḥśepa legend—, just as cruel human sacrifices occurred even in modern times among certain sects. But this does not prove that the Puruṣamedha was such a sacrifice.