A History of Indian Literature v1.c8.s6.63

v1.c8.s6.63

Just as these exorcism-formulæ have a primitive and popular air, so we find among the riddles, which have come down to us in the Yajurveda, besides genuinely theological riddles which well deserve the technical name "Brahmodya," as they presuppose an acquaintance with Brahman or sacred knowledge, also a few old popular riddles.¹ We have already become acquainted with this certainly very ancient literary type in the Ṛgveda and in the Atharvaveda. In the Yajurveda we also learn of the occasions at which the riddle-games were customary, indeed, even formed a part of the cult. Thus we find in the Vājasaneyi-Saṃhitā in section XXIII,² a number of riddles with which the priests amused themselves at the renowned ancient horse sacrifice. A few of these remind us of our juvenile riddles, while others refer to the sacrificial mysticism of the Brāhmaṇas and the philosophy of the Upaniṣads. As examples the riddles of Vāj. XXIII, 45-48, 51, may be quoted: