History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c93.302

v7.c93.302

The 3rd class of Vedic texts are mantras. They have already been treated above (vide p. 1220, notes 1979 ff.). Some mantras also lay down an injunction as in Ṛg X. 117. 5 'pṛṇīyād-innādhamānāya-tavyān' (the strong must bestow wealth on one who begs), also the mantra 'vasantāya kapiñjalānālabhate' (Vāj S. 24. 20) cited above on p. 1221. But generally mantras are only expressive or assertive and call to mind things that are connected with the acts enjoined by vidhi-vākyas (injunctive passages). The Tantravārtika²⁰²⁰ notes that it is definitely understood that religious acts that are performed with mantras that recall to the mind the things enjoined lead to prosperity (or to *svarga*). The reader would notice how the Pūrvamīmāṁsā system came to relegate mantras to a secondary place and made them play a passive role in the sacrificial system. The Ṛgveda contained sublime prayers, but in the mīmāṁsā system the most prominent place was given to Brāhmaṇa texts, that contained almost all the *vidhis*. It has been seen above pp. 950-952 how Ṛgveda mantras are full of faith (*bhakti*) in God and fervent appeals to God after confession of sin and repentance, vide Ṛg. VII. 86. 4-6 (kim-āga āsa varuṇa jyeṣṭhaṁ &c); Ṛg. III. 39 is a hymn full of beatitude, verse 2 of which says 'this prayer (dhīḥ) born of yore in heaven, sung in the holy assembly with earnestness, dressed in pure (lit-white) and auspicious garb is ours, ancient and inherited from our forefathers'