The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads v1.c20.s5.22.3

v1.c20.s5.22.3

a Brahman is offered to the Brahman class, a warrior to the royal power, a Çūdra to asceticism, a thief to night, a murderer to hell.⁴ More real are offerings at the Pravargya to glory, fame, strength, and prosperity, and at the Vājapeya to rivalry and desire to succeed.⁵ It is impossible to discern any distinction between such offerings and those prescribed for such more apparently concrete deities as the asterisms, Çravaṇa, Mṛgaçiras or Açvayuj, the full moon in the months Çrāvaṇa, Mārgaçīrṣa, or Açvayuja, the autumn, the winter, the quarters, &c.⁶ At the opening of Vedic study Pāraskara⁷ lays down offerings to the earth and Agni for a student of the Rigveda, the atmosphere and Vāyu for one of the Yajurveda, the heaven and the sun in the case of the Sāmaveda, and the quarters and the moon in the case of the Atharvaveda. In all cases offering is also to be made to Brahman, the metres, Prajāpati, the gods, the seers, faith, insight, Sadasaspati, and Anumati. Āçvalāyana’s list⁸ for this occasion includes besides faith and insight, knowledge, memory, and the Sāvitrī. In the Bali offerings⁹ of the householder we find the curious admixture of concrete and abstract deities; thus Pāraskara gives as recipients Brahman, Prajāpati, the deities of the house, Kaçyapa, Anumati, these offerings being made in the fire; in the water-pot offerings are made to Parjanya, the waters, and earth;