The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads v2.c30.s17: § 17. Other Ahīna Rites

The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads v2.c30.s17

Language: English

§ 17. Other Ahīna Rites

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While the human sacrifice occupies five pressing days, the universal sacrifice, Sarvamedha,³ takes ten, and it is modelled on the offering made of himself by Brahman Svayambhu, in the beginning of things. Its relation to the human sacrifice is held to be the perfection of the former: at the human sacrifice, according to Çāṅkhāyana, the offerer gives away the kingdom with the people: at this he gives the earth away also, and in Hillebrandt's⁴ view the rite marked the act by which the king left the royal life for the ascetic, as the Buddha afterwards did. It is, however, difficult to take the offering seriously: it is based on myth, and seems no more than a purely priestly fiction: this is borne out by the fact that it is mentioned only in the latest Sūtras, though it figures in the legend of Naciketas.

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³ KÇS. xxi. 2; HÇS. xiv; ÇÇS. xvi. 15, 16; Vait. xxxviii. 10 ff.

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⁴ *Rituallitteratur*, p. 154.

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There are many other forms of the Ahīna rite, with more than one and not more than twelve pressing days, making up at most with the Upasads, &c., not over a month. The number of variations is very large indeed, and the different forms are given names, according to the families or individuals who invented or practised them. Of their make-up the most important rule is that they must end with an Atirātra rite, and in all the days of the Abhiplava and Pṛṣṭhya Ṣaḍahas are usually brought into account: of these further particulars will be given below.

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Apart, however, from mere priestly inventions, there are clear traces of popular rites: the most interesting is the Çabalihoma,⁵ performed in spring to increase the herds. The sacrificer cuts hair and beard, puts on an unused garment, lies twelve nights on an uncovered elevated spot, and drinks hot milk. The fire in his house must be kept burning: no one, save a friend to give him the directions to perform his functions, must accompany him: he must say little and keep close. On the morning of the twelfth day he offers a libation of honey and sour milk with a formula addressed to Çabalī. Before the voices of beings are heard, he goes from the village to a wood where he can hear none of the sounds of the village animals, takes a bunch of grass and cries thrice with loud voice ‘Çabalī’: if any animal other than a dog or an ass replies, his sacrifice will be successful. If no answer comes he repeats the performance a year later; if, however, at the third time there is no reply, or an ass or dog answers his first appeal, he will have no success. In the view of Henry,¹ Çabalī is the personified cloud, of varied hue, whose purpose can be expressed by the cow rich in milk. Originally a rain spell, the rite was developed for more general purposes. The Pañcaviṅça Brāhmaṇa,² however, treats Çabalī, the wonder cow, as representing Vāc, speech.

Linked texts (6)

Kātyāyanaśrautasūtra — Kātyāyana (Vājasaneyi sūtrakāra), Sanskrit
Jaiminīyabrāhmaṇa — Sanskrit
Śāṅkhāyanaśrautasūtra — Śāṅkhāyana, Sanskrit
Lāṭyāyanaśrautasūtra — Lāṭyāyana, Sanskrit
Hiraṇyakeśiśrautasūtra — Hiraṇyakeśin, Sanskrit
Vaitānaśrautasūtra — Sanskrit