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| *The rituals referred to in the ] concerned with medicine and healing practises, as well as black and white ]. | *The rituals referred to in the ] concerned with medicine and healing practises, as well as black and white ]. | ||
| The ] (horse sacrifice) has parallels in the ] Sintashta and ] as well as in Rome (October horse) and medieval Ireland. In India it was allegedly continued until the 4th and even the 18th century CE (Jaya Singh at Jaipur). The practice of vegetarianism may already have arisen in late Vedic times. Although in the Rigveda, the cow's description as ''aghnya'' (that which should not be killed) may refer to poetry,<ref> J. Narten, ''Acta Orientalia Neerlandica'', Leiden 1971, 120-134</ref> it is certain to be reflective of the social practice as were other practices like rituals and deity worship. Incipient change to contemporary vegetarianism is seen as early as the late Brahmanas and ] and may have continued under the influence of ] and possibly of ]. Buddhism began as a reform-movement of the Vedic religion.{{dubious}} | The ] (horse sacrifice) has parallels in the ] Sintashta and ] as well as in Rome (October horse) and medieval Ireland. In India it was allegedly continued until the 4th and even the 18th century CE (Jaya Singh at Jaipur). The practice of vegetarianism may already have arisen in late Vedic times. Although in the Rigveda, the cow's description as ''aghnya'' (that which should not be killed) may refer to poetry,<ref> J. Narten, ''Acta Orientalia Neerlandica'', Leiden 1971, 120-134</ref> it is certain to be reflective of the social practice as were other practices like rituals and deity worship. Incipient change to contemporary vegetarianism is seen as early as the late Brahmanas and ] and may have continued under the influence of ] and possibly of ]. Buddhism began as a reform-movement of the Vedic religion.{{dubious}} Buddhism emerged out of a cultural strand distinct from Vedic thought.<ref>Karel Werner, ''The Longhaired Sage'' in ''The Yogi and the Mystic.'' Karel Werner, ed., Curzon Press, 1989, page 34. "Rahurkar speaks of them as belonging to two distinct 'cultural strands' ... Wayman also found evidence for two distinct approaches to the spiritual dimension in ancient India and calls them the traditions of 'truth and silence.' He traces them particularly in the older Upanishads, in early Buddhism, and in some later literature.</ref | ||
| The Hindu rites of ] are seen since the Rgvedic period; while they are attested from early times in the ], there is a late Rigvedic reference in ].15.14, invoking forefathers "both cremated (''agnidagdhá-'') and uncremated (''ánagnidagdha-'')". | The Hindu rites of ] are seen since the Rgvedic period; while they are attested from early times in the ], there is a late Rigvedic reference in ].15.14, invoking forefathers "both cremated (''agnidagdhá-'') and uncremated (''ánagnidagdha-'')". | ||
Revision as of 19:53, 17 August 2008
- This article discusses the historical religious practices in the Vedic time period; see Hinduism and Indian religions for details of continued religious practices. See Śrauta for the continuing practice of performance of rituals by an oral passing of hymns/chants through generations.
The religion of the Vedic period (also known as Vedism or Vedic Brahmanism or, in a context of Indian antiquity, simply Brahmanism) is the historical predecessor of Hinduism. Its liturgy is reflected in the Mantra portion of the four Vedas, that are compiled in Sanskrit. The religious practices centered on a clergy administering rites that often involved sacrifices. This mode of worship is largely unchanged today within Hinduism; however, only a small fraction of conservative Shrautins continue the tradition of oral recitation of hymns learned solely through the oral tradition.
Texts dating to the Vedic period, composed in Vedic Sanskrit, are mainly the four Vedic Samhitas, but the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and some of the older Upanishads (Bṛhadāraṇyaka, Chāndogya, Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana) are also considered Vedic. The Vedas record the liturgy connected with the rituals and sacrifices performed by the 16 or 17 shrauta priests and the purohitas. According to traditional views, the hymns of the Rigveda and other Vedic hymns were divinely revealed to the rishis, who were considered "hearers" (shruti means "what is heard"), rather than "authors". However, the Rigvedic hymns clearly speak about composing new hymns by individual authors who were in competition with their colleagues and looked for "payment" by local chieftains.
The mode of worship was worship of the elements like fire and rivers, worship of heroic gods like Indra (quite similar to the Greek religion), chanting of hymns and performance of sacrifices. The priests performed the solemn rituals for the noblemen (Kshsatriya) and some wealthy Vaishyas. People prayed for abundance of children, rain, cattle (wealth), long life and an afterlife in the heavenly world of the ancestors. This mode of worship has been preserved even today in Hinduism, which involves recitations from the Vedas by a purohita (priest), for prosperity, wealth and general well-being. However, the primacy of Vedic deities has been seconded to the deities of Puranic literature.
Elements of Vedic religion reach back into Proto-Indo-Iranian times. The Vedic period is held to have ended around 500 BC, Vedic religion gradually metamorphosizing into the various schools of Hinduism, which further evolved into Puranic Hinduism. Vedic religion also metamorphosed into Buddhism, which diversified into Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, such as Tibetan Buddhism, Chinese and Japanese schools.
Rituals
Main articles: Yajurveda and yajnaSpecific rituals and sacrifices of the Vedic religion include, among others:
- The Soma cult, frequently referred to in the Rigveda and descended from a common Indo-Iranian practice.
- Fire rituals:
- The Agnihotra or oblation to Agni, a sun charm,
- The Agnicayana, the sophisticated ritual of piling the fire altar.
- The Agnistoma or Soma sacrifice
- The New and Full Moon as well as the Seasonal (Cāturmāsya) sacrifices
- The royal consecration (Rajasuya) sacrifice
- The Ashvamedha or horse sacrifice
- The Purushamedha or sacrifice of a man, imitating that of the cosmic Purusha, cf. Purusha Sukta as well as the Ashvamedha.
- The rituals referred to in the Atharvaveda concerned with medicine and healing practises, as well as black and white magic.
The Ashvamedha (horse sacrifice) has parallels in the 2nd millennium BC Sintashta and Andronovo culture as well as in Rome (October horse) and medieval Ireland. In India it was allegedly continued until the 4th and even the 18th century CE (Jaya Singh at Jaipur). The practice of vegetarianism may already have arisen in late Vedic times. Although in the Rigveda, the cow's description as aghnya (that which should not be killed) may refer to poetry, it is certain to be reflective of the social practice as were other practices like rituals and deity worship. Incipient change to contemporary vegetarianism is seen as early as the late Brahmanas and Upanishads and may have continued under the influence of Jainism and possibly of Buddhism. Buddhism began as a reform-movement of the Vedic religion. Buddhism emerged out of a cultural strand distinct from Vedic thought.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).
- the classical schools of Hindu philosophy, of which only Vedanta is extant.
- Shaivism
- Vaishnavism
- Bhakti
- Shrauta traditions, maintaining much of the original form of the Vedic religion.
Vedic Brahmanism of Iron Age India co-existed and closely interacted with the non-Vedic (nastika) Shramana traditions. These were not direct outgrowths of Vedism, but counter-movements heavily influenced by Brahmanical traditions.
Notes
- The Encyclopedia Britannica of 2005 uses all of "Vedism", "Vedic Brahmanism" and "Brahmanism", but reserves "Vedism" for the earliest stage, predating the Brahmana period, and defines "Brahmanism" as "religion of ancient India that evolved out of Vedism. It takes its name both from the predominant position of its priestly class, the Brahmans, and from the increasing speculation about, and importance given to, Brahman, the supreme power."
- J. Narten, Acta Orientalia Neerlandica, Leiden 1971, 120-134
- S. Cromwell Crawford, review of L. M. Joshi, Brahmanism, Buddhism and Hinduism, Philosophy East and West (1972): "Alongside Brahmanism was the non-Aryan Shramanic culture with its roots going back to prehistoric times."
- Y. Masih (2000) In : A Comparative Study of Religions, Motilal Banarsidass Publ : Delhi, ISBN 8120808150 Page 18. "There is no evidence to show that Jainism and Buddhism ever subscribed to vedic sacrifices, vedic deities or caste. They are parallel or native religions of India and have contributed to much to the growth of even classical Hinduism of the present times."
- Dr. Kalghatgi, T. G. 1988 In: Study of Jainism, Prakrit Bharti Academy, Jaipur
- P.S. Jaini, (1979), The Jaina Path to Purification, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, p. 169 "Jainas themselves have no memory of a time when they fell within the Vedic fold. Any theory that attempts to link the two traditions, moreover fails to appreciate rather distinctive and very non-vedic character of Jaina cosmology, soul theory, karmic doctrine and atheism"
- S. Cromwell Crawford, review of L. M. Joshi, Brahmanism, Buddhism and Hinduism, Philosophy East and West (1972): "Alongside Brahmanism was the non-Aryan Shramanic culture with its roots going back to prehistoric times."