Author: Samiran Chandra Chakrabarti
Publisher: Sahitya Akademi
Year: 2004
Language: multilingual
Pages: 137
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8126018852
Description
Brahmanas are a constituent of Vedic literature. The Samhitas of the Krsna Yajurveda, Kathaka, Kapisthala Katha, Maitrayani and Taittiriya, contain also Brahmana passages. In these passages we have the beginning of the Brahmanas. It is highly misleading to define the Bramanas as mere manuals of sacrifice or liturgical texts.
The word Brahmana means an explanation on any point of ritual. Used collectively, the world means a collection of such explanations complied in a book. Apart from the usually short prose formulas in the Samhitas, the Brahmanas are the most important source of information on Vedic prose especially from the point of view of syntax. They provide the oldest specimens of Indian narrative prose.
Yajna sacrifice is the central theme of the Brahmanas. There are, however, many more things appearing in connection with the sacrifices. In fact, they are compendiums of ancient Indian culture and civilization in its multifarious aspects. The present work contains an anthology of the Brahmanas compiled with the view of giving some idea of this literary genre, its style and variety of contents.
Contents
Introduction
Scheme of Transliteration
Preface
Abbreviations