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On the contrary, we should expect at first a powerful reaction and a last effort to counteract the influence of the rising doctrine. And, as in India the religion of Buddha addressed itself more especially to the lower classes of the people, and found its strongest support amongst those who had to suffer from the ' exclusiveness of the Brahmanic sj^stem, a period of transition would most likely be marked by a more popular style of literature, — by an attempt to sim- plify the old complicated system of the Brahmanic ceremonial, till at last the political ascendency, se- cured to the new doctrine through its adoption by the reigning princes, like A^oka, would cause this effort also to slacken. Before it can be 8ho^¥n, however, that this really D 2 36 KON-VEDIC WORKS. took place in India, and that traces of this religious crisis exist in the Vedic literature of the Brahmans, it seems necessary to point out what Sanskrit works can be included within that literature, and what other books are to be excluded altogether when we look for evidence with regard to the true history of the Vedic age. Let us begin by the negative process, and endeavour to separate and reject those works which do not belong to the genuine Vedic cycle. If we examine the two epic poems of India, the R&m&yana and Mah&bh4rata, we shall find it impossible to use them as authorities for the Vedic age, because we are not yet able to decide critically which parts of these poems are ancient, and which are modern and post- Buddhistic, or at least retouched by the hands of late compilers and editors. There are certainly very ancient traditions and really Vedic legends in both of these poems. Some of their heroes are taken from the same epic cycle in which the Vedic poetry moves. These, however, only form subjects for episodes in the two poems, while their principal heroes are essentially different in their character and manners. In fact, though there are remains of the Vedic age to be found in the epic poems, like the stories of Urvafei and PurAravas, of Sakuntala and Dushmanta, of Uddfi,laka, 6unah6epha, Janaka Vaideha, and parti- cularly of the Vedic Rishis, like Vasishtha, Vi6v&- mitra, Y&jnavalkya, Dirghatamas, Kakshivat, Kava- sha, and many others, yet this would only prove that the traditions of the Vedic age were still in the mouth of the people at the time when the epic poetry of the Hindus was first composed, or that they were not yet forgotten in after times, when the Brahmans EPIC POEMS. 37 began to collect all the remains of epic songs into one large body, called the MahlLbh&rata. If we compare the same legends as exhibited in the hymns and Brahmanas of the Veda, and as related in the Mahd.- bhftrata, Rftmftyana, or the Pur&nas, the Yedic ver- sion of them will mostly be found to be more simple, more primitive, and more intelligible than those of the epic and paur&nic poems. This is not meant as a denial, that real epic poetry, that is to say, a mass of popular songs, celebrating the power and exploits of gods and heroes, existed at a very early period in India, as well as among the other Aryan nations ; but it shows, that, if yet existing, it is not in the Mah&- bh&rata and Eftmkyana we have to look for these old songs, but rather in the Veda itself. In the collec- tion of the Vedic hymns, there are some which may be called epic, and may be compared with the short hymns ascribed to Homer. In the Br&hmanas pas* sages occur, in prose and verse, celebrating the ac- tions of old kings. The following extract from the l§lLnkh&yana-siitras (xvi. 1.), throws some light on the literature which the Brahmans possessed, in addition to what we are accustomed to call the Veda ^ : — " At the Horse-sacrifice, the Adhvaryu calls upon singers who sing to the lute (vinHganaginas), and in- vites them to celebrate the king, who then performs the sacrifice, together with other virtuous kings of old. On the first day of the sacrifice, the priest tells the story which begins with Manu Vaivasvata. As the people of Manu were men, and there are men pre- sent at the sacrifice, the priest teaches these, the 1 The same acconnt is given in the A^valayana-siitras, z. 7, and in the ^tapatha-brahmana, xiii. 3, 1, 1. D 3 38 SFIC POEMS. householders, by telling this story. He then says/ *^The Rich- verses are the Veda, this is the Veda,' and recites a hymn. " On the second day he tells the story which begins with Yama Vaivasvata (from the Satapatha). As the people of Yama were the fathers, and there are fathers present, he teaches the elders by this story. He then says, * The Yajurveda is the Veda ; this is the Veda,' and recites an Anuv&ka (dJ^vamedhika) of the Yajush. " On the third day he tells the story which begins with Varuna Aditya. As the people of Varuna were the Gandharvas, and as they are present, he teaches the young and fair youths by this story. He then says, *The Atharva-veda is the Veda; this is the Veda,' and recites the Bhishaja^, a work on medicine. " On the fourth day he tells the story which begins with Soma Vaishnava (from the Satapatha). As the people of Soma were the Apsaras, and as these are present, he teaches the young and fair maids by this story. He then says, ^ The Angirasa-veda is the Veda; this is the Veda,' and recites the Ghora*, another work of the Atharvanikas. ^^ On the fifth day he tells the story which begins I The commentator insists on this being a distinct book of the Atharranikaa, and not a hymn. ^ ^Q^IfiOlHi'iAVii The Satapatha says ^^4^l|i)4l ^H Aivala7ana^ ^T^^ * ^<4<1^JW^ ^:|| The Satapatha says ^pl<4ni^4i EPIC FOBliS. 39 witE Arhuda Kddraveya. As the people of Ai'buda were the Sarpas (snakes), and as these are present, he teaches the Sarpas, or the snake-charmers, by this story. He then says, ' The Sarpay!dy& is the Veda ; this is the Veda,' and recites the Sarpavidy^.^ ^' On the sixth day he tells the story which begins with Kuvera Vaisravana. As the people of Euvera were Rakshas, and as these are present, he teachea Selagas, or eviUdoers, by this story. He then says, * The Rakshovidyft is the Veda, this is the Veda,' and recites the Rakshovidy^.^ " On the seventh day he tells the story which be- gins with Asita Dhdnvana.^ As his men were the Asuras, and as these are present, he teaches the usurers (Eusidin) by this story. He then says, ' The Asuravidy^ is the Veda, this is the Veda,' and per- forms a trick by slight of hand.^ ^^ On the eighth day he tells the story which begins with Matsya Sdmmada. As his men were the crea- tures of the water, and as these are present, he teaches the Matsyas (fishes), or the fishermen by this * Mlh4\ ^fqnfrlrt ^B TheSatapatha: Hllf^<|l€|r It* ^11 * ^Wi^Ml <^t^l n According to the datapaths *<m4(4<|NI TC* ^11 according to Asvalayana, f^lfT^- * Adta Dh&nva Satapatha and ASval&jana. D 4 40 KFIC FOEMS. story. . He then says, * The ItihAsa-veda is the Veda this is the Veda/ and recites an Itihasa.^ " On the ninth day he tells the story which begins with Tdrkshya Vaipdsyata.^ As his men were the birds, and as these are present, he teaches the birds, or the young students (brahmach&rin)*, by this story. He then says, * The Purfina-veda is the Yeda, this is the Veda,' and recites the PurlLna.* ^* On the tenth day he tells the story which begins with Dharma Indra (from the l§atapatha). As his men were the gods, and as these are present, he teaches the young, learned, and poor priests by this story.^ He then says, ' The Sd^tnaveda is the Veda, this is the Veda,' and sings the S&ma.®" This extract shows that epic poetry, traditional as well as improvised on the spur of the moment^ existed during the Vedic age. In several parts of the Br&hmanas and Aran- yakas, when an account is given of the literature, known to the ancient Hindus, we meet with the names of G&th&, N&ra6ansi, Itih&sa, and Akhyd^na ^ (songs, legends, epic poems, and stories) as parts ' Yaipa^hita, according to Aival&jana. ' ^l*nfif<|*i:il Satapatha. * 3TT^ ^I^^^^H*^-^^4M€^^ The Vaju-purana has a more ancient appearance than the other Paranas. • n\^\ ^Sldll Satapatha. ^ Cf. Taittirtja-Aranyaka, ii. 9.: ttlTm^HJliflfd^l^KMil- HrrPl qrarr^ Wrm irrnWt:!! BnhadAranyaka, ii. 4. 10.; EPIC POEMS. 41 of the Vedic literature.