English
Like YdiSka, we maintain that all nouns have their de- rivation, but, like Y&ska, we must confess that this is a matter of belief rather than of proof. We admit with Yfirska that every noun was originally an appel- lative, and, in strict logic, we are bound to admit that language knows neither of homonymes nor synonymes. But granting that there are such words in the history of every language, granting that several objects, sharing in the same predicate, may be called by the same name, and that the same object, possessing various predicates, may be called by different names, we shall find it as impossible as Y&ska to lay down any rule why one of the many appellatives became fixed in every dialect as the proper name of the sun^ the moon, or any other object ; or why generic KALPA. 169 words (homonymes) were founded on one predicate rather than another. All we can say is what Ydiska says, it was so svabhftvatah, by itself, from accident, through the influence of individuals, of poets or law- givers* It is the very point in the history of language where languages are not amenable to organic laws, where the science of language ceases to be a strict science, and enters into the domain of history. We leave this subject not >vithout reluctance, and hope to return to it in some more appropriate place. Ealfa, or thb Ceremonial. The most complete Ved&nga is the fifth, the Kalpa^ for which we have not only the Br&hmanas of the different Vedas, but also their respective SAtras. The SAtras contain the rules referring to the sacri- fices^, with the omission of all things which are not immediately connected with the performance of the ceremonial. They are more practical than the Brd.h- manas, which for the most part are taken up with mystical, historical, mythological, etymological, and 1 Eumarila Tantrayarttika, i. 3. 1. *' Thns the real sense has been ascertained in the Sutras by means of collecting the commandments which were to be obtained systematically as they were dispersed in different l^akh&s and mixed up with Arthav&das, &c. One or the other authority was selected, and, to afford greater facility, some performances of the priests which are connected with worldly matters were also taken in.^ 170 KALPA. theological discussions. Thus Sd^yana says, in his Commentary on the Baudh&yana-s&tras : " The whole mass of Vedic literature consists of three parts: Mantras, Yidhis, and Arthavddas. The Yidhis en- join an act, the Arthav&das recommend it, the Mantras record it. In order to make the under- standing of the prescribed ceremonies more easy, the Reverend Baudh&yana composed the Kalpa. For the Br&hmanas are endless, and difficult to under- stand, and therefore have old masters adopted the Kalpa-siitras according to different !§&kh&s. These Kalpa-siitras have the advantage of being clear, short, complete, and correct." ^ wrer - - - ^rV t %: ^ 4n41^ xf^ *^ii^C^- ^^<iwivmii<i^s<^t<ma4^if^fit: Twfif^^s^ &c. ms. E. I. H. 104. In the beginning of the Commentary on Apastamba's Sutras, it is said that the author is going to expUin the T^ iirvaidika performance of the whole vaitanika sacrificey which is detached in many ^khas and scattered in different parts of the Veda. '* To explain means to separate, for instance, the new moon and the full moon sacrifices, which in the Veda are thrown to- gether, and to make them intelligible by comprehending dif- ferent Igikhas.** KALFA. 171 It is true that some of the Brfthmanas also have a more practical tendency, and might almost betaken for productions of the Sfttra period. We saw before that Eum&rila in his Tantrav^rttika spoke of some Br&h- manas, for instance those of the Aruna and Pard.6ara- ^kh&s^, as having the form of Ealpa works. Nay, there are passages in the Br^lhmanas which, though properly they ought to be called Kalpa or vidhi, are quoted by the Commentators, under the name of Siitra.^ The same name is used, in the late books of the 6atapatha-br&hmana, as the title of literary com- positions, which must then have formed part of the Brfthmana literature.® On the other hand, the Siitras, composed by i§au- naka, were called Brfthmana-sannibha, "having the appearance of a Brd^hmana," an assertion, which, to a certain extent, is true, as may be seen by comparing the Bigvidh&na, which is ascribed to l^aunaka, with the S&mavidh&na-br&hmana. The same might be said of the !§&nkh&yana-siitras, particularly of the last books, where we sometimes meet with considerable portions identically the same as in the Aitareya-br&hm4na. But no orthodox Brahman would for a moment admit that Br&hmanas and Siitras belonged to the same class of literature. They fear the danger of such an ad- ' ^l\t|iM<|Ut<^ll8IIH^Hi4a qrai^qWI See also Sft. yana's Introduction to the Aitare7a*br&hmana, where he aajSy *WlS7I ^5 1^ ^f^ IS^I^fHl Might not the name ^1^H!M<I^, pan. iv. 3. 105., be meant for ^I^IMMiianH ' ' Indische Stadien, i. 149. n. * See ^tapatha-brahmana, ziv. 4. 4. 10. The word is not used in a similar passage, xi. 3. 8. 8. See page 40, note 7. 172 KALPA. mission, because, as Eum&rila says, If the name of Srati were once granted to the Sfttras, it would with diflSiculty be denied to the sacred writings of Bud- dhists and other heretics. It would be, as he ex- presses himself in his graphic language, ^^ Like letting in the heretics on the high road, after having driven them out of the village with sticks and fists," Originally a Br&hrnana was a theological tract, and it was called br&hmana, not because it treated of the Brahman, the Supreme Spirit, or of sacrificial prayers, sometimes called brahmltni, but because it was com- posed by and for Brahmans. These Br&hmanas or dicta iheologicay were gradually collected in difierent families or Parishads, and gave rise to greater works, which were equally called by the name of Br&hmana. Such a collection became a more or less comprehen- sive repository of theological lore, and no consider- ation as to practical usefulness seems to have influ- enced either the original contributors or the later collectors. In the course of time, however, and par- ticularly during periods of theological controversy, these works began to assume a practical importance, and it was then that the want of proper arrange- ment was felt as a serious inconvenience. Hence, when new additions were made to the ancient stock of Brahmanic learning, or when, as in the case of a controversy or a schism, the founders of a new com- munity were called upon to compose a Brahmanic code difierent from that which belonged to their adversaries, a more systematic and business-like spirit, such as afterwards led to the composition of SCltras, began to show itself in the arrangement of these later Brfi.hmanas. There was, however, a certain general system KALFA. 173 which regulated the composition of the Br&hnianas from the very first. Long before the different Br&h- manas were composed, the sacrificial system, which they were chiefly intended to illustrate, had been definitely arranged, and the duties of the three or four classes of priests engaged at the great sacrifices, had been finally agreed upon. This division of priests and the general order of the sacrifices must have been settled previously even to the composition of the San- hit&s of the S&ma and Yajur-vedas; for both follow the established order of the sacrifices, and are neither more nor less than collections, containing the verses which the second and third classes of priests, the Chhandogas and Adhvaryus, had to employ at various sacrifices* They are liturgical song-books, adapted to an already- existing sacrificial canon. The case is different with the Eig-veda. The Rig-veda-sanhit& was collected without any reference to sacrificial purposes. The Br&hmanas, however, of all the three Vedas, the Rig- veda as well as the S&ma and Yajur- vedas, pre-sup- pose the final division of the three classes of priests. This division, to which we shall have to revert hereafter, may be shortly described as follows : — The chief part, or, as the Brahmans say, the body of each sacrifice, had to be performed by the Adhvaryu- priests. The preparing of the sacrificial ground, the adjustment of the vessels, the procuring of the animals, and other sacrificial oblations, the lighting of the fire, the killing of the animal, in short, all that required manual labour, was the province of the Adhvaryu priests.