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Brahmanas are most important among several other texts, which were composed in ancient times to explain the difficult meaning and secret knowledge of the Vedic Samhitas.

The '''Brahmanas''' (Sanskrit: {{lang|sa|ब्राह्मणम्}}, ''Brāhmaṇa'') are a collection of ancient texts with commentaries on the mantras of the four [[Vedas]]. They are attached to each Veda, and form a part of the [[Hindu texts|Hindu]] ''[[śruti]]'' literature composed to explain the difficult meaning and secret knowledge of the Vedic Samhitas.

== Introduction ==

== Introduction ==

The Vedas have been divided into four styles of texts – the Samhitas, the Aranyakas, the Brahmanas and the Upanishads.<ref name=":0">A Bhattacharya (2006), Hindu Dharma: Introduction to Scriptures and Theology, <nowiki>ISBN 978-0595384556</nowiki>, pages 8-14</ref> The Samhitas are sometimes identified as ''karma-kanda'' (कर्म खण्ड, action/ritual-related section), while the Upanishads are identified as ''jnana-kanda'' (ज्ञान खण्ड, knowledge/spirituality-related section).<ref name=":0" /> The Aranyakas and Brahmanas are variously classified, sometimes as the ceremonial ''karma-kanda'', other times (or parts of them) as the ''jnana-kanda''.

The Vedas have been divided into four styles of texts – the Samhitas, the Aranyakas, the Brahmanas and the Upanishads.<ref name=":02">A Bhattacharya (2006), Hindu Dharma: Introduction to Scriptures and Theology, <nowiki>ISBN 978-0595384556</nowiki>, pages 8-14</ref> The Samhitas are sometimes identified as ''karma-kanda'' (कर्म खण्ड, action/ritual-related section), while the Upanishads are identified as ''jnana-kanda'' (ज्ञान खण्ड, knowledge/spirituality-related section).<ref name=":02" /> The Aranyakas and Brahmanas are variously classified, sometimes as the ceremonial ''karma-kanda'', other times (or parts of them) as the ''jnana-kanda''.

Another opinion states: "The ''Samhitas'' and the ''Brahmanas'' form the ''Karma''-''Kanda'' segment of the Vedas. They are apparently concerned with the ceremonial rites and rituals. The ''Aranyakas'' and the Upanishads form the ''Gyan''-''Kanda'' segment of the Vedas. They explicitly focus on the philosophy and spiritualism.<ref name=":1"><nowiki>http://indianscriptures.50webs.com/partveda.htm</nowiki>, 6th Paragraph</ref>

Another opinion states: "The ''Samhitas'' and the ''Brahmanas'' form the ''Karma''-''Kanda'' segment of the Vedas. They are apparently concerned with the ceremonial rites and rituals. The ''Aranyakas'' and the Upanishads form the ''Gyan''-''Kanda'' segment of the Vedas. They explicitly focus on the philosophy and spiritualism.<ref name=":12"><nowiki>http://indianscriptures.50webs.com/partveda.htm</nowiki>, 6th Paragraph</ref>

Another learned author says: These are four different modes of expressing the same truths, each as a cross check against others so that misrepresentations are avoided, a method used and valid even today.<ref name=":2">Insights Into the Taittiriya Upanishad, Dr. K. S. Narayanacharya, Published by Kautilya Institute of National Studies, Mysore, Page 75 (Glossary)</ref>

Another learned author says: These are four different modes of expressing the same truths, each as a cross check against others so that misrepresentations are avoided, a method used and valid even today.<ref name=":22">Insights Into the Taittiriya Upanishad, Dr. K. S. Narayanacharya, Published by Kautilya Institute of National Studies, Mysore, Page 75 (Glossary)</ref>

'''1. Meaning of the Term 'Brahmana''''

The word Brahmana in neuter gender means Brahmana texts. One wonders why these literary compositions are given this name even though the authors of Brahmanas and their commentators have not offered any definition of this word.

The word Brahmana in neuter gender means Brahmana texts. Why these literary compositions are given this name? Authors of Brahmanas and their commentators have not offered any definition of this word. Sayana has only said in the introduction of his commentary on the Rigveda: "Which in tradition is not a hymn or a Mantra is a Brahmana and which is not Brahmana is a Mantra". The term 'Brahmana' has been variously interpreted by the scholars. It comes from the word ''Brahman'' which means both the Veda and the Mantra - "''Brahma Vai Mantrah''." Thus the word Brahmana means 'that which relates to ''Brahman'' or the Veda'. It is derived from the root brih 'to grow', 'to expand'.

Sayanaacharya has only said in the introduction of his commentary on the Rigveda:  

 

"Which in tradition is not a hymn or a Mantra is a Brahmana and which is not Brahmana is a Mantra".  

 

The term 'Brahmana' has been variously interpreted by the scholars. It comes from the word ''Brahman'' which means both the Veda and the Mantra - "''Brahma Vai Mantrah''." Thus the word Brahmana means 'that which relates to ''Brahman'' or the Veda'. It is derived from the root brih 'to grow', 'to expand'.

In other words, the name 'Brahmana' means the explanation of a ritual by a learned priest. Later this word came to mean a collection of such explanations by the priest on the science of sacrifice. The Brahmanas are thus the ritual text-books on the details of sacrifice or ''Yajna''.

In other words, the name 'Brahmana' means the explanation of a ritual by a learned priest. Later this word came to mean a collection of such explanations by the priest on the science of sacrifice. The Brahmanas are thus the ritual text-books on the details of sacrifice or ''Yajna''.

The ''Brahmanas'' are particularly noted for their instructions on the proper performance of rituals, as well as explain the original symbolic meanings- translated to words and ritual actions in the main text.<ref name="ebri2">[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/77126/Brahmana Brahmana] Encyclopædia Britannica (2013)</ref> ''Brahmanas'' lack a homogeneous structure across the different Vedas, with some containing chapters that constitute [[Aranyaka|Aranyakas]] or [[Upanishad|Upanishads]] in their own right.<ref name="winter32">[[Moriz Winternitz]] (2010), A History of Indian Literature, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120802643, pages 178-180</ref>

 

The ''Brahmanas'' are particularly noted for their instructions on the proper performance of rituals, as well as explain the original symbolic meanings- translated to words and ritual actions in the main text.<ref name=ebri>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/77126/Brahmana Brahmana] Encyclopædia Britannica (2013)</ref> ''Brahmanas'' lack a homogeneous structure across the different Vedas, with some containing chapters that constitute [[Aranyaka]]s or [[Upanishad]]s in their own right.<ref name=winter3/>

Each Vedic ''[[shakha]]'' (school) has its own ''Brahmana''. Numerous ''Brahmana'' texts existed in ancient India, many of which have been lost.<ref name=winter>Moriz Winternitz (2010), A History of Indian Literature, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120802643, pages 175-176</ref> A total of 19 Brahmanas are extant at least in their entirety.

Each Vedic ''[[shakha]]'' (school) has its own ''Brahmana''. Numerous ''Brahmana'' texts existed in ancient India, many of which have been lost.<ref name="winter4">Moriz Winternitz (2010), A History of Indian Literature, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120802643, pages 175-176</ref> A total of 19 Brahmanas are extant at least in their entirety.

The dating of the final codification of the ''Brahmanas'' and associated Vedic texts is controversial, which occurred after centuries of verbal transmission.<ref>Klaus Klostermaier (2007), A Survey of Hinduism, Third Edition, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0791470824, page 47</ref> The oldest is dated to about 900 [[BCE]], while the youngest Brahmanas (such as the [[Shatapatha Brahmana]]), were complete by about 700 BCE.<ref name=ebri/><ref name=mw>[[Michael Witzel]], "Tracing the Vedic dialects" in ''Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes'' ed. Caillat, Paris, 1989, 97–265.</ref><ref name=bcp>Biswas et al (1989), Cosmic Perspectives, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0521343541, pages 42-43</ref> According to [[Jan Gonda]], the final codification of the four Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and early Upanishads took place in pre-Buddhist times (ca. 600 BCE).<ref name=kklo/>

The dating of the final codification of the ''Brahmanas'' and associated Vedic texts is controversial, which occurred after centuries of verbal transmission.<ref>Klaus Klostermaier (2007), A Survey of Hinduism, Third Edition, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0791470824, page 47</ref> The oldest is dated to about 900 [[BCE]], while the youngest Brahmanas (such as the [[Shatapatha Brahmana]]), were complete by about 700 BCE.<ref name="ebri2" /><ref name="mw2">[[Michael Witzel]], "Tracing the Vedic dialects" in ''Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes'' ed. Caillat, Paris, 1989, 97–265.</ref><ref name="bcp2">Biswas et al (1989), Cosmic Perspectives, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0521343541, pages 42-43</ref> According to [[Jan Gonda]], the final codification of the four Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and early Upanishads took place in pre-Buddhist times (ca. 600 BCE).<ref name="kklo2">Klaus Klostermaier (1994), A Survey of Hinduism, Second Edition, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0791421093, page 67</ref>

==Discussion==

==Discussion==

The Brahmanas constitute the second part of the Vedas. With the passage of time, the newer generations found the mantras of the Samhitas difficult to understand. An elaborate explanation of the mantras became necessary. The result was the Brahmanas. The Brahmanas are explanatory in nature. They are mostly in prose.<ref name=":1" />

The Brahmanas constitute the second part of the Vedas. With the passage of time, the newer generations found the mantras of the Samhitas difficult to understand. An elaborate explanation of the mantras became necessary. The result was the Brahmanas. The Brahmanas are explanatory in nature. They are mostly in prose.<ref name=":1"><nowiki>http://indianscriptures.50webs.com/partveda.htm</nowiki>, 6th Paragraph</ref>

Brahmanas quote the original texts themselves, and add notes by trying to decipher the basic texts (Smahitas). <ref name=":2" />   

Brahmanas quote the original texts themselves, and add notes by trying to decipher the basic texts (Smahitas). <ref name=":2">Insights Into the Taittiriya Upanishad, Dr. K. S. Narayanacharya, Published by Kautilya Institute of National Studies, Mysore, Page 75 (Glossary)</ref>   

The Rig Veda has two Brahmanas – Aitereya Brahmana and Shankhayana Brahmana. The Shat-Patha Brahmana of Yajur Veda is the largest of all the Brahmanas of all the Vedas.<ref name=":1" />

The Rig Veda has two Brahmanas – Aitereya Brahmana and Shankhayana Brahmana. The Shat-Patha Brahmana of Yajur Veda is the largest of all the Brahmanas of all the Vedas.<ref name=":1" />

The ''Brahmanas'' are primarily a digest incorporating myths, legends, the exposition of rituals in the Vedas and in some cases philosophy.<ref name="ebri" /><ref name="klkl">[[Klaus Klostermaier]] (1994), A Survey of Hinduism, Second Edition, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0791421093, pages 67-69</ref> For example, the first chapter of the Chandogya Brahmana, one of the oldest Brahmanas, includes eight ''suktas'' (hymns) for the ceremony of marriage and rituals at the birth of a child.<ref name="maxmullercb" /><ref name="pauldeussencb">Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120814684, page 63</ref> The first hymn is a recitation that accompanies offering a [[Yajna]] oblation to deity [[Agni]] (fire) on the occasion of a marriage, and the hymn prays for prosperity of the couple getting married.<ref name="pauldeussencb" /> The second hymn wishes for their long life, kind relatives, and a numerous progeny.<ref name="maxmullercb" /> The third hymn is a mutual marriage pledge, between the bride and groom, by which the two bind themselves to each other, as follows (excerpt),

The ''Brahmanas'' are primarily a digest incorporating myths, legends, the exposition of rituals in the Vedas and in some cases philosophy.<ref name="ebri">[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/77126/Brahmana Brahmana] Encyclopædia Britannica (2013)</ref><ref name="klkl">[[Klaus Klostermaier]] (1994), A Survey of Hinduism, Second Edition, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0791421093, pages 67-69</ref> For example, the first chapter of the Chandogya Brahmana, one of the oldest Brahmanas, includes eight ''suktas'' (hymns) for the ceremony of marriage and rituals at the birth of a child.<ref name="maxmullercb" /><ref name="pauldeussencb">Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120814684, page 63</ref> The first hymn is a recitation that accompanies offering a [[Yajna]] oblation to deity [[Agni]] (fire) on the occasion of a marriage, and the hymn prays for prosperity of the couple getting married.<ref name="pauldeussencb" /> The second hymn wishes for their long life, kind relatives, and a numerous progeny.<ref name="maxmullercb" /> The third hymn is a mutual marriage pledge, between the bride and groom, by which the two bind themselves to each other, as follows (excerpt),

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The Brahmanas are particularly noted for their instructions on the proper performance of rituals, as well as explain the symbolic importance of sacred words and ritual actions in the main text.<ref name="ebri"/> These instructions insist on exact pronunciation (accent),<ref>The pronunciation challenge arises from the change in meaning, in some cases, if something is pronounced incorrectly; for example hrA, hrada, hradA, hradya, hrag, hrAm and hrAsa, each has different meanings; see Harvey P. Alper (2012), Understanding Mantras, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120807464, pages 104-105</ref> ''[[Vedic meter|chhandas]]'' (छन्दः, meters), precise pitch, with coordinated movement of hand and fingers – that is, perfect delivery.<ref name=klkl/><ref>[[Max Muller]], {{Google books|qdQXYYp9e50C|A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature}}, page 147</ref> Satapatha Brahamana, for example, states that verbal perfection made a mantra infallible, while one mistake made it powerless.<ref name=klkl/> Scholars suggest that this [[Orthology (language)|orthological]] perfection preserved Vedas in an age when writing technology was not in vogue, and the voluminous collection of Vedic knowledge were taught to and memorized by dedicated students through [[Svādhyāya#Svadhyaya as a historical practice|Svādhyāya]], then remembered and verbally transmitted from one generation to the next.<ref name=klkl/><ref>[[Gavin Flood]] (Ed) (2003), The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism, Blackwell Publishing Ltd., ISBN 1-4051-3251-5, pages 67-69</ref>

The Brahmanas are particularly noted for their instructions on the proper performance of rituals, as well as explain the symbolic importance of sacred words and ritual actions in the main text.<ref name="ebri"/> These instructions insist on exact pronunciation (accent),<ref>The pronunciation challenge arises from the change in meaning, in some cases, if something is pronounced incorrectly; for example hrA, hrada, hradA, hradya, hrag, hrAm and hrAsa, each has different meanings; see Harvey P. Alper (2012), Understanding Mantras, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120807464, pages 104-105</ref> ''[[Vedic meter|chhandas]]'' (छन्दः, meters), precise pitch, with coordinated movement of hand and fingers – that is, perfect delivery.<ref name=klkl/><ref>[[Max Muller]], {{Google books|qdQXYYp9e50C|A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature}}, page 147</ref> Satapatha Brahamana, for example, states that verbal perfection made a mantra infallible, while one mistake made it powerless.<ref name=klkl/> Scholars suggest that this [[Orthology (language)|orthological]] perfection preserved Vedas in an age when writing technology was not in vogue, and the voluminous collection of Vedic knowledge were taught to and memorized by dedicated students through [[Svādhyāya#Svadhyaya as a historical practice|Svādhyāya]], then remembered and verbally transmitted from one generation to the next.<ref name=klkl/><ref>[[Gavin Flood]] (Ed) (2003), The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism, Blackwell Publishing Ltd., ISBN 1-4051-3251-5, pages 67-69</ref>

Each Vedic ''[[shakha]]'' (school) has its own Brahmana, many of which have been lost.<ref name=winter/> A total of 19 Brahmanas are extant at least in their entirety: two associated with the [[Rigveda]], six with the [[Yajurveda]], ten with the [[Samaveda]] and one with the [[Atharvaveda]]. Additionally, there are a handful of fragmentarily preserved texts. They vary greatly in length; the edition of the [[Shatapatha Brahmana]] fills five volumes of the [[Sacred Books of the East]]. The Brahmanas were seminal in the development of later Indian thought and scholarship, including [[Hindu philosophy]], predecessors of [[Vedanta]], law, astronomy, geometry, linguistics ([[Pāṇini]]), the concept of [[Karma]], or the stages in life such as [[brahmacarya]], [[grihastha]], [[vanaprastha]] and eventually, [[sannyasa]]. Brahmanas also lack a homogeneous structure across the different Vedas, with some containing sections that are [[Aranyaka]]s or [[Upanishad]]s in their own right.

Each Vedic ''[[shakha]]'' (school) has its own Brahmana, many of which have been lost.<ref name="winter">Moriz Winternitz (2010), A History of Indian Literature, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120802643, pages 175-176</ref> A total of 19 Brahmanas are extant at least in their entirety: two associated with the [[Rigveda]], six with the [[Yajurveda]], ten with the [[Samaveda]] and one with the [[Atharvaveda]]. Additionally, there are a handful of fragmentarily preserved texts. They vary greatly in length; the edition of the [[Shatapatha Brahmana]] fills five volumes of the [[Sacred Books of the East]]. The Brahmanas were seminal in the development of later Indian thought and scholarship, including [[Hindu philosophy]], predecessors of [[Vedanta]], law, astronomy, geometry, linguistics ([[Pāṇini]]), the concept of [[Karma]], or the stages in life such as [[brahmacarya]], [[grihastha]], [[vanaprastha]] and eventually, [[sannyasa]]. Brahmanas also lack a homogeneous structure across the different Vedas, with some containing sections that are [[Aranyaka]]s or [[Upanishad]]s in their own right.

The language of the Brahmanas is a separate stage of [[Vedic Sanskrit]], younger than the text of the samhitas (the ''[[mantra]]'' texts of the Vedas proper), ca.1000BCE, but for the most part are older than the text of the [[Sutra]]s. The dating of the Brahmanas is controversial, with oldest being dated to about 900 BCE, while the youngest Brahmanas (such as the Shatapatha Brahmana), were complete by about 700 BCE.<ref name=ebri/><ref name=mw/><ref name=bcp/>

The language of the Brahmanas is a separate stage of [[Vedic Sanskrit]], younger than the text of the samhitas (the ''[[mantra]]'' texts of the Vedas proper), ca.1000BCE, but for the most part are older than the text of the [[Sutra]]s. The dating of the Brahmanas is controversial, with oldest being dated to about 900 BCE, while the youngest Brahmanas (such as the Shatapatha Brahmana), were complete by about 700 BCE.<ref name=ebri/><ref name="mw">[[Michael Witzel]], "Tracing the Vedic dialects" in ''Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes'' ed. Caillat, Paris, 1989, 97–265.</ref><ref name="bcp">Biswas et al (1989), Cosmic Perspectives, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0521343541, pages 42-43</ref>

According to [[Jan Gonda]], the final codification of the four Vedas, Brahmanas, [[Aranyakas]] and early Upanishads took place in pre-Buddhist times (ca. 600 BCE).<ref name=kklo>Klaus Klostermaier (1994), A Survey of Hinduism, Second Edition, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0791421093, page 67</ref> Erdosy suggests that the later Brahmanas were composed during a period of urbanisation and considerable social change.<ref>Erdosy, George, ed, ''The Indo-Aryans of Ancient South Asia: Language, Material Culture and Ethnicity'', New York: Walter de Gruyter, 1995</ref> This period also saw significant developments in mathematics, geometry, biology and grammar.<ref>Doniger, Wendy, ''The Hindus, An Alternative History'', Oxford University Press, 2010, ISBN 978-0-19-959334-7, pbk</ref>

According to [[Jan Gonda]], the final codification of the four Vedas, Brahmanas, [[Aranyakas]] and early Upanishads took place in pre-Buddhist times (ca. 600 BCE).<ref name=kklo>Klaus Klostermaier (1994), A Survey of Hinduism, Second Edition, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0791421093, page 67</ref> Erdosy suggests that the later Brahmanas were composed during a period of urbanisation and considerable social change.<ref>Erdosy, George, ed, ''The Indo-Aryans of Ancient South Asia: Language, Material Culture and Ethnicity'', New York: Walter de Gruyter, 1995</ref> This period also saw significant developments in mathematics, geometry, biology and grammar.<ref>Doniger, Wendy, ''The Hindus, An Alternative History'', Oxford University Press, 2010, ISBN 978-0-19-959334-7, pbk</ref>