Brahmana (ब्राह्मणम्)

Brahmanas (Samskrit: ब्राह्मणम्) are a collection of ancient texts with commentaries on the mantras of the four Vedas. They are attached to each Veda and contain the explanation for the difficult meanings and associated usage in vaidika kriyas.

परिचयः॥ Introduction

The Vedas have been divided into four styles of texts – the Samhitas, the Aranyakas, the Brahmanas and the Upanishads.. The subject matter of the whole Veda is divided into Karma-Kanda, Upasana-Kanda and Jnana-Kanda. The Karma-Kanda or Ritualistic section deals with various sacrifices and rituals. The Upasana-Kanda or Worship section deals with various kinds of worship or meditation. The Jnana-Kanda or Knowledge-Section deals with the highest knowledge of Nirguna Brahman. The Samhitas and the Brahmanas constitute Karma-Kanda; the Aranyakas constitute Upasana-Kanda; and the Upanishads constitute 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 Jnana-Kanda segment of the Vedas. They explicitly focus on the philosophy and spiritualism.

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.

Swami Sivananda says: The Brahmana portions guide people to perform sacrificial rites. They are prose explanations of the method of using the Mantras in the Yajna or the sacrifice. The Brahmana portion is suitable for the householders.

K.S. Narayanacharya explains that Brahmanas are meant as explanatory texts, attached to each branch, in simple prose. "These quote the original texts and then add notes, in order to decipher the symbolic language of the basic texts sometimes, using language of myths and giving us clues, etymologies and connecting different portions together, some other times".

व्युत्पत्तिः || Etymology

The word [ब्राह्मणम्] || 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.

• According to Shatapatha Brahmana the word Brahma (ब्रह्म) means the samhita part of the four vedas. The commentaries which formed by collection of mantras from the samhita parts of the four vedas and adding the injunctions for their usage are termed as Brahmanas.

ब्रह्म वै मन्त्रः (Shat. Brah. 7.1.1.5)

सप्ताक्षरं वै ब्रह्मर्गित्येकमक्षरं यजुरितिद्वे सामेति द्वे अथ यदतोऽन्यद्ब्रह्मैव तद्द्व्यक्षरं वै ब्रह्म तदेतत्सर्वंसप्ताक्षरं ब्रह्म। (Shat. Brah. 10.2.4.6)

• Apastamba (आपस्तम्बः) clearly defines Brahmanas as the injunctions for the performance of yajnas (sacrificial rites), they are another name for Vedas themselves.

मन्त्रब्राह्मणे यज्ञस्य प्रमाणम् ३० मन्त्रब्राह्मणयोर्वेदनामधेयम् ३१ कर्मचोदना ब्राह्मणानि ३२ (Apas. Shrau. Sutr. 24.30 to 32)

The texts containing the explanations of mantras from Rigveda and other three vedas referring to their appropriate place and way of usage in particular yajnas are called as Brahmanas. In the Samhitas, the meaning is hidden, this is brought out with explanations and anecdotes in the Brahmanas.

• Jaimini Purvameemamsa darshana says the parts that are not mantra form the brahmana.

शेषे ब्राह्मण शब्दः || (2.1.33)

• Sayanaacharya has 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 ब्रह्मन् || Brahman which means ब्रह्म वै मन्त्रः || "Brahma Vai Mantrah"(both the Veda and the Mantra). Thus the word Brahmana means 'that which relates to Brahman or the Veda'. It is derived from the root बृः || 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.

Brahmanas lack a homogeneous structure across the different Vedas, with some containing chapters that constitute Aranyakas or Upanishads in their own right. Each Vedic शाखा || shakha (school) has its own Brahmana. Numerous Brahmana texts existed in ancient India, many of which have been lost. A total of 19 Brahmanas are extant at least in their entirety.

विषयविभागः ॥ Vishayavibhaga

According to Apasthamba , these texts deal with the following six topics: Vidhi Arthavada , Ninda, Prashansha , Purakalpa and Parakriti.

1. विधि || Vidhi means injunctions for the performance of particular rites.
2. अर्थवाद || Arthavada comprises the numerous explanatory remarks on the meaning of Mantras and particular rites.
3. निन्दा || Ninda or censure consists in criticism and, refutation of the opponents' views.
4. स्थुति || Sthuti or प्रशन्सा || Prashansha means eulogy, recommendation.
5. पुराकल्प || Puraakalpa refers to the performance of sacrificial rites in former times.
6. पराकृति || Parakriti means the achievements of others.

The main subject of the Brahmanas is injunction (Vidhi), all other topics being subservient to it. Sayana states that performance of vedic activities is inspired by vidhi and arthavaada only:

द्विविधम् ब्राह्मनाम् विधिहि अनुवादस्च || "Dvividham braahmanam vidhihi anuvaadascha" (Rig bhashya bhu 9).

Thus, they may be classified differently. Shabara, in his commentary, has summed up their subjects into ten following heads:

1. हेतु || Hetu - reasons
2. निर्वचन || Nirvacana - etymology
3. निन्दा || Ninda - censure ,condemn
4. प्रशन्सा || Prashansha - eulogy, praise
5. संशय || Sanshaya - doubt,uncertainty
6. विधि || Vidhi - injunction,sanction
7. पराक्रिया || Parakriya - feats/deeds of others
8. पुरकल्प || Purakalpa - legendary background
9. व्यवधारण कल्पना || Vyavadharana- Kalpana - managerial application
10. उपमान || Upamana - illustration.

Yajna is not only sacrifice. In Brahmanas we find it as symbolic also. Here it often represents the knowledge of creation and thus describes the secrets of creation.

Classification of Brahmanas

Each Brahmana is associated with one of the four Vedas, and within the tradition of that Veda with a particular shakha or school. Originally, there were numerous Brahmanas, of which only a few have survived to us. For each Samhita, there are corresponding Brahmanas which are listed here:

(A) Rigveda 

There are two available brahamanas associated with Rig veda.

1. ऐतरेय ब्राह्मण || Aitareya Brahmana : It consists of 40 अध्याय || adhyayas (lessons, chapters), dealing with Soma sacrifice, and in particular the fire sacrifice ritual.
2. कौषितकी / सङ्खयन ब्राह्मण || Kaushitaki / Sankhayana Brahmana : It consists of 30 chapters, the first six of which are dedicated to food sacrifice, and the remaining to Soma sacrifice in a manner matching the Aitareya Brahmana.

Earlier Rig samhita was supposed to have 21 shakas and each shaka had an associated brahmana. Four of the Rig samhita brahmanas namely Paingi, Bahvrucha, Aashvalayana, Gaalava brahmanas are lost in time. Some say that बहुव्रुच ब्राह्मण || Bahvrucha brahmana is the same as Aitareya brahmana.

(B) Yajus Samhita

Brahmanas of Yajur veda includes two important shakas.

1. Shukla-yajurveda : (1) Maadhyandina Shatapatha Brahmana and (2) Kanva Shatapatha Brahmana are available.
2. Krishna-Yajurveda : (1) Taittiriya Brahmana is available.

The Satapatha Brahmana consists of a hundred अध्याय || adhyayas (chapters), and is the most cited and famous among the Brahmana texts. Much of the text is commentaries on Vedic rituals, such as the preparation of the fire altar. It also includes Upanayana, a ceremony that marked the start of Brahmacharya (student) stage of life, as well as the Vedic era recitation practice of Svadhyaya. The text describes procedures for other important Hindu rituals such as a funeral ceremony. The old and famous Brhadaranyaka Upanishad form the closing chapters of Śatapatha Brahmana.

Twelve Yajus samhita related brahmanas have been lost in time. They are Charaka, Svetasvatara, Kaathaka, or Shataadhyayana, Maitraayani, Jaabala, Khandikeya, Oukheya, Haridravika, Tumburu, Aavhvaraka, Kankati, Chaagaleya brahmanas.

(D) Samaveda

1. जैमिनीय ब्राह्मण || Jaimineeya Brahmana or Talavakaara is the principal Brahmana of the Jaiminiya shakha, divided into three खण्ड || kandas (sections). One of the oldest Brahmanas, older than Tandya Mahabrahmana, but only fragments of manuscript have survived.
2. तानद्य || Taandya (Proudha or Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa) is the principal Brahmana of both the Kauthuma and Ranayaniya shakhas. This is one of the oldest Brahmanas and includes twenty five books. It is notable for its important ancient legends and Vratyastomas.
3. छान्दोग्य || Chandogya (Mantra) Brahmana are the three primarily available brahmanas. Chandogya Brahmana is divided into ten प्रपथक || prapathakas (chapters). Its first two prapathakas (chapters) form the Mantra Brahmana and each of them is divided into eight khandas (sections). Prapathakas 3–10 form the Chandogya Upanishad.

Four Upabrahmanas or Anubrahmanas for Samaveda include - (1) Saamavidhana Brahmana (2) Devatadhyaya or Daivata Brahmana (3) Vamsha Brahmana (4) Simhatopanishad brahmana

Four Saamaveda brahmanas that have been lost in time include Bhaallavi, Kaala, Rauruki, and Shaatyayana brahmanas.

(E) Atharvaveda 

(1) Gopatha Bramana is the only available brahmana. Names of other brahmanas are not available for this Veda samhita.

Apart from these many other brahmanas are mentioned in important books such as Nirukta and in Bhashya books of Patanjali, Sayana among others.

References

1. Dr.Shashi Tiwari (Retd.), Sanskrit Department, Delhi University at http://vedicheritage.gov.in/brahmanas/
2. A Comprehensive History of Vedic Literature, Brahmana and Aranyaka works by Satya Shrava