Originating in

historical Vedic religion The historical Vedic religion (also known as Vedicism, Vedism or ancient Hinduism and subsequently Brahmanism (also spelled as Brahminism)), constituted the religious ideas and practices among some Indo-Aryan peoples of northwest Indian Subco ...

, 'Pravargya' (

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...

प्रवर्ग्य), also known as 'Ashvina-pravaya', is an introductory or preliminary ceremony to the Soma Yajña (of which there are several kinds, including but not limited to, the five-day Agnishtoma Soma Yagya forming the basic model). In the Pravargya Yajña, an earthen pot is fashioned from clay dug up from the ground, placed on a fire-altar, and used to boil milk which is offered to the

Ashvins The Ashvins ( sa, अश्विन्, Aśvin, horse possessors), also known as Ashwini Kumara and Asvinau,, §1.42. are Hindu twin gods associated with medicine, health, dawn and sciences. In the ''Rigveda'', they are described as youthful div ...

, the twin Rigvedic gods of

Ayurvedic Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population repo ...

medicine. As with all

Vedic Period The Vedic period, or the Vedic age (), is the period in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age of the history of India when the Vedic literature, including the Vedas (ca. 1300–900 BCE), was composed in the northern Indian subcontinent, betwe ...

sacrificial ceremonies, the Pravargya Yajña is

mystical Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight in u ...

in nature insofar as items, positions, actions, and words have indirect,

symbolic Symbolic may refer to: * Symbol, something that represents an idea, a process, or a physical entity Mathematics, logic, and computing * Symbolic computation, a scientific area concerned with computing with mathematical formulas * Symbolic dynam ...

meanings, rather than direct (i.e.

exoteric Exoteric refers to knowledge that is outside and independent from a person's experience and can be ascertained by anyone (related to common sense). The word is derived from the comparative form of Greek ἔξω ''eksô'', "from, out of, outside" ...

)

literal Literal may refer to: * Interpretation of legal concepts: ** Strict constructionism ** The plain meaning rule The plain meaning rule, also known as the literal rule, is one of three rules of statutory construction traditionally applied by ...

meanings (e.g. the pot represents the head of

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

which in turn represents the Sun). It is also typical in that numerous and complex rules must be strictly followed by participants to the smallest detail. Although explanations of and instructions for the performance of the Pravargya Yagya are provided by various

Vedic upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute th ...

literature such as the

Brahmanas The Brahmanas (; Sanskrit: , ''Brāhmaṇam'') are Vedic śruti works attached to the Samhitas (hymns and mantras) of the Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas. They are a secondary layer or classification of Sanskrit texts embedded within ...

, Aranyakas and Shrautasutras, those provided by the

Shatapatha Brahmana The Shatapatha Brahmana ( sa, शतपथब्राह्मणम् , Śatapatha Brāhmaṇam, meaning 'Brāhmaṇa of one hundred paths', abbreviated to 'SB') is a commentary on the Śukla (white) Yajurveda. It is attributed to the Vedic ...

of the White

Yajurveda The ''Yajurveda'' ( sa, यजुर्वेद, ', from ' meaning "worship", and ''veda'' meaning "knowledge") is the Veda primarily of prose mantras for worship rituals.Michael Witzel (2003), "Vedas and Upaniṣads", in ''The Blackwell C ...

are particularly notable in

Vaishnavism Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as ...

as the likely origin of the

Varaha Varaha ( sa, वराह, , "boar") is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, in the form of a boar. Varaha is generally listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu. Varaha is most commonly associated with the leg ...

(boar)

avatar Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appear ...

of the Rigvedic God

Nomenclature and etymology

Pravargya

'Pravargya' (

प्रवर्ग्य) means ' a ceremony introductory to the Soma Yagya (at which fresh milk is poured into a heated vessel called, mahā-viira or gharma, or into boiling ghee)'. It is also similarly defined as a 'ceremony preliminary to the Soma Yagya'. The term seems to be derived from 'Pravarga' (प्रवर्ग), which means 'a large earthenware pot (used in the Pravargya ceremony)'. 'Pravargya' also means 'distinguished' and 'eminent'. Both words seem to be formed from the roots: * '√pra', meaning 'forward, in front, on, forth'. * '√vrj', meaning 'to twist off, pull up, pluck, gather', or 'to avert, remove'.

Mahāvīra Pot

According to A.B. Keith and A.A. Macdonell 'Mahāvīra' (महावीर) 'is the name in the later Samhitās and the Brāmaṇas of a large earthenware pot which could be placed on the acrificialfire, and which was especially employed at the introductory

Soma Soma may refer to: Businesses and brands * SOMA (architects), a New York–based firm of architects * Soma (company), a company that designs eco-friendly water filtration systems * SOMA Fabrications, a builder of bicycle frames and other bicycle ...

ceremony called Pravargya'. 'Mahāvīra' literally translates to 'great hero', 'thunderbolt', and 'white horse' (which seem to relate to GodKing

Indra Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...

). It also translates to 'archer', which is particularly notable as two (linked) legends relating to this pot in the Pravargya ceremony concerns Makha and

respectively being decapitated by their bows (i.e. in the

, the Mahāvīra earthen pot represents the decapitated head of Vishnu).

Makha

According to the

Monier-Williams Sir Monier Monier-Williams (; né Williams; 12 November 1819 – 11 April 1899) was a British scholar who was the second Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford University, England. He studied, documented and taught Asian languages, especially ...

Sanskrit Dictionary, 'Makha' (मख) means 'cheerful, sprightly, vigorous, active, restless', or ' a feast, festival, any occasion of joy or festivity', or 'a Yajña, sacrificial oblation'. Makha is also the name of a

nakshatra Nakshatra ( sa, नक्षत्रम्, translit=Nakṣatram) is the term for lunar mansion in Hindu astrology and Indian Astronomy. A nakshatra is one of 27 (sometimes also 28) sectors along the ecliptic. Their names are related to a ...

(star).

Varna

The class or 'Varna' (वर्ण) system also influenced the proceedings of the Pravargya ceremony. According to the

Sanskrit dictionary, 'Varna' has many different meanings. Generally, it is used to refer to the forms, shapes, appearances, categorisations and arrangements of things. This includes of physical objects, living beings, letters, words, sounds, musical notes, and arrangements of songs and poems. A more specific definition given by the dictionary is also '

class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differently ...

of men,

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to confl ...

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...

caste Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultur ...

...

hich is Ij ( fa, ايج, also Romanized as Īj; also known as Hich and Īch) is a village in Golabar Rural District, in the Central District of Ijrud County, Zanjan Province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also ...

properly applicable to the four principal classes described in Manu's code, viz. Brāhmans,

Kshatriyas Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the c ...

, Vaiśyas, and Sūdras ; the more modern word for 'caste' being jāti'. The relation between the varna and caste systems is discussed in more detail below.

Key deities mentioned

Vishnu

Vishnu, stated to be synonymous with the Yagya(Yagyo Vai Vishnuh

), is decapitated in a legend relating to the Mahāvīra earthen Pot used in the Pravargya Yagya (e.g. Shatapatha Brahmana 14.1.1). Synonymous with

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is on ...

is the "preserver" in the Hindu triad (

Trimurti The Trimūrti (; Sanskrit: त्रिमूर्ति ', "three forms" or "trinity") are the trinity of supreme divinity in Hinduism, in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified as a triad of ...

) and is revered as the supreme being In

Gavin Flood __NOTOC__ Gavin Dennis Flood (born 1954) is a British scholar of comparative religion specialising in Shaivism and phenomenology, but with research interests that span South Asian traditions. From October 2005 through December 2015, he served ...

,
An Introduction to Hinduism
' (1996), p. 17. Also stated to be synonymous with the Yagya (e.g. in the Shatapatha Brahmana, see below), Vishnu is particularly notable for adopting various incarnations ( avatars such as

Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bei ...

, and

), time to time in every Yug to preserve and protect dharmic principles whenever the world is threatened with evil, chaos, and destructive forces.

The Ashvins

In the Pravargya ceremony, a Mahāvīra earthen pot is made and used to boil milk as an oblation to the

. W.J. Wilkins states that the '

Asvins The Ashvins ( sa, अश्विन्, Aśvin, horse possessors), also known as Ashwini Kumara and Asvinau,, §1.42. are Hindu deities, Hindu twin gods associated with medicine, health, dawn and sciences. In the ''Rigveda'', they are described ...

are regarded as the physicians of the gods; and are declared to be able to restore to health, the sick, the lame, and the emaciated amongst mortals. They are the special guardians of the slow and backward; the devoted friends of elderly women who are unmarried. They are said to preside over love and marriage, and are implored to being together hearts that love... the Asvins are invoked for "offspring, wealth, victory, destruction of enemies, the preservation of the worshippers themselves, of their houses and cattle'. In the legend of Vishnu's decapitation, the Yagya is stated to have begun without the Ashvins. Wilkins relates another legend in the

(4.1.5) that leads to the Ashvins joining the Yagya, and as physicians, using their power to replace the head of Vishnu/Makha as the head of the Yagya (i.e. the Pravargya, itself). Their request to the gods for this was to be granted oblations at the Yagya, which was accepted (hence boiled milk is offered to them in the Pravargya Yagya). The story related by Wilkins is that after attempting and failing twice to take away

Sukanya Sukanya ( sa, सुकन्या, lit=wonderful virgin, translit=Sukanyā) is a princess In Hindu mythology. She is the daughter of Sharyati, the son of Vaivasvata Manu, and the wife of the sage Chyavana. Legend Marriage According to ...

, the young wife of an elderly

Rishi ''Rishi'' () is a term for an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mentions in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "great yogis" o ...

called Chyavana, she tells the Ashvins one of the reasons she won't leave her husband for them is because they are imperfect, but will only tell them why ''after'' they make her husband young again. They agree, and so she 'tells the Asvins that they are imperfect because they have not been invited to join the other gods in a great Yagya that was to be celebrated at

Kurukshetra Kurukshetra (, ) is a city and administrative headquarter of Kurukshetra district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is also known as Dharmakshetra ("Realm of duty ") and as the "Land of the Bhagavad Gita". Legends According to the Pura ...

(where Vishnu/Makha is later decapitated). The Asvins proceed to this Yagya, and, asking to be allowed to join in it, are told they cannot do so, because they have wandered familiarly among men, performing cures. In reply to this, the Asvins declared that the gods were making a headless Yajña. The gods inquiring how this can be, the Asvins reply, "Invite us to join you, and we will tell you." To this the gods consented'.

Indra

Just as in the

Rigveda The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts ('' śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only on ...

is stated to become 'Makhavan' (1.3.43), in the

it is also stated that Indra 'became ''Makhavat'' (possessed of makha)' in a legend relating to the Mahāvīra earthen pot made in the Parvargya Yajña (i.e. the decapitation of Vishnu). Indra is also stated to be the 'slayer of Makha' in the Taittiriya Samhita of the Black

(3.2.4). Should the Mahāvīra be broken during the Yajña, Indra is invoked for atonement (Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa, see below). In the

Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute th ...

, Indra is the king of

Svarga Svarga (), also known as Indraloka and Svargaloka, is the celestial abode of the devas in Hinduism. Svarga is one of the seven higher lokas ( esoteric planes) in Hindu cosmology. Svarga is often translated as heaven, though it is regarded to b ...

(Heaven) and the

Devas Devas may refer to: * Devas Club, a club in south London * Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter * Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist * Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club * Devas (band), ...

. He is the deity of the heavens, lightning, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes- Google Książki"> Indra is the most referred to

deity A deity or god is a supernatural being who is considered divine or sacred. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. C. Scott Littleton defines a deity as "a being with powers greate ...

in the ''

''. He is celebrated for his powers, and the one who kills the great symbolic evil (malevolent type of Asura) named

Vritra Vritra () is a danava in Hinduism. He serves as the personification of drought, and is an adversary of the king of the devas, Indra. As a danava, he belongs to the race of the asuras. Vritra is also known in the Vedas as Ahi (Sanskrit: ', lit ...

who obstructs human prosperity and happiness. Indra destroys Vritra and his "deceiving forces", and thereby brings rains and the sunshine as the friend of mankind.

Makha

In the Parvargya Yajña, the Mahāvīra earthen pot made from clay is referred to as 'Makha'. In a legend relating to the Mahāvīra, Makha (in the Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa) or Makha-

(in the Shatapatha Brahmana and Taittiriya Aranyaka) is decapitated. The pot is referred to as Makha's head, which at the end of the ceremony is used as the symbolic head of a man's body (see below). The above quote from the Taittiriya Samhita concerns a Soma Yajña to

Rudra Rudra (; sa, रुद्र) is a Rigvedic deity associated with Shiva, the wind or storms, Vayu, medicine, and the hunt. One translation of the name is 'the roarer'. In the Rigveda, Rudra is praised as the 'mightiest of the mighty'. ...

. Other references to the head of Makha are all in the Taittiriya Samhita (e.g.1.1.8, 1.1.12, and 4.1.5, as well as that quoted above), and all seem to be in relation to

Agni Agni (English: , sa, अग्नि, translit=Agni) is a Sanskrit word meaning fire and connotes the Vedic fire deity of Hinduism. He is also the guardian deity of the southeast direction and is typically found in southeast corners of Hi ...

, the fire god. A.A. Macdonell states that 'Makha appears to designate a person in two passages of the Rigveda Bhrgus_are_mentioned_as_chasing_Makha.html" ;"title="Bhrigu.html" ;"title=".101.13. where the

Bhrgus_are_mentioned_as_chasing_Makha">Bhrigu.html"_;"title=".101.13._where_the_Bhrigu">Bhrgus_are_mentioned_as_chasing_Makha_but_in_neither_passage_does_the_context_explain_who_he_was._Probably_a_demon_of_some_kind_is_meant._In_the_later_ Bhrgus_are_mentioned_as_chasing_Makha">Bhrigu.html"_;"title=".101.13._where_the_Bhrigu">Bhrgus_are_mentioned_as_chasing_Makha_but_in_neither_passage_does_the_context_explain_who_he_was._Probably_a_demon_of_some_kind_is_meant._In_the_later_Samhita">Samhitas_ Saṃhitā_literally_means_"put_together,_joined,_union",_a_"collection",_and_"a_methodically,_rule-based_combination_of_text_or_verses".Bhrgus are mentioned as chasing Makha">Bhrigu.html" ;"title=".101.13. where the Bhrigu">Bhrgus are mentioned as chasing Makha but in neither passage does the context explain who he was. Probably a demon of some kind is meant. In the later Samhita">Samhitas Saṃhitā literally means "put together, joined, union", a "collection", and "a methodically, rule-based combination of text or verses".Vajasaneyi Samhita (White

) 11.57; 37.7; Taittiriya Samhita, 1.1.8.1, 3.2.4.1] mention is also made of the 'head of Makha,' an expression which has become unintelligible to the

[

14.1.2.17]. In regards to this ambiguity, S. Shrava states that 'Innumerable manuscripts of the valuable edicliterature have been lost due to atrocities of the rulers and invaders, ravages of time, and utter disregard and negligence. These factors contributed to the loss of hundreds of manuscripts. Once their number was more than a few hundred. Had these ncluding Brahmanasbeen available today the ambiguity in the interpretation of Vedic hymns could not have crept in'.

Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra

Notably, according to the Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra (an important book on Vedic Astrology), Makha is a

(star). The presiding deity of that star is also stated to be the Sun, which is notable given the sun is regarded as the 'soul of all' (i.e. 'best', as in best of or 'head' of the Yagya), and the decapitated head of

in various

Brahmanic The historical Vedic religion (also known as Vedicism, Vedism or ancient Hinduism and subsequently Brahmanism (also spelled as Brahminism)), constituted the religious ideas and practices among some Indo-Aryan peoples of northwest Indian Subco ...

legends is stated to become the sun (see below).

Summary of the ritual

Somayaga

R.L. Kashyap states that '

Somayaga The Somayajna (ISO: ) or Somayaga (ISO: ) or Soma sacrifice is a Hindu ritual. It is a type of ''yajna'' performed to appease celestial entities to promote the well-being of all humanity. This ritual is based on methods described in the Vedas. S ...

is a general name for those Yagya in which libations of the

soma Soma may refer to: Businesses and brands * SOMA (architects), a New York–based firm of architects * Soma (company), a company that designs eco-friendly water filtration systems * SOMA Fabrications, a builder of bicycle frames and other bicycle ...

juice are offered in the duly consecrated fire. There are seven types of Soma

Yajnas Yajna ( sa, यज्ञ, yajña, translit-std=IAST, sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering) refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.SG Nigal (1986), Axiological Approach to the Vedas, Northern Bo ...

namely, agnishtoma, atyagnishtoma, ukthya, shodashi, vajapeya, atirata and aptoryama... Agnishtoma is a typical Somayaga, forming the prakriti or model for other Soma Yagya'. Kashyap also details the 5-day Agnishtoma rite, in which the Pravargya ceremony within it is performed on the third and fourth days. The Somyagyas are still performed. Here is the list of various somyagyas held in recent time.

Pravargya

The Pravargya rite is complex and involves following numerous strict rules in regards to timing, objects used, placements, movements, actions, and what is said. The summaries given below are very much simplified. Kashyap states that 'The Pravargya must be commenced on the day of the new or full moon, or on a day in the wane when the moon is in an auspicious

'. U.M. Vesci states that the Pravargya ritual has two distinct parts: # At its beginning, the ''Mahāvīra'' earthen pots are prepared, and the milk boiled in them are offered to the

. This is repeated in the evening for three consecutive days. # At its conclusion, the implements used in this ritual, particularly the ''Mahāvīra'' are carried in procession to the fire-altar (''uttaravedi)'' and buried there. A.B. Keith states that from 'clay chosen from a pit east of the Ahavaniya fire, to which a horse leads the way, a Mahavira pot is made, a span high, two spare pots, and various other utensiles. A stool of Munja grass is also made as a throne for the pot. The pot is heated, the milk of a cow and a goat is poured in. Finally, the hot drink is offered to the

, and two ''Rauhina'' cakes are also offered in the morning to the day, in the evening to the night. At the outset of the ceremony the wife of the conductor is made to cover her head, but she joins with the rest at the close in the finale of the Saman which is sung. At the end the offering utensils are arranged so as to make up the semblance of a man, the three Mahavira vessels marking the head, and so on... The pot is covered with a golden plate, which can be nothing else than a symbol of fire or the sun, the pot glows, the milk, which in its whiteness is a sun symbol, boils with heat. The Yagya by drinking as usual a share of the milk thus gains power at the same time as the sun is strengthened'. S. Ketkat agrees, elaborating that at the Pravargya ceremony 'a cauldron .e. the Mahāvīra earthen potis made red-hot on the sacrificial fire, to represent symbolically the sun; in this cauldron milk is then boiled and offered to the

. The whole celebration is regarded as a great mystery. At the end of it the sacrificial utensils are so arranged that they represent a man: the milk-pots are the head, on which a tuft of sacred grass represents the hair; two milking-pails represent the ears, two little gold leaves the eyes, two cups the heels, the flour sprinkled over the whole the marrow, a mixture of milk and honey the blood, and so on. The prayers and formulae naturally correspond with the mysterious ceremonies'.

Vedic literature cited

The Shrautasutras have not been cited in this article, in part due to difficulty in finding English translations. Instead, English translations of

and Aranyakas containing details of the Pravargya ceremony have been cited; these constitute Sruti literature of the

as much as the

Samhitas Saṃhitā literally means "put together, joined, union", a "collection", and "a methodically, rule-based combination of text or verses".Samhitas Saṃhitā literally means "put together, joined, union", a "collection", and "a methodically, rule-based combination of text or verses".Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute th ...

are generally concerned with hymns and

mantras A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...

, recited during sacrificial ceremonies such as the pravargya. The

are generally commentaries on the Samhitas and provide instructions on the performance of the sacrificial ceremonies. Sharva states that in 'the brahmana literature this word brahmana'has been commonly used as detailing the ritualism related to the different Yagya or

yajnas Yajna ( sa, यज्ञ, yajña, translit-std=IAST, sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering) refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.SG Nigal (1986), Axiological Approach to the Vedas, Northern Bo ...

... The known recensions Shakhas.html"_;"title="Shakha.html"_;"title=".e._schools_or_Shakha">Shakhas">Shakha.html"_;"title=".e._schools_or_Shakha">Shakhasof_the_Vedas_ _upright=1.2,_The_Vedas_are_ancient_Sanskrit_texts_of_Hinduism._Above:_A_page_from_the_''_Atharvaveda''. The_Vedas_(,_,_)_are_a_large_body_of__religious_texts_originating_in_ancient_India._Composed_in__Vedic_Sanskrit,_the_texts_constitute_th_...

,_all_had_separate_brahmanas._Most_of_these_brahmanas_are_ Shakhas.html"_;"title="Shakha.html"_;"title=".e._schools_or_Shakha">Shakhas">Shakha.html"_;"title=".e._schools_or_Shakha">Shakhasof_the_Vedas_ _upright=1.2,_The_Vedas_are_ancient_Sanskrit_texts_of_Hinduism._Above:_A_page_from_the_''_Atharvaveda''. The_Vedas_(,_,_)_are_a_large_body_of__religious_texts_originating_in_ancient_India._Composed_in__Vedic_Sanskrit,_the_texts_constitute_th_...

Samhita Saṃhitā literally means "put together, joined, union", a "collection", and "a methodically, rule-based combination of text or verses". Directly relating to this, S. Ghose adds that the 'first direct idea of the boar as an incarnation of

performing the specific task of rescuing the earth is mentioned in the Satapatha Brahmana... the nucleus of the story of the god rescuing the earth in the boar-shape is found here'. A.B. Keith agrees, repeating that this 'boar, which is called Emusa from its epithet emusa, fierce, in the

, is stated...to have raised up the earth from the waters n the Shatapatha Brahmana.

Black Yajurveda: Taittiriya Aranyaka

The Pravargya

Yajna Yajna ( sa, यज्ञ, yajña, translit-std=IAST, sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering) refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.SG Nigal (1986), Axiological Approach to the Vedas, Northern Boo ...

is not detailed in the

Taittiriya Brahmana The ''Taittirīya Shakha'' (Sanskrit, loosely meaning 'Branch or School of the sage Tittiri'), is a ''shakha'' (i.e. 'branch', 'school', or rescension) of the Krishna (black) Yajurveda. Most prevalent in South India, it consists of the ''Taitti ...

, but rather the Aranyaka attached to it. In respect to the above quote, a more complete (and different) translation is provided below in respect to the decapitation of

relating to the Mahāvīra earthen pot used in ritual. R. Mitra states that the Taittiriya Aranyaka is 'by far the largest of the Aranyakas. It extends altogether to ten p''rapāṭhakas'' or 'Great Lessons', i.e. books or chapters, of which the last four are

Upanishads The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...

, and the first six, are Aranyaka strictly so-called'. In regards to the Pravargya rite, ''prapāṭhaka'' (chapter) 4 provides the

to be used, and ''prapāṭhaka'' (chapter) 5 details the performance of the ceremony itself:

Makha / Vishnu decapitated

This, again, seems to be another altered version of the same legend found in the Panchavimsha Brahmana (Samaveda) and Shatapatha Brahmana (White Yajurveda). This version – likely later than the Shatapatha as it is contained in an

Aranyaka The Aranyakas (; sa, आरण्यक; IAST: ' ) are the part of the ancient Indian Vedas concerned with the meaning of ritual sacrifice. They typically represent the later sections of the Vedas, and are one of many layers of the Vedic text ...

, a type of text attached to

, which are in turn attached to the

Samhitas Saṃhitā literally means "put together, joined, union", a "collection", and "a methodically, rule-based combination of text or verses". The Varna System refers to the general division of Vedic society into four classes: Brāhmans (priestly class),

(warrior and administrative class, including royalty), Vaiśyas (merchant class), and Sūdras (labouring class). To understand the influence of this Varna system in the Pravargya ceremony, it is first necessary to differentiate it from the modern

caste system Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural ...

. As evidenced below, the varna and caste systems are not the same; only 'varna' is a

word, and unlike the caste system, the varna system allowed both for movement between the classes and for non-Aryans to become Aryans (Aryans could also become outcastes and no longer considered Aryan). First, whereas 'varna' (वर्ण) is a

word with a broad range of meanings relating to forms and arrangements, 'caste' is not, having originated from the Portuguese word casta''', which unlike 'varna', specifically refers to race. Thus, the varna system of class (e.g. based on occupation) is not the caste system of race. Second, whereas the modern caste system is rigid and hereditary, P. Mitra states about the Varna system that there 'are differences of opinion – whether trades and professions of these ourclasses led to the formation of castes in the later period. But professions were not hereditary, ndrather could be followed by any

Aryan Aryan or Arya (, Indo-Iranian *''arya'') is a term originally used as an ethnocultural self-designation by Indo-Iranians in ancient times, in contrast to the nearby outsiders known as 'non-Aryan' (*''an-arya''). In Ancient India, the term ...

member. Had the caste system developed into rigid form in the

vedic period The Vedic period, or the Vedic age (), is the period in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age of the history of India when the Vedic literature, including the Vedas (ca. 1300–900 BCE), was composed in the northern Indian subcontinent, betwe ...

then surely there would have been the mention of caste in the

... it he caste systemdid not develop out of the four Aryan varnas, and the two systems .e. varna and castehave never been thoroughly harmonized'. Yajna implements

Third, whereas the modern caste system does not allow non-Aryans to become Aryans, the varna system does, as proven by

literature such as the Panchavimsha

Brahmana The Brahmanas (; Sanskrit: , ''Brāhmaṇam'') are Vedic śruti works attached to the Samhitas (hymns and mantras) of the Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas. They are a secondary layer or classification of Sanskrit texts embedded within ...

of the

Samaveda The Samaveda (, from ' "song" and ' "knowledge"), is the Veda of melodies and chants. It is an ancient Vedic Sanskrit text, and part of the scriptures of Hinduism. One of the four Vedas, it is a liturgical text which consists of 1,875 verses. A ...

(see above). Pandey also states that 'in times of distress the members of the higher castes could adopt the occupations of the lower caste. But the members of the lower caste were not allowed to follow the occupations of the higher castes'. However, this assertion seems to be contradicted by S.R. Bakshi, who states the

Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers ( ...

'author of the

Aitareya Brahmana The Aitareya Brahmana ( sa, ऐतरेय ब्राह्मण) is the Brahmana of the Shakala Shakha of the Rigveda, an ancient Indian collection of sacred hymns. This work, according to the tradition, is ascribed to Mahidasa Aitareya. Aut ...

[of the

], Mahidasa, had a Shudra, Sudra mother, while the

, Kavasha Aliusha, was born of a Dasi .e. a servant, concubine or dancing girl. However, A. Sharma and R. Bharati question whether Mahidasa was a sudra as 'far fetched'. There are other examples of Sudra Brahmins and Rishis, and it is notable that the mythical sage Narada Muni was also the son of a maidservant initiated by Brahmins (e.g.

Bhagavata Purana The ''Bhagavata Purana'' ( sa, भागवतपुराण; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' or simply ''Bhagavata'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen great Puranas (''Mahapuranas''). Composed in S ...

1.6.6).

Exclusion of Ṥūdras

According to A.B. Keith and A.A. Macdonell at 'the Pravargya (introductory Soma) rite the performer is not allowed to come in contact with a Ṥūdra, who here n the Pancavimsa Brahmana as in the Kathaka Samhita [of the Black

] is reckoned as excluded from a share in the Soma-draught'.

References

{{Worship in Hinduism Yajna

Nomenclature and etymology

Pravargya

Mahāvīra Pot

Makha

Varna

Key deities mentioned

Vishnu

The Ashvins

Indra

Makha

Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra

Summary of the ritual

Somayaga

Pravargya

Vedic literature cited

__The_Aranyakas_

__The_Aranyakas_

The Aranyakas

Rigveda

Aitareya Brahmana

Kauṣītaki Brahmana

Samaveda

Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa

Makha decapitated

Yajurveda

White Yajurveda: Shatapatha Brahmana

Vishnu decapitated

Digging up clay to form Makha's head

Symbolism of Makha's head

Legend of the Boar (Varaha)

Black Yajurveda: Taittiriya Aranyaka

Makha / Vishnu decapitated

Exclusion of Ṥūdras

References