BRAHMANISM/BRAHMINISM

Lecture Notes by Clinton Bennett, PhD.

With Laju Balani, M.Div.

Brahmin is often used to distinguish the 'priest' from brahman as ultmate reality.

Aryan Social Structure
  • Rajas - tribal chieftain/president of tribal council/ territorial Chief
  • Family - Pita and Mata
  • Family Priest — Participated in rituals
  • Parents as — Head over children and servants
  • Women were less restricted.
  • Free to remain unmarried or to select their own husbands.
  • Evolution of texts take place as the Arians settle down (according to Western scholars).
  • Hymns and chants evolve as sacrifices become more elaborate.
  • The scriptures are known as Shruti which means: "Hearing"
  • Apparently Heard from the Gods by the Seers or Sages.
  • Initially transmitted orally by priests known as Brahmins.
  • The "Shruti" consits of "Samhitas" which means "collections" and they form Vedas.
  • RigVeda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Vedas.

    • Rig Veda.

  • Rig Veda - anthology of religious poetry in ten books containing over a thousand hymns.
  • First existed only in oral form.
  • Prayers addressed to a single deity or two or more deities, called Devas
  • Initially no temples, but Rigs were performed under the open sky at an alter.

    • Public Rites

  • Several orders of priests officiated at public rites.
  • Sacrifices consisted of : Ghee, Grain, Soma, and a goat, sheep, cow, ox, or horse(most expensive and effective (E.16;24)
  • Each priest was an expert with a certain part of the ritual.
  • As time evolved the foremost priest came to be the "Brahman."
  • He was the one who is person represented the central sacred petition or Brahman (the prayer).
    • Brahman and Brahman’s Role.
  • Brahman - "Holy word," sacred knowledge" and "incantation" i.e. magic power, Mystic utterances = Brahman too.
  • Refer to the words and stanzas of Rig Veda and Atharva Vedas - incantations and spells. (E p 21-22)
  • The hymns and chants were not just used to address the gods.
  • The scared syllables constituted the "holy power" in the living moment of the ritual.
  • The sacred reality became actualized in the Brahman’s throat.
  • Soma was offered at the final rite to the deities and distributed to the human participants who experienced the intoxication or hallucinating experience.
  • The sacrificial rituals drew upon and gave rise to an ever-growing mythology.
  • Newer gods were introduced to sustain human life.

    • Sacrifice and Cosmic Origins

  • Sacrifice take such an important shape that it begins to have cosmic ramifications .
  • They affected the gods as well as the cosmos itself.
  • The creation of the cosmos was said to have its origin in a cosmic sacrifice.
  • The Vedas contain texts that conceive of the universe in its totality as a man that was primordially sacrificed.
  • He was then dismembered to produce mountains, rivers, earth, and living creatures.
  • According to the Rig Veda, the original cosmic man allowed the gods to make a sacrifice of him (E p 18).
    • Purusha’s Mouth-Brahman, Arms-Kshatriya, Thighs-Vaisa, Feet-Sudra, Eyes-Sun, Mind-moon, Naval-Mid-air, Head-Sky, Feet-Earth.
  • Four castes mentioned above. But notice that the four groups are pictured as separate creations. May be critiqued as an elitist view - those classed as 'shudras' have their own version. In South India especially, Shudra are often regarded as high caste.
  • Golden egg/germ Prajapi Creator and maker of all that is.
    • Ushas and other Goddesses
  • Female deities in the Vedic literature apart from Ushas, are largely mothers, wives, sisters, and lovers.
  • They lack personification: Apam= Primal waters, Saraswati and Ganga= Rivers, Vac= the power of speech.
  • Ushas- Goddess of Dawn is drawn by horses on her chariot ( E p 14).

    • Liturgical Deities.

  • Agni, Soma, Brahmanaspati (or Brihaspati), the Deified power of the sacred prayer word (E p 9, p 15).
  • Agni purifies and cleanses,so he removes sin and guilt committed against Varuna.
  • Protected homes whose hearth he occupied
  • He was light and wisdom; one who resolved mysteries and provides guidance
  • He consecrated marriage.
  • Mediator between the gods and humanity
  • Bhrahmanaspati(Brihaspati)
  • =blending of prayer, the pray-er, and the power of prayer personified.
  • Vac=sacred speech and utterance is replaced by Brihaspati
  • He is able to move the gods and compel them to grant their favors.
  • Brihaspati had to be present along with and in the ritual or it would be empty sound.
  • If he were active, prayer would be so effective that gods and humans had to fulfill the necessary ….…..
    • The Other Vedas.
  • Dependant on the Rig Veda
  • Yajur Veda: prose- supplied dedications, prayers and litanies to accompany the devotional use of the Rig-Veda.
  • Sama Veda: collection of sacrificial chants used by priests at soma sacrifices.
  • Atharva Veda- more independent- magic blessings and curses; spells.
  • Provided herbal treatment
    • Close of the Vedic Period and Unity.
  • The yearning for unity and totality in all things
  • Emergence of Prajapati "Lord of all creatures" and creator.(Embree p 20)
  • Purusha- life coming out of his sacrifice
  • "The One Thing" - a hymn (Embree p 18).


    Embree, T Ainslee (2nd ed, 1988) Sources of Indian Tradition (NY, Columbia University Press).


    © 2000 Clinton Bennett and Laju Balani.