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 branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

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 deities, Hindu twin gods associated with medicine, health, dawn and sciences. In the ''Rigveda'', they are described ...

, 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 rep ...

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, betw ...

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 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 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" within t ...

which in turn represents the

Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...

). 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 the ...

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 ea ...

Aranyakas 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 texts. ...

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 the ...

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 lege ...

(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 appearanc ...

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 S ...

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 differentl ...

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 language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...

, order,

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 cultura ...

...

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 ''Jāti'' is the term traditionally used to describe a cohesive group of people in the Indian subcontinent, like a tribe, community, clan, sub-clan, or a religious sect. Each Jāti typically has an association with an occupation, geography or t ...

'. 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 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 Book ...

(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 one ...

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 de ...

) 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

(e.g. in the Shatapatha Brahmana, see below), Vishnu is particularly notable for adopting various incarnations (

avatars 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 appearance ...

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 Bein ...

, and

), time to time in every Yug to preserve and protect

dharmic Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...

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 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, 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" or ...

called

Chyavana Chyavana () was a sage (rishi) in Hinduism. He was a son of Bhrigu, also known as Bhrigu Varuni in the Upanishads, and is known for his rejuvenation through a special herbal paste or tonic known as '' chyavanaprasham'', which was prepared by t ...

, 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

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 one Sh ...

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 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 ...

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 the ...

, 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: ', li ...

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

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'. Rud ...

. 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 Hindu ...

, 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;

, 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

edic Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased a ...

literature 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 Jyotisha or Jyotishya (from Sanskrit ', from ' “light, heavenly body" and ''ish'' - from Isvara or God) is the traditional Hindu system of astrology, also known as Hindu astrology, Indian astrology and more recently Vedic astrology. It is one ...

), Makha is a

(star). The presiding deity of that star is also stated to be the

, 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 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 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 Asvins, 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 Asvins. The whole celebration is regarded as a great

mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' Films * ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film * ''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

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 the ...

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... The known recensions

Shakhas A shakha (Sanskrit ', "branch" or "limb") is a Hindu theological school that specializes in learning certain Vedic texts, or else the traditional texts followed by such a school.V. S. Apte. A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary, p. 913, left column.Moni ...

] of the

, all had separate brahmanas. Most of these brahmanas are not extant.... Panini.html" ;"title="Pāṇini.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Pāṇini">Panini">Pāṇini.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Pāṇini">Paninidifferentiates between the old and the new brahmanas... [he asked] Was it when Vyasa, Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa had propounded the Vedic recensions? The brahmanas which had been propounded prior to the exposition of recensions by [Vyasa] were called as old brahmanas and those which had been expounded by his disciples were known as new brahmanas'.

The Aranyakas

J. Dowson states that 'Aranyaka' means 'belonging to the forest' as this type of text is intended to 'expound the

sense of the

sacrificial Sacrifice is the offering of material possessions or the lives of animals or humans to a deity as an act of propitiation or worship. Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Greeks, and possibly exis ...

] ceremonies, discuss the nature of God [etc.]. They are attached to the

, and reintended for study in the forest by

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 ea ...

who have retired from the distractions of the world'. Although the Aranyaka texts are generally best known for containing

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, , ...

, the

Taittiriya 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 texts. ...

is notable for also providing details on the performance of the Parvargya ceremony, which have been published separately as the 'Pravargya Brahmana'.

Rigveda

Aitareya Brahmana

A.B. Keith states it 'is certainly the case that the two

Aitareya_and_Kausitaki.html" ;"title="Aitareya_Brahmana.html" ;"title="he Aitareya Brahmana">Aitareya and Kausitaki">Aitareya_Brahmana.html" ;"title="he Aitareya Brahmana">Aitareya and Kausitakirepresent for us the development of a single tradition, and there must have been a time when there existed a single Bahrvea text... the Soma Yagya alone forms the real subject of the [Aitareya] book'. The above-quoted verse itself explains why the

are offered an oblation in the Pravargya ceremony (i.e. putting together or 'healing' the Mahāvīra Pot from the clay dug up), and the process of gathering itself may link to the name 'Pravargya' (i.e. as above, the root-word '√vrj', means 'to pull up, pluck, gather'). The Pravargya Yagya is itself is detailed in Pancika (book) 1, Adhyaya (chapter) 4, verses 1-22. The overall placement of the Pravargya as an early or introductory ceremony of the overall Soma Yagya is (Pancika II, Adhyaya III onwards is not detailed here):

Kauṣītaki Brahmana

A.B. Keith states about the Kauṣītaki

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 ea ...

that 'the first four Adhyayas cover fully enough for a

the Agnyadhana, the

Agnihotra Agnihotra (IAST: ''Agnihotra'', Devnagari: अग्निहोत्र) refers to the yajna of casting of ghee into the sacred fire as per strict rites, and may include twice-daily heated milk offering made by those in the Śrauta tradition. Th ...

, the new and full moon Yagyas, and then follows a section on the function of the Brahman priest before the seventh Adhyaya carries us to the discussion of the

with occupies the rest of the book'. The extensive and elaborate Soma Yagya is thus detailed throughout Adhyayas 7-30 (i.e. 23 of 30 chapters); the Pravargya Yagya is itself is detailed Adhyaya 8, verses 3–7. The overall placement of the Pravargya as an introductory part of the overall Soma Yagya is (Adhyaya IX onwards is not detailed here):

Samaveda

Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa

C. Majumdar states that the

Panchavimsha Brahmana The Tandya Mahabrahmana (or the Praudha Brahmana) ("great" Brahmana), also known as the Panchavimsha Brahmana from its consisting of twenty-five ''prapathaka''s (chapters) is a Brahmana of the Samaveda, belonging to both of its ''Kauthuma'' and ' ...

'is one of the oldest and most important of Brahmanas... and includes the ''Vratyastoma'', a ceremony by which people of non-Aryan stock could be admitted into the Aryan family'. R. Pandey elaborates, adding that 'According to the scriptures, persons lsooutcasted for nonperformance [i.e. of

] were eligible to re-admission into the Aryan fold after performing the Vratyastoma Yagya'. In terms of content, the Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa seems to focus on numerous other sacrificial rites (e.g. the Vratyastoma), rather than the Soma Yagya, of which the Pravargya ritual is an early part. However, of the two direct references found, the above-quoted verse from prapathaka (chapter) 9, Adhyaya (section) 10 entitled 'Expiations for various occasions' instructs the performers of the Pravargya ritual of what to do should one or more of the Mahāvīra pot(s) break in order to atone and continue the Yagya.

Makha decapitated

This seems to be made in reference to Indra slaying Makha as mentioned in the

(3.2.4) of the Black Yajurveda. The above-quote from the

is particularly notable for three reasons (all detailed below). First, altered versions of this exact legend are contained in the

(White

) and the

(Black Yajurveda) where it is

that completes the Yagya and is decapitated, although He is still referred to as Makha in the Pravargya ritual. Second (again, as detailed below), the head is symbolically the highest, best, or most important, and thus the Pravargya ceremony as the head of the (Soma) Yagya is the highest, best, or most important part of it. And third, again, the word 'Mahāvīra' can also be translated as 'archer' (see above), hence the possible presence of a bow.

Yajurveda

White Yajurveda: Shatapatha Brahmana

J. Eggeling states that 'The fourteenth kâ''nd''a, up to the beginning of the Brihad-âra''n''yaka, is entirely taken up with the exposition of the Pravargya, an important, though optional and subsidiary, ceremony performed on the Upasad-days of Soma-Yagya... the preparation of a hot draught of milk and ghee, the Gharma, which the Yagya has to take, after oblations have been made thereof to various deities, the whole rite is treated with a considerable amount of mystic solemnity calculated to impart to it an air of unusual significance. A special importance is, however, attached to the rough clay pot, used for boiling the draught, and manufactured and baked in the course of the performance itself; it is called Mahâvîra, i.e. the great man or hero, and Samrâ''g'', or sovereign lord, and is made the object of fervid adoration as though it were a veritable deity of well-nigh paramount power. Although the history of this ceremony is somewhat obscure, the place assigned to it in the Soma-ritual would lead one to suppose that its introduction must have taken place at a time when the main procedure of the Soma-Yagya had already been definitely settled'. Seemingly self-contained rather than presented as a part of the Soma Yagya, the structure of Khanda 14 (the last book) of the

is:

Vishnu decapitated

The above-quoted account from the

seems to be an altered and elaborated version of the same legend from the

. The most notable changes are that Vishnu is present at the Yagya, and the bow-string snaps and decapitates Him this time as a result of ants gnawing at it. As mentioned before, the word 'Mahāvīra' can also be translated as 'great hero' and 'archer' (see above). As noted earlier, there is also a reference to Indra slaying Makha as mentioned in the

(3.2.4) of the Black Yajurveda, from which this legend may be derived. The legend given here is that 'the gods

, Makha,

, and the nowiki/>Visvedevas.html"_;"title="Visvedevas.html"_;"title="nowiki/>Visvedevas">nowiki/>Visvedevas">Visvedevas.html"_;"title="nowiki/>Visvedevas">nowiki/>Visvedevas_except_the_two__Asvins,_performed_a_Yajna.html" ;"title="Visvedevas">nowiki/>Visvedevas.html" ;"title="Visvedevas.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Visvedevas">nowiki/>Visvedevas">Visvedevas.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Visvedevas">nowiki/>Visvedevas except the two Asvins, performed a Yajna">sacrificial session', which was first attained by

, hence 'he became the most excellent of the gods'. ''Upadika'' ants then agreed with the other gods to gnaw at the bowstring of Vishnu while He rested his head on the Bow, in exchange for the boon to 'find water even in the desert' (as 'all food is water'). The ''Gharma'' (hot beverage offered as an oblation) is named after the sound of Vishnu's head hitting the ground (which 'on falling became yonder sun'), and 'inasmuch as he [Vishnu] stretched out (''pra-vrig'') on the ground, therefrom the ''Pravargya'' (took its name)'. The body of Vishnu is encompassed by

, who possessed by His glory 'became ''Makhavat'' (possessed of makha)'. Vishnu is then divided into three parts, with Agni receiving the first (morning) portion, Indra the second (midday) portion, and the remaining Visvedevas the third portion.

Digging up clay to form Makha's head

As illustrated, as the clay is dug up and fashioned into Mahāvīra pots, the participant refers to the Vajasaneyi

Samhita Saṃhitā literally means "put together, joined, union", a "collection", and "a methodically, rule-based combination of text or verses".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 ...

, specifically Book 37, Verse 3 (i.e. 'Vâg. S. XXXVII, 3') to state it – representing the head of

– is the head of Makha:

Symbolism of Makha's head

The above quote shows that symbolically, the head is associated with what is 'higher' and therefore what is best or of greatest importance. This is why the Mahāvīra Pot symbolically represents the head of

in the

. Particularly as Vishnu is explicitly stated to be 'the Yagya' in the Brahmanas (e.g.

1.7.4.20, 1.1.4.9, 3.2.1.38, 3.6.3.3, 5.2.3.6, 5.4.5.1, 5.4.5.18, 11.4.1.4, 12.5.4.11, 14.1.1.13, and 11.4.1.4), the head of Vishnu is thus the best or highest part of it. A more explicit account of the symbolic importance of the head is however provided in the first book of this

(1.4.5.5), which states 'the head (''siras'') represents excellence (''srî''), for the head does indeed represent excellence: hence, of one who is the most excellent (''s''resh''th''a) of a community, people say that he is 'the head of that community'.'

Legend of the Boar (Varaha)

Varaha avtar, killing a demon to protect Bhu, c1740

As illustrated, the above brief legend is given in respect to digging up the clay to make the Mahāvīra pots as part of the Pravargya

. The participant again refers to Vajasaneyi

, this time specifically Book 37, Verse 5 (i.e. 'Vâg. S. XXXVII, 5'): N Aiyangar believes that Book 37 of the Vajasaneyi

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 Book ...

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

is 'by far the largest of the

. It extends altogether to ten p''rapāṭhakas'' or 'Great Lessons', i.e. books or chapters, of which the last four are

, 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 texts. ...

, 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 cultura ...

. 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 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 ' ...

(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 Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

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

our Our or OUR may refer to: * The possessive form of " we" * Our (river), in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany * Our, Belgium, a village in Belgium * Our, Jura, a commune in France * Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), a government utility regulato ...

classes 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, betw ...

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

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 (guru ...

'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. Auth ...

[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 Narada ( sa, नारद, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage divinity, famous in Hinduism, Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of Manasputra, mind-created children of Brahma, ...

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 Sa ...

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