DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0036
24 Ritualistic Brahmanism.
Indeed it is evident that human sacrifice was once part
of the Brahmanical system. The Aitareya-brahmana (VII.
13) has a well-known story—the story of Hariscandra and
Sunahsepa—which points to its prevalence. The same
Brahmana records the substitution of the sacrifice of four
kinds of animals—horses, oxen, sheep, and goats—for that
of men. Sometimes immense numbers of animals were tied
to sacrificial posts (yupd), some being killed and some liber-
ated at the end of the ceremony.
One of the most noteworthy ideas to be found in the
Brahmanas is that the gods were merely mortal till they
conquered Death by sacrifices. Death is thereupon alarmed
lest men should also be victorious over him and deprive
him of all his rights; but the gods promise that those who
perform sacrifices should not become immortal without first
offering him their bodies, and that all who omit to sacrifice
should be born again, and present him their bodies in innu-
merable successive births. This proves that the doctrine
of transmigration was beginning to be developed at this
period.
The following free translation of a passage of the Sata-
patha-brahmana is from ' Indian Wisdom/ p. 34:—
The gods lived constantly in dread of Death—
The mighty Ender—so with toilsome rites
They worshipped and repeated sacrifices
Till they became immortal. Then the Ender
Said to the gods, 'As ye have made yourselves
Imperishable, so will men endeavour
To free themselves from me; what portion then
Shall I possess in man?' The gods replied,
' Henceforth no being shall become immortal
In his own body ; this his mortal frame
Shalt thou still seize ; this shall remain thy own,
This shall become perpetually thy food.
And even he who through religious acts
Henceforth attains to immortality
Shall first present his body, Death, to thee.'
It is certainly remarkable that the idea of sacrifice as an
Indeed it is evident that human sacrifice was once part
of the Brahmanical system. The Aitareya-brahmana (VII.
13) has a well-known story—the story of Hariscandra and
Sunahsepa—which points to its prevalence. The same
Brahmana records the substitution of the sacrifice of four
kinds of animals—horses, oxen, sheep, and goats—for that
of men. Sometimes immense numbers of animals were tied
to sacrificial posts (yupd), some being killed and some liber-
ated at the end of the ceremony.
One of the most noteworthy ideas to be found in the
Brahmanas is that the gods were merely mortal till they
conquered Death by sacrifices. Death is thereupon alarmed
lest men should also be victorious over him and deprive
him of all his rights; but the gods promise that those who
perform sacrifices should not become immortal without first
offering him their bodies, and that all who omit to sacrifice
should be born again, and present him their bodies in innu-
merable successive births. This proves that the doctrine
of transmigration was beginning to be developed at this
period.
The following free translation of a passage of the Sata-
patha-brahmana is from ' Indian Wisdom/ p. 34:—
The gods lived constantly in dread of Death—
The mighty Ender—so with toilsome rites
They worshipped and repeated sacrifices
Till they became immortal. Then the Ender
Said to the gods, 'As ye have made yourselves
Imperishable, so will men endeavour
To free themselves from me; what portion then
Shall I possess in man?' The gods replied,
' Henceforth no being shall become immortal
In his own body ; this his mortal frame
Shalt thou still seize ; this shall remain thy own,
This shall become perpetually thy food.
And even he who through religious acts
Henceforth attains to immortality
Shall first present his body, Death, to thee.'
It is certainly remarkable that the idea of sacrifice as an