Srauta
Encyclopedia
also called Nagari , is an abugida alphabet of India and Nepal...
) traditions are conservative ritual
Ritual
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
istic traditions of the historical Vedic religion
Historical Vedic religion
The religion of the Vedic period is a historical predecessor of Hinduism. Its liturgy is reflected in the mantra portion of the four Vedas, which are compiled in Sanskrit. The religious practices centered on a clergy administering rites...
in Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, based on the body of Śruti literature. They are still practiced in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
today although constituting a small minority within Hinduism.
Classification
Shrauta traditions presently alive are:- Rig veda: Ashvalayana (Shakala) and Sankhayana (Kausitaki)
- Sama veda:Drahyayana (Kauthuma), Latyayana (Ranayaniya), Jaiminiya
- Krishna Yajurveda:Baudhayana, Vadhoola, Bharadvaja, Apastamba, Hiranyakesin,Vaikhanasa( for Taittiriya) and Manava, Varaha (for Maitrayani)
- Shukla Yajurveda: Katyayana (for Kanva and Madhyandina both)
- Atharva Veda: Vaitana (Shaunaka and Paippalada)
Practices
The Śrauta traditionTradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
places more emphasis on the performance of rituals rather than having a set of beliefs. The practices of the Śrauta tradition mainly consist of yajnas. The yajnas are divided into two categories, nitya-karma and kaamya karma
Kaamya karma
Kaamya karmas refer to those Karmas in Hinduism which are performed with a specific objective in view. Unlike Nitya karmas, these rituals are not required by the Shastras to be performed on a daily or regular basis, but these may be performed only for acquiring some desire. A few kaamya-karmas are...
. Nitya-karma refers to those yajnas that have to be performed daily or as per occasion. Kaamya-karma refers to those yajnas performed with a particular purpose, such as wishing for rain, cattle, overlordship or for a son (e.g. Putrakameshti
Putrakameshti
Putrakameshti is a special Yajna performed in Hinduism for the sake of having a child. It is a kaamya-karma.In the Ramayana, upon the recommendation of Sage Vashishta, King Dasharatha of Ayodhya performed the Putrakameshti Yajna under the supervision of Rishishringa Muni, who was an expert in...
).
Yajnas
The VedasVedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
describe 400 Yajnas. A (late) subset of them are the Pancha Mahayajnas (Five Great Yajnas, see Taittiriya Aranyaka 2.10):
- Devayajña consists of offering āhutis to devas consists of offering libations to ancestors or
- Bhūtayajña consists of offering bali or food to certain spirits consists of feeding guests
- Brahmayajña consists of daily repetition of reciting the Vedas.
Pantheon
The pantheon in the Śrauta tradition consist of various godsDeity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
and goddesses, known as devas
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
, who represent natural forces or deified social concepts. For instance, the deva Agni
Agni
Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods...
has one aspect as the flame.
Since Shrauta focuses on conservative Vedic rituals, the pantheon corresponds to the Rigvedic deities
Rigvedic deities
There are 1028 hymns in the Rigveda, most of them dedicated to specific deities.Indra, a heroic god, slayer of Vrtra and destroyer of the Vala, liberator of the cows and the rivers; Agni the sacrificial fire and messenger of the gods; and Soma the ritual drink dedicated to Indra are the most...
more than to that of mainstream (Puranic) Hinduism. Among the most prominent deities are Agni, Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, and Soma
Soma
Soma , or Haoma , from Proto-Indo-Iranian *sauma-, was a ritual drink of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the subsequent Vedic and greater Persian cultures. It is frequently mentioned in the Rigveda, whose Soma Mandala contains 114 hymns, many praising its energizing qualities...
, as well as the All-gods , Ashvin, Ushas, Surya, Savitar
Savitar
Savitar may refer to:*Savitr, a Vedic Hindu Solar deity of Aditya class*Savitar , a supervillain published by DC Comics*Savitar, a character from Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series...
, Parjanya, Rudra or Sarasvati (cf. Chamakam 6):
Oral tradition
The Śrauta tradition of transmitting the VedasVedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
consisted solely of oral tradition
Oral tradition
Oral tradition and oral lore is cultural material and traditions transmitted orally from one generation to another. The messages or testimony are verbally transmitted in speech or song and may take the form, for example, of folktales, sayings, ballads, songs, or chants...
from the Guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
(teacher) to the shishya (student). Vedic scholars have made use of manuscripts in order to teach the Vedas to their students at least since the Middle Ages, and of printed books since the advent of Western philology in British India, but the use of writing has always been secondary to the oral tradition.
Methods of recitation
The oral tradition of the VedasVedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
consists of several ways of recitation. The students are first taught the Samhita
Samhita
Samhita may refer to"*the basic metrical text of each of the Vedas**specifically, these texts with sandhi applied *post-Vedic texts known as Samhitas:** Ashtavakra Gita...
Patha. Here, patha means a way of recitation. The other methods of chanting include "pada
Pada
Pada may refer to:*Pada , in Sanskrit grammar, and Hindu and Buddhist tradition*Sri Pada or Adam's Peak, a mountain in Sri Lanka*Pada, Estonia, village in Viru-Nigula Parish, Lääne-Viru County, Estonia*Pada River, see List of rivers of Estonia...
", "krama", "jata", "mala", "sikha", "rekha", "dhvaja", "danda", "ratha", "ghana" etc.
Some Veda reciters, called ghanapaathins, have learned the recitation of the texts up to the advanced stage called ghana. Ghanapaathins recite a mantra in different ways, with individual words repeated back and forth. Similarly, in the other methods of chanting like krama, jata, sikha, mala, and so on. The chief purpose of such methods is to ensure that not even a syllable of a mantra is altered to the slightest extent. The words are braided together, so to speak, and recited back and forth.
Present situation of Śrauta tradition
The Śrauta rituals continue to be practiced by Brahmins from all over India. The AupasanaAupasana
Aupasana is a yajna performed on a daily basis by Hindus who have been initiated during marriage for this.Hindu marriage is conducted with offerings made in the fire. Aupasana, which must be performed every day, is commenced in this fire and it must be preserved throughout one's life...
is performed in many houses. However the Śrauta tradition emphasises the Vedic form of the Agnihotra
Agnihotra
Agnihotra is a Vedic yajña performed in orthodox Hindu communities. It is mentioned in the Atharvaveda and described in detail in the Yajurveda Samhita and the Shatapatha Brahmana . The Vedic form of the ritual is still performed Nambudiri Brahmins of Kerala and by a small number of Vaidiki...
, New and Full Moon sacrifices and a few more complex rituals, including the Agnistoma (Soma) sacrifice.
Prominent Śrauti scholars and communities
- Nambudiri Brahmins in KeralaKeralaor Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
maintain Srauta traditions - The center of Shruata tradition is Varanasi, where there are more than 50 Veda Patashalas. The Saryupareen BrahminsSaryupareen BrahminsSaryupareen Brahmins , also known as Sarvarya Brahmins or Saryupariya Brahmins, are North Indian Brahmins residing on the eastern plain of the Sarayu near Ayodhya...
a division of Kanyakubja BrahminsKanyakubja BrahminsKanyakubj Brahmins are a Brahmin community found in central India, mainly in the states of Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. The word Kanyakubja means Brahmins of the Kannauj region. Kannauj region was spread to border of Vidisha in ancient times...
are the most prominent of the Shrauta Brahmins. Their surnames like Trivedi, Chaturvedi, Bajpai indicate their proficiency in the Shrauta rituals. - Pune, Maharashtra. There are a number of Veda Patasalas here.
- Pandit Satyavrata Samashrami, Sanskrit research scholar and Professor, Calcutta University who first translated the Sama Veda into English in 1874.
- The other prominent Śrautis include reside in MatturMatturMattur is a small village near the city of Shivamogga in Karnataka, South India, known for the usage of Sanskrit for day-to-day communication....
, Sringeri, Holenarsipur and other places in KarnatakaKarnatakaKarnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava... - The village SengalipuramSengalipuramSengalipuram is a village where great saints like Sengalipuram Muthanna and Sri Anantharama Deekshithar, Tamil writer "Thiru" were born.This is one of the 18 Vathima villages.-Location:Country:India...
in Tamil NaduTamil NaduTamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
is also famous for producing great Śrauti scholars like Sengalipuram Anantarama Dikhshitar - WarangalWarangalWarangal is a city and a municipal corporation in Warangal district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Warangal is located northeast of the state capital of Hyderabad and is the administrative headquarters of Warangal District. This district is a combination of three cities: Warangal,...
and GunturGunturGuntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
in Andhra PradeshAndhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
have produced many Śrauti scholars - PuriPuriPuri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
in OrissaOrissaOrissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
is a major centre for great Śrauta scholars
Recent Śrauta yaagas
Some recent major Śrauta Yajñas:- AtiraatraAgnicayanaThe Atiratra Agnicayana or Athirathram ; the piling of the altar of Agni is a Śrauta ritual of the Vedic religion, the predecessor of modern day Hinduism which is considered to be the greatest ritual as per the Vedic ritual hierarchy. It is also the world's oldest surviving ritual...
- in KeralaKeralaor Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions.... - Agnistoma- in KeralaKeralaor Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
- Nakshratreshti- in KarnatakaKarnatakaKarnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
- Arunaketuka Yaaga- in Kalahasti, Andhra PradeshAndhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
Further reading
- Staal, J. F. 1961. Nambudiri Veda Recitation. 's Gravenhage.
- Staal, J. F. 1979a. "The meaninglessness of ritual", Numen 26, 2-22.
- Staal, J. F. 1979b "Ritual syntax", in Nagatomi et al., pp. 119–142.
- Staal, J. F. 1982. The Science of Ritual. Poona.
- Staal, J. F. 1983. Agni: The Vedic ritual of the fire altar. 2 vols. Berkeley.
- Staal, J. F. 1990. Jouer avec le feu. Pratique et théorie du ritual védique. Paris.
- Dumont, P.-E. 1927. L'Aśvamedha: Description du sacrifice solonnel du cheval dans le culte védique d'après les textes du Yajurveda blanc. Paris.
- Dumont, P.-E. 1939. L'Agnihotra: Description de l'agnihotra dans le rituel védique d'après les Śrautasūtras. Baltimore.
- Tsuji, N. [alias N.Fukushima]. 1952. On the relation between Brahmanas and Śrautasūtras, [Burahumana to shurauta sūtora to no kanken]. Repr. 1982, 1-247, Engl. summary, pp. 181–247. Tokyo.
External links
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPcasmn0cRU The tradition of Vedic Chanting. A Video uploaded by UNESCO.
- Hindu Dharma A comprehensive guide to Hinduism containing valuable information on Śrauta tradition also.