Brāhmaṇas and Śrautasūtras
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19048522 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Asko Parpola (0000-0002-9484-3732, Center for South Asian Studies, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Publication date | 2025-06-19 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | CHAPTER |
| Venue | Oxford Bibliographies in Hinduism (SOURCE_BOOK) |
| Publisher | Oxford University PressNew York, NY (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1093/obo/9780195399318-0300 |
| OpenAlex | W4411464576 |
| ISBN | 9780195399318 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 8 |
The Vedic religion prevailed in northern South Asia from c. 1300 until about 400 bce, which was a turning point in the transformation of “Brahmanism” into “Hinduism.” While the relatively simple domestic (gṛhya) rites of the Veda (see the separate Oxford Bibliographies in Hinduism article “Gṛhya Rites”) have remained an integral part of Hinduism, the very much more elaborate śrauta rites have survived until our days only in few places, chiefly in South India. Hundreds of śrauta rites of varying duration and complexity have been discussed in the Brāhmaṇa texts and described in detail in Śrautasūtra texts; these two kinds of text date from c. 1000–500 bce. The cultural contents of the Brāhmaṇa and Śrautasūtra texts, especially the śrauta rites, but also worldview, mantras, mythology, society, and material culture have been dealt with in the separate Oxford Bibliographies article “Śrauta Rites.” These topics, and some other items like relevant bibliographies, will not be taken up again here. The present article complements that on “Śrauta rites” by concentrating on the primary sources on these rites. The focus here is on the “Brāhmaṇas and Śrautasūtras” as texts, as parts of the Vedic literature, their formation, and individual contents and, of course, their editions and translations. Texts called Śrautasūtra is one category of Kalpasūtras, Sūtras explaining kalpa “ritual,” one of the six “members (= auxiliary sciences) of the (body of) Veda” (vedāṅga) (Chaubey 2004, cited under Overviews). Kalpasūtras comprise also Gṛhyasūtras and Pitṛmedhasūtras and some other Sūtras like Śulbasūtras on the architecture of the sacrificial area and Pravarasūtras on Brahmanical genealogies; these have not been included in this article. Included however are Kalpasūtras in a narrower sense, namely Sūtras defining the kalpa or kḷpti, “arrangement” of the Sāmavedic liturgy in śrauta rites
Ancient history · Art · Hinduism · Literature · Mythology · Sociology · South asia · Anthropology · Chinese history and philosophy · Classics · Eurasian Exchange Networks · History · Indian and Buddhist Studies · Philosophy · Religious studies
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |