Jaiminiya Brahmana of the Samaveda

by Raghuvira (Ed.) and Lokesh Chandra (Ed.)

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In his History of Indian Literature, 1.191 M. Winternitz wrote on the Jaiminiya-Brahmana:

"This work is of special interest for the history both of religion and legend, but unfortunately the manuscript material is so fragmentary that it cannot be edited."

Even such famous Vedic scholars, as W. Caland and H. Oertel, were not able to establish a satisfactory text form. The Jaiminiyas possess a vast literature, but unfortunately it presents a difficulty of language and technique which may ordinarily be. described as insurmountable. Although the MSS were acquired as early as the 19th century by Dr. Burnel and others, it was not found possible to edit them. A few MSS are deposited in some of the Western libraries and a few in Indian libraries. Efforts have been made in the past 70 years by Europeans and Indians (notably by Professors H. Oertel and W. Caland who published extensive extracts) to edit the text, but owing to the insufficiency of MSS material and the difficulties of the text the work was always done in fragments.

It is for the first time that this text is presented in its continuity in the present edition. It was made possible by the discovery of fresh MSS material and by long and arduous work extending over several years. After the Vedas, the Brahmanas are our most important literature. They embody the liturgical details as well as philological and metaphysical conceptions of rare value.

Among the Brahmanas, the Jaiminiya may now easily be called the premier Brahmana, side by side with the Satapatha which belongs to the Yajurveda. The Jaiminiya Brahmana had become rare in India during the last one thousand years. No amount of labour and time has been spared to restore the text now to its original purity.

About the Author:

Prof. Lokesh Chandra is a renowned scholar of Tibetan, Mongolian and Sino-Japanese Buddhism. He has to his credit over 400 works and text editions. Among them are classics like his Tibetan-Sanskrit Dictionary, Materials for a History of Tibetan Literature, Buddhist Iconography of Tibet, and the present Dictionary of Buddhist Art in about 20 volumes.

Prof. Lokesh Chandra was nominated by the President of the Republic of India to the Parliament in 1974-80 and again in 1980-86. He has been a Vice-President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, and Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research. Presently he is Director, International Academy of Indian Culture.