The Pravargya Brahmana of the Taittiriya Aranyaka

by Jan E. B. Houben

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About the Book:

Prapathaka 5 of the Taittiriya Aranyaka in the Andhra recension is an ancient commentary on the Pravargya ritual. This commentary, the Pravargya Brahmanaí, is here translated and annotated. The Introduction contains a study of the Pravargya ritual, which is 'One of the few rituals that has been explicitly referred to in the Rgveda (usually under the name "Gharma"). "The abstract and spiritual nature of what is probably the main purpose of the ritual - the participants should acquire the lustre of the sun ñ the simple means by which it can be performed and the way the main implement, the pot which is heated red-hot, is worshipped, give it a special place in the vast assortment of Vedic rites. The Sanskrit text of the Pravargya Brahmana of the Taittiriyas has been given along with the translation. The present work was prepared under the guidance of Professor Dr. H.W. Bodewitz (Utrecht), and is an elaboration of an essay written by the author in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of 'doctorandus' at the University of Utrecht, 1987.