[INDOLOGY] Vedic/Sutra affiliation

[Dipak Bhattacharya]

<Any information (on the relation between Vedic affiliation and ritual),
including textual references, would be helpful.>

I shall state one point about the status of Vedic affiliation in tradition
and the Śāstras. One sees that among followers of tradition, affiliation to
a particular Veda is something immutable. But this position could not be
very old. Is there any relevant rule in the late Vedic scripture or the
Dharmaṥāstras on that? One finds gotra rules of endogamy and exogamy
(Baudhāyana) but none about Vedic affiliation. It must have been later that
the situation gained a static position. I myself suffered from objection
raised against my (and earlier my father’s) working on the Atharvaveda. The
particular word used by the person, revered by many, when he came to know
that I was a Ṛgvedin, was so demeaning that I cannot print it here. But is
not this strictness non-Ṥāstric? As far as I know there is no Ṥāstric
entity as Ṛgvedin or Sāmavedin or Yajurvedin.

It is not impossible that Dayānand Sarasvati knew the position of the
Ṥāstras in this regard. He changed his object in Vedic study and was not
quite vocal about his Vedic affiliation. He was in agreement with the
scriptures in that.

If my idea is not correct someone may kindly point out.

Best

Dipak Bhattacharya

On Wed, Aug 19, 2015 at 5:35 PM, Clementin Catherine <
catherine.clementin-ojha at ehess.fr> wrote:

> Dear Colleagues,
>
> In the autobiographical speech that he delivered in Pune in 1875, Dayānanda
> Sarasvatī declared that he was an udīcya brahmin ; that the udīcya
> brahmins were samāvedī, but that he himself was made to study the
> Yajurveda (adding “with some difficulty”). See Bhavānīlāla Bhāratīya*, P**ūna
> pravacana **– Upadeśa mañjarī, *Ajmer, Vaidika pustakālaya, 1985, p. 111.
>
> Note that in the autobiography published in October 1879 by the
> theosophists, DS does not mention his Vedic affiliation at all (*The
> Theosophist* I, 1, p. 9-12)
>
> Best,
>
> Catherine Clementin-Ojha, Paris
>
>  ----- Mail d'origine -----
> De: Klaus Karttunen <klaus.karttunen at helsinki.fi>
> À: Madhav Deshpande <mmdesh at umich.edu>
> Cc: indology at list.indology.info
> Envoyé: Wed, 19 Aug 2015 13:43:22 +0200 (CEST)
> Objet: Re: [INDOLOGY] Vedic/Sutra affiliation
>
> Dear Colleagues,
> I dont know the answer (but like very much to learn it), but one fact is
> that at least in some parts of India Ṛgveda is considered more prestigious
> than others. I have met Brahmans in South India, who proudly announce to
> belong to Rigveda, but when asked about their Shakha, admit to belong to
> Apastamba.
>
> Best,
> Klaus
>
> Klaus Karttunen
> South Asian and Indoeuropean Studies
> Asian and African Studies, Department of World Cultures
> PL 59 (Unioninkatu 38 B)
> 00014 University of Helsinki, FINLAND
> Tel +358-(0)2941 4482418
> Fax +358-(0)2941 22094
> Klaus.Karttunen at helsinki.fi
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 19 Aug 2015, at 14:37, Madhav Deshpande <mmdesh at umich.edu> wrote:
>
> Dear Colleagues,
>
>      We know that each Brahmin is affiliated traditionally with a
> particular Veda/Shakha and a particular Sūtra.  However, what is the ritual
> affiliation for those Brahmins who are traditionally called Dvivedi,
> Trivedi and Chaturvedi?  Do they have concurrent multiple Vedic/Sutra
> affiliations?  I was told by the Ratate family in Banaras that their
> personal Vedic affiliation is with Ṛgveda, and yet
> academically/professionally they became Atharvavedins.  I am wondering if
> the situation with Dvivedis, Trivedis and Chaturvedis is similar, in the
> sense that they academically study two, three or four Vedas, and yet have a
> particular one Veda as their family affiliation.  Any information,
> including textual references, would be helpful.  With best wishes,
>
> Madhav Deshpande
> Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
>
> --
> Madhav M. Deshpande
> Professor of Sanskrit and Linguistics
> Department of Asian Languages and Cultures
> 202 South Thayer Street, Suite 6111
> The University of Michigan
> Ann Arbor, MI 48104-1608, USA
>
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