<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@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, Pūna 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@helsinki.fi>
À: Madhav Deshpande <mmdesh@umich.edu>
Cc: indology@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






On 19 Aug 2015, at 14:37, Madhav Deshpande <mmdesh@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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