THE PRAVARGYA BRAHMANA OF THE TAITTIRIYA ARANYAKA (an ancient commentary on the Pravargya ritual)

Prapathaka 5 of the Taittiriya Aranyaka in the Andhra recension (= prapathaka 8 in the Dravida recension) is an ancient commentary on the Pravargya ritual. This commentary, the 'Pravargya Brahmana', 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 - 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 Taittiriyakas 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 requirements for the degree of 'doctorandus' at the University of Utrecht, 1987.

About the Author:

Jan E.M. Houben was born in a village in the southern part of the Netherlands in 1960. Between 1978 and 1987 he studied Psychology, Linguistics, and classical and Vedic Sanskrit at the State University, Utrecht. At present he is a research worker at this University, at the Institute of Oriental Languages and Cultures.

ABBREVIATIONS

Part I

INTRODUCTION
1. The Pravargya Ritual
2. Short Description of the Rite
3. Interpretation of the Pravargya
   3.1. The Pravargya and the Sun
   3.2. The Pravargya and Soma
   3.3. The Pravargya and the Intermediate Initiation
   3.4. The Pravargya Myth
4. The Age of the Pravargya Ritual
5. Taittiriya Aranyaka 5 and its relation to the Brahmana and Samhita
6. Taittiriya Aranyaka 5 and its relation to other texts
7. About the Text and Translation

TEXT AND TRANSLATION
Anuvaka 1: The Pravargya as the head of the Sacrifice
Anuvaka 2: Collection of the materials for the Pravargya Ritual
Anuvaka 3: The preparation of the Pravargya vessel
Anuvaka 4: Putting up and heating the Pravargya vessel
Anuvaka 5: Praising the installed Pravargya vessel
Anuvaka 6: Gazing at the heated Pravargya vessel
Anuvaka 7: Milking the cow and the goat
Anuvaka 8: The offering to the Asvins
Anuvaka 9: The disposal of the Pravargya implements
Anuvaka 10: Sukriya samans and yajus-formulas; places for disposal
Anuvaka 11: The different names of the Pravargya Ritual
Anuvaka 12: Metamorphoses of the Pravargya
NOTES TO THE TEXT AND TRANSLATION