fire is, we find the Agnidhra (who holds the fire) of the Brahmans. The Yajishn or Ijashne ceremony, as performed by the Parsi priests now-a-days (see p. 139), contains all the elements which constitute the different parts (four or seven) of the Jyotishtoma cycle of sacrifices, the prototype of all the Soma sacrifices. The Agnishṭoma (i.e., praise of Agni, the fire), which is the opening sacrifice of this cycle and indispensable for every Agnihotri to gain the object wished for, viz., heaven, bears a particular resemblance to the performance of Ijashne. Of course, the whole ceremony is much. shortened, and the rites changed in accordance with the more enlightened and humane spirit of the Zoroastrian religion. In the Agnishtoma four goats must be killed and their flesh is partly offered to the gods by throwing it into Agni, the fire, who is the mediator between gods and men, and partly eaten by the sacrificer and the priests. During the Ijashne ceremony no animal is killed; only some hair of an ox is placed in a small vessel and shown, together with the other things, to the fire. This is now-adays the only remnant of animal sacrifice on this occasion, but formerly they used a piece of meat besides. The Purodásha of the Brahmans, or the sacrificial cakes, which must be offered to different deities in a certain order, during the recital of two mantras for each deity, is changed into a flat kind of bread (similar to a very small pancake), called Darún. The fresh milk, required at the time of performing the Upasad ceremony (see p. 270), is to be recognised in the gâush jîvya (see p. 139). Ghî, butter, &c., required for less important ceremonies at the time of the Agnishtoma (when making the so-called Prayájas for the six seasons) are represented by the gâush hudhâo (see p. 139). The Zaothra or consecrated water is required at the commencement of the Brahmanical sacrifices also, where it is called udaka shânta. The most important part of the offerings in both the Jyotishṭoma sacrifices and the Ijashne ceremony, is the juice of the Soma plant. In both the twigs of the plant itself (the Brahmans use the stalks of the Pûtika, which is a substitute for the original Soma, and the Parsis use the branches of a particular shrub which grows in Persia) in their natural state are brought to the sacred spot, where the ceremony is to take place, and the juice is there extracted during the recital of prayers. The contrivances used for obtaining the juice, as well as the vessels employed, are somewhat different, but, on closer inquiry, an original identity may be recognised. The Brahmans beat the stalks of the plant, which are placed on a large flat stone, with another smaller stone till they form a single mass; this is then put into a vessel and water is poured over it. After some time this water, which has extracted the greenish juice, is poured through a cloth, which serves as a strainer, into another vessel. The Parsi priests use, instead of stones, a metal mortar with a pestle whereby the twigs of the Homa plant, together with one of the pomegranate tree, are bruised, and they then pour water over them to obtain the juice, which is strained through a metal saucer with nine holes. This juice (Parahaoma) has a yellow colour, and only very little of it is drunk by one of the two priests (the Zaota) who must be present, whereas all the Brahmanical priests (sixteen in number), whose services are required at the Jyotishṭoma, must drink the Soma juice, and some of the chief priests (such as the Adhvaryu and Hotâ) must even take a very large quantity. The Parsi priests never throw any of the juice into the fire, but the Brahmans must first offer a certain quantity of the intoxicating juice to different deities, by throwing it from variously-shaped wooden vessels into the fire, before they are allowed to taste "the sweet liquor." The Parsi priests only show it to the fire, and then drink it. Afterwards the juice is prepared a second time by the chief priest (Zaota) and then thrown into a well. These two preparations of the Homa juice correspond to the morning libation (prataḥ savana) and mid-day libation (madhyandina savana) of the Brahmans; for the third, or evening libation, there was no opportunity in the Parsi ritual, because no sacrificial rites are allowed to be performed in the evening or night time. The Barsom (Baresma), or the bundle of twigs which is indispensable at the time of reciting Ijashne, is to be traced to one of the sacrificial rites at the great Soma sacrifices. It has hitherto been erroneously identified with the Barhis or sacred grass (Kusha grass is used) of the Brahmans, which they spread at their sacrifices as a seat for the gods who are expected to come. But the close connection of the Barsom with the Ijashne ceremony, and the circumstances that wood (branches of a particular tree) and not grass is taken, and that these branches are laid on a stand, not spread on the floor, lead to the conclusion that it does not represent the seat for the divine beings, as the Kusha grass does. It refers, in all likelihood, to a peculiar rite at the great Soma sacrifices, which is as yet little known, but about which the author had an opportunity of obtaining oral information. At the time of the Soma libation (called Savana), which is to be performed three times on the same day, from 8-12 A.M. (morning libation), 1–5 P.M. (mid-day libation), 6-11 P.M. (evening libation), the three Sâmaveda priests, the Udgâtâ, the Prastotâ, and the Pratihartâ, require a certain number of wooden sticks to be placed in a certain order when chanting the sacred Sâmans (verses of the Sâmaveda). They use for this purpose the wood of the Udumbara tree, and call them kusha, which name is. generally given to the sacred grass. In the Agnishtoma fifteen such sticks are required at the morning libation, seventeen at noon, and twenty-one in the evening; in other sacrifices, such as the Aptoryâma, even a much larger number of such sticks is required. The three singers must then chant successively, one by one, in a very solemn manner, the five parts, into which every 1 Such Sâmans are called pancha- viz.: Prastáva (prelude), Udgitha bhaktika, i.e., divided into five parts, (the principal part, to be chanted by Sâman or verse adapted for singing is divided at certain sacrifices, while putting some of the sticks into a certain proper order. This ceremony is considered to be most essential, and unless observed and properly performed, all the effect of the Sâmans (which are believed to carry the sacrificer up to heaven, the most important of all being called Rathantaram, " carriage") is lost. At the same time there is another peculiar custom to be observed, which may be traced in the Yasna also. As soon as the singers have chanted their verse, one of the Hotâs must repeat a series of mantras from the Rigveda (not in the usual way of repetition, but in one approaching the recital of the Yajurveda), in order to praise and extol the Sâman, which ceremony is called Shastram. At the end of the different Hâs of the Yasna, especially its Gâtha portion, verses of these hymns are often invoked as divine beings, and in Yas. xix. 6 (p. 186) we have seen that it is considered very meritorious to worship the Ahuna-vairya formula after having repeated it. With regard to the division of the Sâmans into five parts, it may be remarked that the Ahuna-vairya formula, which is as important for the Parsis as the Rathantaram Sâman was for the Vedic Brahmans, was also divided into five parts (see p. 188). In the Afringân ceremony of the Parsis (see p. 224) there may be discovered a trace of the Brahmanical Apri ceremony (see Aitareya Brâhmaņa, ii. 4, p. 28, of the author's edition), which is preparatory to the killing and offering of the sacrificial goats. The name is the same: â-prî in Sanskrit, d-frî in the Avesta (the formula used being afrînâmi), which literally means to "invite; " with which invitation the name of the being or beings, in whose honour the ceremony is being performed, must always be mentioned. The Parsis mention the name of a deceased person, or of an angel; the Brahmans insert the names of the Udgåtâ), Pratihára (response), Upadrava (little finale), and Nidhana (great finale), to be chanted by all three. different deities 1 (there are eleven invocations), who are expected to come and enjoy the meal prepared for them. These solemn invitations being accompanied with a blessing, the Parsis understand by this ceremony a benediction, which form it seems to have assumed at a very early time. The Darsha purnama ishți (new and full moon sacrifice) seems to correspond with the Darûn ceremony of the Parsis. Both are very simple; the Brahmans use chiefly the Purodâsha, or sacrificial cakes, the Parsis the sacred bread (Darûn), which corresponds to the Puroḍâsha. The Châturmasya ishți, or the sacrifice offered every four months or two seasons, corresponds to the Gahanbâr ceremony of the Parsis, which is celebrated six times a year. Sacrificing animals was essential for the proper performance of these ceremonies among the Parsis until recent times; so it is with the Brahmans also. But as to animal sacrifice, there is always a great difference between the Brahmanical and Zoroastrian rites. The Brahmans must throw some parts of the slaughtered animal, such as the vapâ (peritoneum), into the fire; while the Parsis simply consecrate the flesh and eat it as a solemn meal, without throwing anything into the fire. On such occasions even the Brahmans now-a-days also eat some of the flesh. 4.-RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES, DOMESTIC RITES, And Although there are a good many similarities to be discovered in respect to observances, domestic rites, &c., we must confine our remarks to a few of the most striking points of coincidence. The great purification ceremony (see p. 241), by means of cow's urine (called gôméz), as practised by the Parsis to this day, may be compared with a similar observance of the Brahmans. The latter use, in order to remove all 1 See Yâska's Nirukta, viii. 4-21, and Max Müller's "History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature," pp. 463-467. |