Page:The Religion of the Veda.djvu/232
The Vedic word for higher speculative discussion as a whole, and especially for the religious, mostly poetic, riddle is brahmodya or brahmavadya, that is, "analysis or speculation about the brahma, or religion." It is very generally carried on by two priests, one of whom asks questions, the other answers them. It is a kind of theological "quiz," prearranged by the two parties: questioner and responder know their parts to perfection.
At the horse-sacrifice two priests ask and answer:
"Who, verily, moveth quite alone; who, verily, is born again and again; what, forsooth, is the remedy for cold; and what is the great (greatest) pile"?
The answer is:
"The sun moveth quite alone; the moon is born again and again; Agni (fire) is the remedy for cold; the earth is the great (greatest) pile."[1]
The priest called Hotar asks the priest called Adhvaryu:
"What, forsooth, is the sun-like light; what sea is there like unto the ocean; what, verily, is higher than the earth; what is the thing whose measure is not known"?
The answer is:
"Brahma is the sun-like light; heaven is the sea like
- ↑ Vājasaneyi Samhitā 23. 9 and 10.
tions of the Munich Academy, 1875, p. 7 ff. of the reprint; Ludwig, Der Rig-Veda, vol. iii., p. 390 ff.; the author, Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. xv., p. 172.