The Rig Veda Asian Religions Berger

The History of Vedic Texts  Theories of “Aryan” Origins  The Orientalist and Nazi “ethnic” theory  The “Russian” invasion and migration theory  The Native South Asian migration theory  Migrations and Settlement ( BCE  “Aryan” as “noblemen” or “virtuous men”  Nomadic, cattle-herding culture

The “Aryan” Religious Heritage  The Structure of Vedic Texts  Veda: poem-hymn, ritual uses  Brahmana: instructions for priests on performance  Aranyaka: “forest text”-symbolic meaning of ritual  Upanisad: philosophical interpretation of ritual  The “Three Pillars” of Vedic Religion  Polytheism, worship of natural and social powers  Ritual sacrifice and priestly powers  System of occupational social classes

The “Non-Existence” Hymn (6-7)  The Order of Creation  “Non-existence,” “The One,” breath, water (v 1-3)  Desire and mind (v 4)  Impulse and offering (v 5)  The mystery of the origin (v 6-7)  The order of non-existence, desire and creation  The ignorance of gods about creation

The Hymn of Man (p. 7-8)  Ritual Sacrifice and Creation  Transcendence and belonging to world (v 1-5)  Sacrifice as creation of world (v 6-10, 16)  Creation of castes (v 11-12)  Brahmins as mouth: society’s educators  Warriors as arms: society’s defenders  People as thighs: society’s creative power  Servants as feet: society’s foundation

Hymns to Goddesses and Gods  Aditi giving birth to the world (p 9-10)  Visvakarman crafting the world (p 11)  Both male and female powers as divine

Heat and Purpose of Ritual (p 11)  Order and Truth proceeding from heat (tapas)  Purpose of sacrifice, “cooking the world”  Agni, ritual fire, creates heat  Heat creates light, order of seasons, luminosity  Sacrifice maintains world in its order

Reading for Next Class  Upanisads, pages 12-30