Svādhyāya: An Ancient Way of Using the Veda
Issue: Vol 8 No. 1 (2014)
Journal: Religions of South Asia
Subject Areas: Religious Studies Buddhist Studies Islamic Studies
Abstract:
Svādhyāya in Vedic ritual is the recitation of previously memorized texts, outside the context of yajña, but constituting in itself a ritual which bestows merit on the practitioner. It is described in the Brāhmaṇas, in Manu and elsewhere, in terms which present it as a virtual performance of yajña. The claim that the merit gained by svādhyāya equals or even surpasses that gained by yajña is analogous to claims made for temple worship or for Vedāntic knowledge of brahman. Svādhyāya, by separating the recitation of texts from the context of yajña which is the primary purpose of the Veda, ensured the survival of the Veda when yajña became rare or obsolete. This decontextualization helps to explain how the Veda could be transmitted orally and yet remain a stable text, despite the general view that oral texts are by nature fluid.
Author: Dermot Killingly
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