Which of the following are known as Brahmanas?a)The original texts of ...
The correct answer is option B) Explanatory prose manuals relating to prayer and sacrificial ceremony.
Explanation:
The Brahmanas are a collection of prose texts that are considered to be an integral part of the Vedic literature. They were composed in Sanskrit and are believed to have been written between 900 BCE and 700 BCE. The Brahmanas are primarily concerned with the practical aspects of Vedic rituals and ceremonies.
Here is a detailed explanation of each option:
a) The original texts of the Vedas:
The Vedas are a collection of ancient hymns and prayers that form the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism. The Brahmanas are not the original texts of the Vedas but are secondary texts that provide explanations and instructions on how to perform the rituals and ceremonies mentioned in the Vedas.
b) Explanatory prose manuals relating to prayer and sacrificial ceremony:
This is the correct answer. The Brahmanas are prose texts that provide detailed explanations and instructions on how to perform the rituals and ceremonies mentioned in the Vedas. They provide a guide for the priests and offer insights into the symbolism, significance, and proper performance of various rituals and sacrifices.
c) Commentaries appended to the Aranyakas dealing with philosophical questions:
The Aranyakas are another set of texts that are considered to be a part of the Vedic literature. They are associated with the forest-dwelling hermits and deal with philosophical and mystical teachings. While the Brahmanas may contain some philosophical elements, they are primarily concerned with the practical aspects of rituals and ceremonies.
d) Books dealing with worship and contemplation meant for wood-dwelling hermits:
This option refers to the Aranyakas, not the Brahmanas. The Aranyakas are the texts that are meant for the hermits who live in the forests and are focused on contemplation and spiritual practices. They provide guidance on meditation, worship, and self-realization.
In summary, the Brahmanas are explanatory prose manuals that provide instructions on the performance of Vedic rituals and ceremonies. They are not the original texts of the Vedas but are considered to be an important part of the Vedic literature.
Which of the following are known as Brahmanas?a)The original texts of ...
The Brahmanas, it is well known, form our chief, if not our only, source of information regarding one of the most important periods in the social and mental development of India. They represent the intellectual activity of a sacerdotal caste which, by turning to account the religious instincts of a gifted and naturally devout race, had succeeded in transforming a primitive worship of the powers of nature into a highly artificial system of sacrificial ceremonies, and was ever intent on deepening and extending its hold on the minds of the people, by surrounding its own vocation with the halo of sanctity and divine inspiration.
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