۰صد ss\ HISTORY OF THE PRIMITIVE ARYANS ২৩৫ -سید سد- - - يا ----------------------------------- branch (Karmakanda) for those of lower intelli* gence. The mere idea of Veda, literally signifying “divine knowledge", arose in the mind of Brahma. He did not embody it in the form of rikas or slokas, nor did he put it into writing. Unwritten rikas were composed by the Rishis of the Indo-Aryan people after the Aryans had migrated southwards ‘The Puranas say that the Vedas were first This means that he was the founder of Vedaism, He created the Aryan nation. Brahma is therefore called in the Puranas the creator of the world. The first introduction of Vedaism must have caused a great commotion among the into India T in post-diluvian times. manifested in the mind of Brahma. race with Caucasian features who were in religion, manner, customs and habits like their neighbours the Turanians. The followers of the new religion were called Aryas or the “honorable” to distinguish them from the Turanians. The members of the community newly formed were, how ever, a pastoral or nomadic nation like the neighbouring Turanians and lived in tents. * They were unacquainted with agriculture, and still more with the art to the inferior deities mentioned in the text. From this it appears that Brahma did not intend to debar men of lower intelligence entirely from the worship of the One True God but gave it in a diluted form to them. Some of the earliest rikas speak of the One True God. Even among the present very civilized races of the earth men are found of such low intelligence that they can not at all comprehend the formless Infinite God. Brahma did not intend to deprive even such men at once of the benefits of religion, but established an inferior branch of it for them, suited to their capacity of understanding. M The very first Rik speaks of Agni having been adored by the Rishis of former times (apparently Trans-Himalayan Rishis) and worshipped in a new manner by those of India.
- From a subsequent chapter it will appear that the art of building villages and towns and that of agriculture were at first introduced into the Aryan community by king Prithu.
of writing which was invented long after they had settled in India. The precursor of Brahma in the work of religious reformation was the great sage Angiras t who founded the worship of fire as the great symbol of the deity, and as preparation for his higher worship. Reverence be to his name, as from fire worship was gradually evolved the transcen dental religion of the Upanishad than which there exists no higher in the world. , Th. viry small nober of f 'lowers which Brahma gained afflicted him. ' - therefore allowed the customs of sister-marriage, polygaiuy and polyandary vnrong them, to pro mote the increase of the Aryan population. We should not jude f Brahma with respect to his ideas of social matters by the standard of the plesent age. Another circumstance "so afflicted him. Those Manaspujras (literally meaning sons of the mind, or spiritual sons or disciples of him) by name Sanak, Sananda, Sanatkumar etc, whom he appointed at first as Prajapatis or rulers of the insant Aryan community. were devoted to contemplation of God, and did not attend to theil worldly duties. 131ahma was highly incensed at their conduct. The religion founded by hını did not inculcate imattention to othe Witļi respect to, such duties it went so far as to duties than that of divine communion. enjoin, upon men of higher religious intelli gence who are invariably vexed considering their flivolousness at the performance rites and ceremonies, such performance for the sake of example that they may not be neglected by men of lower intelligence who cannot comprehend the higher religion, and so they be not without religion, at all. Being troubled at the conduct of his spiritual sons mentioned before, he appointed nine other spiritual sons of his, named Pulastya, Pulaha Kratu, Angira, Marichi, l)aksha, Atri and
- m
t The name of this illustrious sage is mentioned both in the Vedas and the Zenda. vesta. This clearly shows that he wa8 a trans Himalayan sage. When his name is mentioned in both the Vedas and Zendavesta, but the name of Brahma’ only in the Vedas, espeicially those superior portions of the in called the Upanishads, he must have been older than Brahma'
