Having explained before that the Samavoila verses are entirely taken from the Irigveda-Sanbitt, we may now show the artificial manner in which these extracts were brought together for the purpose described, and how little value they possess as a poetical anthology. The Sanhitl of the Sainaveda consists of two separate portions. The first, called Are-haw, or CA/tandeerantlia, is composed of five hundred and eighty-five verses ; the second, called Stauthaa, nr Litar4grantha, contains twelve hundred and twenty-five verses. The verses of the first are arranged into fifty-nine Dacia, or decades, subdivided again into Prapehakas, or chapters, with another subdivision into Ardha prapdeltakas, or half-chapters. The second portion is also divided into Prapdehakeu with ArdImprapehakas; these however are for the most part arranged according to triplets of verses, the first of which is already contained in the Archika portion, and thus appears twice in the Satnaveda-Sanhita. This first verso is called the ioni-verse, or the womb-verse, that in which the two others—the Uttards—are generated, because all the modifications which take place during the intonation of the former—the modulations, disruptions of letters, stoppages, kc.— must be likewise observed at the chanting of the latter. These modifications are taught in the Gams, or song-books, the Veyag6na and „it ran'yeedno, which contain the composition of the Archika, and the Irliaglina and Uhyagana, which comprise that of the Staublrika. In the Archika portion, the verses of the R'igvetia are nearly always disjoined from the connection in which they originally stood, while a somewhat greater continuity of extracts is observed in the Staubhika. In a very valuable synopsis given by Professor Whitney (in the second volume of Professor Weber's Indische Studien '), it is shown in what proportion these extracts were made from the Wigveda; it enables the student moreover, by comparing both collections, to ascertain that the compilers of the Samavede completely lost sight of the original nature of the Rived& hymns, and of their poetical worth ; that no respect was paid to the ty of the poets' thoughts, or to the motives which called forth their Lays. Still, however inferior the collection of the Sanuiveda is to that of the leigveda, ao powerful is the poetical greatness of the principal Veda, that it could not be entirely destroyed, even in the garbled assemblage of its verses in the Samaveda.
But even this mite of testhetical praise can scarcely be bestowed on the Yajurreda-Sanhitd. Like the SAmaveda, it also is a liturgic book : it also has largely drawn on the Wigveda hymns. But the first diffe rence we observe is that its contents are not entirely taken from the principal Veda, and the second is marked by the circumstance that it often combines with verses passages in prose, which are called yojus (lit. "that by which the sacrifice is effected "), and have given to the Yajurveda its name. Besides, the ceremonial for which this Veda was made up is much more diversified and elaborate than that of the Satnaveda, and the mystical and philosophical allusions which now and then appear in the R'igvoda, probably in its latest portions, assume a more prominent place in the Yajurveda. In one word, it is the sacri ficial Veda, as its name indicates. Hence we understand why it was looked upon in that period of Hindu civilisation which was engrossed by superstitions and rites, as the principal Veda, superior in fact to the lt'igveda, where there is no system of rites. To Sayan's, for instance, the great commentator of the Vedas, who lived only four centuries ago, the poetry of the Rigs-oda, and even the collection of the Samaveda, are of far less importance than the Yajurveda. " The Wigveda and
Samaveda," he says, in his introduction to tho Taittirfya-Sanhita, "are like fresco-paintings, whereas the Yajurveda is the wall on which they stand" (Mtiller, Anc. Sansk. Lit.' p. 17b); and it is on the ritual works connected with the oldest recension of this Veda that the speculations of the Mimansists, who refer their doctrine to the Stares of Jaitnini, are based. ((leldatiicker, Pan'ini,' p. 9.) There is one remarkable fact to be noticed in the history of this Veda, which has no parallel in that of the other Vedas, a schism to which its collection gave rise, and which ended in the putting forth of two Yajurveda texts, the one the name of the Black, the other that of the. White Yajurveda. The iii. 5. 2 (and nearly in the same manner the Vayu-Puran'a), contain the following legend concerning the origin of this schism " Yajnavalkya, son of Brahmarati, was Vais'ainpAyana's disciple, eminently versed in duty and obedient to his teacher. An agreement had formerly been made by the Mania, that any one of their number who should fail to attend at an assembly on Mount Meru on a certain day should incur the guilt of Bralimanicide within a period of seven nights. Vais'am payana was the only person who infringed this agreement, and ho in consequence occasioned the death of his sister's child, by touching it with his foot. lie then desired all Iris disciples to perform in his behalf an expiation which should take away his guilt, and forbade any hesitation YAjnavatkya then said to him," Reverend sir, what is the neceatity for these faint and feeble Brahmans ? I will perform the expiation." The wise teacher, incensed, replied to Yajuavalkya, "Contemner of Brahmans, give up all that thou host learnt from me ; I have no need of a disobedient disciple, who, like thee, stigmatises these eminent Brahmans as feeble." Yfijnavalkya rejoined, "It was from devotion (to thee) that I said what I did ; but I, too, have done with thee; here is all that I have learnt from thee." Having spoken, he vomited forth the identical Yajus texts tainted with blood, and giving them to his master, he departed at his will. The other pupils having then become transformed into partridges (tittiri) picked up the Yajus texts, and were thence called Taittirlyas. And those who had by their teacher's command performed the expiation, were from this perform ance (eharan'a) called Charakadhwaryus. Yiljnavalkya then, who was habituated to the exercise of suppressing his breath, devoutly hymned the sun, desiring to obtain Yajus texts. [The hymn follows.] Thus celebrated with these and other praises, the sun assumed the form of a horse, and said, " Ask whatever boon thou desirest." Yljnavalkya then, prostrating himself before the lord of the day, replied," Give me such Yajus texts as my teacher does not possess." Thus supplicated, the sun gave him the Yajus texts called A ydtaydnza, which were not known to his master. Those by whom these texts were studied were called VAjins, because the sun (when he gave them) assumed the shape of a horse (vajin)." (Muir, 'Orig. Sansk. Texts,' iii. pp. 32, 33.) However absurd this legend may be conceived to be, the two recen sions of the Yajurveda which are preserved, plainly bear out the fact, that the " White " Yajurveda is more recent than the "Black," and that the former is evidently intended as an improvement of the latter —whence it is hut reasonable to infer that such an infringement on an existing text cannot have taken place without some, and probably a great, conflict between the followers of the one and the originators of the other. To understand, however, the nature of this improvement, we must advert to the character of the older text.