Questions tagged [shatapatha-brahmana]

The Shatapatha Brahmana is a prose text describing Vedic rituals, history and mythology associated with the Śukla Yajurveda.

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What happened to Vishnu's incarnation Narayana after his Pancharatra Yagna?

As I discuss in this answer, one of the most prominent incarnations of Vishnu in ancient times was the sage Narayana, twin brother of the sage Nara and son of Yama god of death. Nara and Narayana ...
Keshav Srinivasan's user avatar
10 votes
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What is the origin of Brahma's four heads?

Brahma, the creator of the universe, is depicted as having four heads. Is there a story behind it?
Eshan Singh's user avatar
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Did the divine architect Vishwakarma cause the Earth to submerge?

Vishwakarma, AKA Tvashta, is the architect of the gods. He built, among other things, Indra's city of Amaravati, Krishna's city of Dwaraka, and Ravana's city of Lanka. His daughter Sanjana married ...
Keshav Srinivasan's user avatar
18 votes
4 answers
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What does our scripture say about marriage? Why should we marry?

I heard from Parama Pujya Morari Bapu's Rama Katha that starting from our birth we have parents supporting us in every situation until they become old. And we have our friends and family members also ...
Bhavin's user avatar
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What parts of the TaittirIya Samhita of the Yajur Veda are Shruti?

As I discuss in this answer, each of the four Vedas consists of four portions: Samhitas, the core part of the Vedas which consist of verses heard from the gods; Brahmanas, commentaries on the Samhitas ...
Keshav Srinivasan's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
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What is the story of the gods disappearing from the Earth?

The Agnihotra is a twice-daily Vedic Yagna that is required to be performed by all Dvijas. (It's not as commonly practiced nowadays, because it can be substituted with Naivedyam, which constitutes a ...
Keshav Srinivasan's user avatar
8 votes
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Who were the two priests of Asuras (not Shukracharya)?

I came across an interesting story while reading the Shatapatha brahmana regarding Manu's encounters with the priests of Asuras: Manu was in possession of a bull. Into him had entered an Asura-...
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
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Alternatives to animal sacrifice during Vedic yajnas, according to Brahmana texts?

I seem to remember having read somewhere that one or more of the ancient Brahmana texts (maybe Shatapatha Brahmana) allow performing Vedic yajnas by providing alternatives to animal sacrifice, like ...
RamAbloh's user avatar
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Why did Tvastar, the father of Vritra fashion the Vajra that killed his own son?

The Shatpatha Brahmana states that Vritra was created by Tvastar to avenge the killing of Trisiras by Indra. However, many verses in RV call Tvastar the creator of Vajra for example Rigved 1.32.1 says:...
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal's user avatar
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Does the Satapatha Brahmana actually discuss Shiva and the Daksha Yajna?

There is an incident described in the Śatapatha Brahmana 1.7.4, where the devatas get angry with a certain behaviour of Prajāpati, and consequently Lord Shiva punishes him. The more one reads this ...
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Are these rituals really done in Ashvamedha as per Brahmanas? Is the translation correct?

When the water for washing the feet is ready, they make the chief queen (Mahishi) lie down next to the horse, and they cover the two of them up with the upper cloth as they say the verse, ‘Let the ...
Anisha's user avatar
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8 votes
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What is the story of the three previous Agnis who passed away?

The Shatapatha Brahmana 1.3.3 mentions the following interesting conversation between Agni and the other gods: He then lays the (three) enclosing-sticks (paridhi) around (the fire). The reason ...
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal's user avatar
8 votes
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What were the Vedic stories recited during the Ashwamedha Yagna?

Many Vedic Yagnas (fire-rituals) would last for months or even years, so it was customary to take breaks at regular intervals, and during those breaks a story would often be recited. In fact, it was ...
Keshav Srinivasan's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
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How to interpret Bhasyas of Madhidhara for Vajasaneyi Samhita 23.19-31 ? His Bhasyas look too vulgar

In Yajurveda Samhita, we come across Ashvamedha ritual. In Shukla Yajurveda, Madhyandin Samhita section 23.18–32, the so-called obscene ritual of the chief Queen Mahishi copulating with dead horse is ...
Sethu Srivatsa Koduru's user avatar
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Is there a relation between Gadhi, the Kaushik incarnation of Indra and Ahalya?

Indra, in the Subramanaya invocation is referred to as both Kaushik, one who calls him Gautama as well as the lover of Ahalya (Shatpatha Brahman relevant chapter). While the part about Gautam and ...
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
813 views

Is Sri Kurma an avatar of Lord BrahmA (Prajapati)?

It is believed that Tortoise (kurma) avatar is of Lord Vishnu as per the puranic legends. However, one of the users of the site has quoted an interesting passage from vedas citing that Lord Kurma is ...
Rakesh Joshi's user avatar
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4 votes
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was Vishnu beheaded in Shatapatha Brahmana?

I remember reading he went to sleep next to his bow and the other gods sent ants to gnaw the bow-string. When the string broke the bow straightened out and took Vishnu's head off (in some versions ...
S K's user avatar
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Whose sin is Prajapati's son referring to when he says "I am अनपहतपाप्मन् = anapahatapApman" in Shatapatha Brahmana?

https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/satapatha-brahmana-english/d/doc63292.html Kanda VI, adhyaya 1, brahmana 3 The "boy" is the incestuous offspring of Prajapati and his daughter Ushas ...
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