Page:History of India Vol 1.djvu/82

52 is used in the Rig-Veda simply as an adjective which means strong, and is applied to gods. The word Vipra, which in later Sanskrit denotes the priestly caste, is used in the Rig-Veda merely as an adjective which means wise and which is applied to gods. And the word Brāhmana, which in later Sanskrit connotes also the priestly caste, is used in a hundred places in the Rig-Veda to imply the composers of hymns, and nothing else.

As we have seen, every father of a family was his own priest, and his home was his temple. There is no mention of idols in the Rig-Veda, none of temples or places of worship where the people were to congregate. The sacred fire was lighted in the house of every householder, and he chanted the hymns which we now find collected in the Rig-Veda. We have a pleasing picture of women who assisted at these sacrifices, who ordered the necessary things, prepared them with pestle and mortar, extracted the Soma-juice, stirred it with their fingers, and strained it through a woollen strainer. In numerous places we find mention of wives that joined their husbands and performed the sacrifice together with them, as is shown in the following hymn:—

"O ye gods! The married couple who prepare oblations together, who purify the Soma-juice and mix it with milk,

"May they obtain food for their eating and come united to the sacrifice. May they never have to go in quest of food.

"They do not make vain promises of offerings to the