Page:The Religion of the Veda.djvu/55

 The Veda 39 Sama-Veda is held in small regard. The Brahman- ical law-books prescribe that the recitation of Rig- Veda and Yajur-Veda must stop whenever the shout of sämans is heard. One of these law-books, for instance, counts the barking of dogs, the bray of asses, the howling of wolves, and the sound of the saman as noises so obnoxious or defiling that, when heard, the study of the other Vedas must stop.¹ The interest of the Sama-Veda for the history of Hindu religion and literature amounts to very little. It represents in fact little more than the secondary employment in the service of religion of popular music and other quasi-musical noises. These were developed and refined in the course of civilisation, and worked into the formal ritual of Brahmanism in order to add an element of beauty and emotion. In more modern times the saman- chants at the sacrifice are said to be quite impressive. The oldest name of the Atharva-Veda is atharvän- girasah, a compound formed of the names of two semi-mythic families of priests, the Atharvans and Angirases. At a very early time the former term was regarded as synonymous with "holy charms," or ¹ Compare on this point Professor Ludwig's remark in Der Rig- Veda, vol. v., p. 8. See the author in the Vienna Oriental Journal, vol. xvii., p. 162.