History · Ch 4 — Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings — Cultural Developments
The sacrificial tradition
The sacrificial tradition
The early Vedic tradition, known from the Rigveda compiled between roughly 1500 and 1000 BCE, was one of several pre-existing streams of thought and religious practice in the subcontinent. The Rigveda is a collection of hymns praising a range of deities, especially Agni (the fire god), Indra (the warrior god), and Soma (a sacred plant and its drink). These hymns were chanted during sacrifices, where people prayed for practical blessings: cattle, sons, good health, and long life.
In the earliest period, sacrifices were performed collectively by the community. Later, from around 1000 BCE to 500 BCE and beyond, some sacrifices were performed by the heads of households for the well-being of their domestic unit. More elaborate sacrifices — such as the rajasuya (royal consecration) and the ashvamedha (horse sacrifice) — were performed by chiefs and kings. These rulers depended on Brahmana priests to conduct the rituals correctly. …
Source 1 — A prayer to Agni. Two verses from the Rigveda invoking Agni, the god of fire, often identified with the sacrificial fire into which offerings were made so as to reach the other deities:
Bring, O strong one, this sacrifice of ours to the gods, O wise one, as a liberal giver. Bestow on us, O priest, abundant food. Agni, obtain, by sacrificing, mighty wealth for us.
Procure, O Agni, for ever to him who prays to you (the gift of) nourishment, the wonderful cow. May a son be ours, offspring that continues our line … …