The two other and principal sakhas of the rich are those of Ashwülayŭnă and Sankhyayunŭ, or perhaps Kousheetõkee; but the Vishnoo poorană omits them, and intimates, that Shakupōōrnee, a pupil of Indrňprůmůtee, gave the third varied edition from this teacher, and was also the author of the Nirooktă: if so, he is the same with Yasku.

"The yujoosh, in its original form, was at first taught by Voishŭmpayǎnǎ to twentyseven pupils. The white yйjoosh was taught by Yagnŭwůlkyŭ to fifteen pupils, who founded as many schools. The most remarkable of which are the sakhas of Kunwŭ and Madbyŭndinu; and, next to them, those of the Javalŭs, Boudhayŭnŭs, and Tapuneeyus. The other branches of the yujoosh seem to have been arranged in several classes. Thus the Churůkŭs, or students of a sakha, so denominated from the teacher of it, Chărăkă, are stated as including ten subdivisions; among which are the Kut'hus, or disciples of Kut'hu, a pupil of Voishumpayunů; as also the Shwétashwütürüs, Oopămunyŭvus, and Moitrayuneeyus: the last mentioned comprehends seven others. like manner, the Toittireeyukus are, in the first instance, subdivided into two, the Oukhyéyus and Chandikéyus; and these last are again subdivided into five, the Apustumbeeyus, &c. Among them, Apŭstŭmbŭ's sakha is still subsisting; and so is Atréyos, among those which branched from Ookhu: but the rest, or most of them, are become rare, if not altogether obsolete.

In

"Soomuntoo, son of Joiminee, studied the samŭ-védů, or Chandogyă, under his father: and his own son, Sookărmăn, studied under the same teacher, but founded a different school; which was the origin of two others, derived from his pupils, Hirunyŭnabhŭ and Poushpinjee, and thence branching into a thousand more.

"The йl'hŭroй-védů was taught by Soomŭntoo, to his pupil Kübănd'hŭ, who divided it between Dévădărshŭ and Pŭt'hyй. The first of these has given name to the sakha stiled Dévůdŭrshee; as Pippůladů, the last of his four disciples, has, to the sakha of the Poippůladees. Another branch of the ut'hŭrvănă derives its appellation from Sounǎku, the third of Put'hya's pupils. The rest are of less note.

Jj

SECTION V.

Divisions of each Védů.

"THE védos are a compilation of prayers, called mŭntrus; with a collection of precepts and maxims, entitled bramhănă; from which last portion, the oopunishŭd is extracted. The prayers are properly the védŭs, and apparently preceded the bramhunů. The whole of the Indian theology is professedly founded on the oopunishůds. The several sunghitas, or collections of prayers, in each védă, constitute the sakhas or branches of each védă. Tradition, preserved in the pooranŭs, reckons sixteen sunghitas of the rig-védů; eighty-six, of the yujoosh; or, including those which branched from a second revelation of this védi, a hundred and one; and not less than a thousand of the samu-védů; besides nine of the ut'hůrvůně. But treatises on the study of the védů reduce the sakhas of the rich, to five; and those of the yujoosh, including both revelations of it, to eighty-six.

"The collection of prayers in the rig-védů is divided into eight parts (chăndă); each of which is subdivided into as many lectures (ŭdhyayŭ). Another mode of division also runs through the volume; distinguishing ten books (mundělů), which are subdivided into more than a hundred chapters (unoovaků,) and comprise a thousand hymns or invocations (sooktů). A further subdivision of more than two thousand sections (vărgă) is common to both methods: and the whole contains above ten thousand verses, or rather stanzas, of various measures.

"The white yujoosh is the shortest of the védus; so far as respects the first and principal part, which comprehends the măntrūs. The sunghita, or collection of prayers and invocations, belonging to this védů, is comprised in forty lectures (udhyayŭ), unequally subdivided into numerous short sections (kŭndika); each of which, in general, constitutes a prayer or măntră. It is also divided, like the rig-védé, into

unoovakŭs, or chapters. The number of unoovakŭs, as they are stated at the close of the index to this védů, appears to be two hundred and eighty-six: the number of sections or verses, nearly two thousand (or exactly 1987). But this includes many repetitions of the same text in divers places. The lectures are very unequal, con

taining from thirteen to a hundred and seventeen sections (kundika). The black yujoosh is more copious (I mean, in regard to muntrŭs,) than the white yujoosh, but less so than the rig-védů. Its sŭnghita, or collection of prayers, is arranged in seven books (ushtukŭ or kandu,) containing from five to eight lectures or chapters (ud'byayŭ, prăsnŭ or prăpatŭků). Each chapter, or lecture, is subdivided into sections (unoovakŭ), which are equally distributed in the third and sixth books, but unequally in the rest. The whole number exceeds six hundred and fifty.

"Not having yet obtained a complete copy of the samr-védü, or of any commentary on it, I can only describe it imperfectly from such fragments, as 1 have been able to collect. A principal, if not the first, part of the samu-védŏ is that entitled Archiků. It comprises prayers, here arranged, as appears from two copies of the Archikŭ,* in six chapters (průpať’hŭků) subdivided into half chapters, and into sections (dushutee); ten in each chapter, and usually containing the exact number of ten verses each. The same collection of prayers, in the same order, but prepared for chanting, is distributed in seventeen chapters, under the title of the Gramugéyŭ-ganů.—Another portion of the samŭ-védă, arranged for chanting, bears the title of Arůnyŭ- gană. Three copies of it,t which seem to agree exactly, exhibit the same distribution into three chapters, which are subdivided into half chapters, and decades or sections, like the Archikŭ above-mentioned. But I have not yet found a plain copy of it, divested of the additions made for guidance in chanting it. The additions here alluded to, consist in prolonging the sounds of vowels, and resolving diphthongs into two or more syllables, inserting likewise, in many places, other additional syllables, besides placing numerical marks for the management of the voice. Some of the prayers, being subject to variation in the mode of chanting them, are repeated, once or oftener, for the purpose of showing these differences; and, to most, are prefixed the appropriate names of the several passages.-Under the deno* "One of them dated nearly two centuries ago, in 1672 Sumvut. This copy exhibits the further title of Chandusee sunghita."

"The most ancient of those in my possession, is dated nearly three centuries ago, in 1587 Sŭmvüt."

“This Arănyă comprises nearly three hundred verses (samun), or exactly 290. The Archikă contains twice as many, or nearly 600."'

mination of bramhúnů, which is appropriated to the second part, or supplement of the védă, various works have been received by different schools of the samă-védă. Four appear to be extant; three of which have been seen by me either complete or in part. One is denominated Shŭrvingshă; probably from its containing twenty-six chapters. Another is called Ŭdbhōōtă, or, at greater length, Ŭdbhōōtu-bramhŭnă. The only portion which I have yet seen of either has the appearance of a fragment, and breaks off at the close of the fifth chapter. The best known among the bramhuns of the The Chandogyů, its principal oopunishŭd,

samů-védŭ is that entitled Tandyŭ. which is one of the longest and most abstruse compositions, contains eight chapters (průpatŭkus), apparently extracted from some portion of the bramhănŭ, in which they are numbered from three to ten. The first and second, not being included in the oopunishăd, probably relate to religious ceremonies. The chapters are unequally subdivided into paragraphs or sections; amounting, in all, to more than a hundred and fifty. A great part of the Chandogyŭ is in a didactic form: including, however, like most of the other oopunishůds, several dialogues.

"The sǎnghita, or collection of prayers and invocations belonging to the ut’hürvůnữ, is comprised in twenty books (kandů), subdivided into sections (ŭnoovakŭ), hymns (sooktů), and verses (rich). Another mode of division by chapters (prăpatuků) is also indicated. The number of verses is stated at 6015; the sections exceed a hundred ; and the hymns amount to more than seven hundred and sixty. The number of chapters is forty nearly. The most remarkable part of the ăt’hŭrvů-védů consists of theological treatises, entitled oopŭnishuds, which are appendant on it. They are computed at fifty-two: but this number is completed by reckoning, as distinct oopunishǎds, different parts of a single tract. Four such treatises, comprising eight oopunishŭds, together with six of those before described as appertaining to other védés, are perpetually cited in dissertations on the védantă. Others are either more sparingly, or not at all, quoted."

* "Sir Robert Chambers's copy of the samŭ-védů comprised four portions entitled Ganů, the distinct names of which, according to the list received from him, are Viganŭ, Arna, Végünŭ, Ooganŭ and Oohyu-ganu. The first of these I suspect to be the Arunyu, written in that list Arna; the last seems to be the same with that which is in my copy denominated Oohŭ-ganŭ.”

SECTION VI.

Subjects treated of in the Védů.

THE subjects treated of in the védă are so numerous, that it is difficult to give an analysis of them in a small compass: Hymns, addressed to the gods; to kings in praise of their munificence;* prayers, to insure a long and happy life;-ceremonies, to be performed by a secular person;-rites, enjoined to hermits and ascetics;-prayers or incantations, adapted to sacrifices, or to be addressed to the firmament, to fire, the sun, the moon, water, air, the spirits, the atmosphere, the earth, &c.; and to be used at the sacrifice of a horse for obtaining universal empire;-dialogues on different subjects, incantations, for preservation from poison, for the destruction of enemies, &c. ;-accounts of sacrifices performed by kings;-of ceremonies, performed at the consecration of kings; at oblations to the manes; and on the full and change of the moon, &c; description of the rewards resulting from entertaining an officiating bramhŭn;-method of consecrating perpetual fire;-the ceremony called ugnishtomă, including that of drinking the juice of the acid asclepias.

"Prayers, employed at solemn rites called yŭgnus," says Mr. Colebrooke, "have been placed in the three principal védŭs: those which are in prose are named yăjoosh; such as are in metre, are denominated rich; and some, which are intended to be chanted, are called samun : and these names, as distinguishing different portions of the védés, are anterior to their separation in Vyasu's compilation. But the ǎt'hŭrvănă, not being used at the religious ceremonies above-mentioned, and containing prayers employed at lustrations, at rites conciliating the deities, and as imprecations on enemies, is essentially different from the other védŭs; as is remarked by the author of an elementary treatise on the classification of the Indian sciences.

"Each védă consists of two parts, denominated the măntrus and the bramhŭnŭs; or prayers and precepts. The complete collection of the hymns, prayers, and invocations, belonging to one védă, is entitled its sănghita. Every other portion of Indi

"The eighth book of the rig-védŭ contains a hymn written by a king, in praise of his own munificence towards a sage whose incantations had restored him to manhood, after he had been metamorphosed into a woman; and strains of exultation uttered by his wife on the occasion."