Word

Brahmanam

Sanskrit

ब्राह्मणम्,

IAST

Brāhmaṇam

In General

Brahmanas form the second part of vedic lore after Samhita. They are also a collected work which form a commentary on the four Veda sahhita. They contain explanation for some Vedic hymns. The Brahmanas are particularly important for their instructions on the proper performance of rituals, as well as explain the symbolic importance of sacred words and ritual actions in the Samhita.

Veda

The Brahmana books are through treatises on the Vedic rituals. They are result of an attempt to recover the lost spiritual knowledge of Veda samhita. Many a time Veda becomes unpopular or lost in ritualism. The attempt to recover them we can see in Purana as Varahavatar and in Bhagavad Gita. The recovery by Brahmana had two stages. The first stage was to record the names or details of the hymns of the Veda Samhita recited at various steps in the outward ritual Yajna and also to record the various steps of Yajna. The second stage deals with the contemplations and the philosophical issues, emphasizing the subtle nature of the yajna. This stage further leads to aranyaka and Upanishads.

Brahmana is part of Sruti and thus a valid source of information. Unlike samhita they are mainly in prose. The Brahmanas gives rules for the performance of Srauta sacrifices and the Arthavada or explanation for the purpose and meaning of the sacrificial acts. It also describe vidhi, the right action for Yajna and nishedha, the denial of doing wrong action during yajna. They contain many discussion on sacrifices, gives interpretation of vedic hymens, trace etymology of words and try to explain symbols. The Shodasa Samskara and other customary duties are traced back to Brahmana. It explain the Brahmacharya(student life), Antevasin(living with teacher), various Vratas and the like.

The different Vedic shakha (school) has its own Brahmana, of them only very few of them are available now. Each Brahmana is associated with one of the four Vedas, and within the tradition of that Veda it developed.

Rig_veda

Aitareya Brahmana

Kaushitaki Brahmana

Sama_veda

Tandya Mahabrahmana

Panchavimsha Brahmana

Chandogya Brahmana

Jaiminiya Brahmana

Krishna Yajurveda

Taittiriya Brahmana

Shukla Yajurveda

Shatapatha Brahmana

Atharva_veda

Gopatha Brahmana