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In the Pravargya Yajña, an earthen pot is fashioned from clay dug up from the ground, placed on a fire-altar, and used to boil milk which is offered to the Ashvins, the twin Rigvedic deities of Ayurveda medicine.
As with all Vedic period sacrificial ceremonies, the Pravargya Yajña is Mysticism in nature insofar as items, positions, actions, and words have indirect, Symbol meanings, rather than direct (i.e. exoteric) literal meanings (e.g. the pot represents the head of Vishnu which in turn represents the Sun). It is also typical in that numerous and complex rules must be strictly followed by participants to the smallest detail.
Although explanations of and instructions for the performance of the Pravargya Yagya are provided by various Vedas literature such as the Brahmanas, Aranyaka and Shrautasutra, those provided by the Shatapatha Brahmana of the White Yajurveda are particularly notable in Vaishnavism as the likely origin of the Varaha (boar) avatar of the Rigvedic God Vishnu.
Synonymous with Krishna, Vishnu is the "preserver" in the Hindu triad (Trimurti) and is revered as the supreme being In Vaishnavism.Gavin Flood, An Introduction to Hinduism (1996), p. 17. Also stated to be synonymous with the Yajna (e.g. in the Shatapatha Brahmana, see below), Vishnu is particularly notable for adopting various incarnations (Avatar such as Varaha, Rama, and Krishna), time to time in every Yuga Cycle to preserve and protect Dharma principles whenever the world is threatened with evil, chaos, and destructive forces.
W.J. Wilkins states that the 'Asvins are regarded as the physicians of the gods; and are declared to be able to restore to health, the sick, the lame, and the emaciated amongst mortals. They are the special guardians of the slow and backward; the devoted friends of elderly women who are unmarried. They are said to preside over love and marriage, and are implored to being together hearts that love... the Asvins are invoked for "offspring, wealth, victory, destruction of enemies, the preservation of the worshippers themselves, of their houses and cattle'.
In the legend of Vishnu's decapitation, the Yagya is stated to have begun without the Ashvins. Wilkins relates another legend in the Shatapatha Brahmana (4.1.5) that leads to the Ashvins joining the Yagya, and as physicians, using their power to replace the head of Vishnu/Makha as the head of the Yagya (i.e. the Pravargya, itself). Their request to the gods for this was to be granted oblations at the Yagya, which was accepted (hence boiled milk is offered to them in the Pravargya Yagya). The story related by Wilkins is that after attempting and failing twice to take away Sukanya, the young wife of an elderly Rishi called Chyavana, she tells the Ashvins one of the reasons she won't leave her husband for them is because they are imperfect, but will only tell them why after they make her husband young again. They agree, and so she 'tells the Asvins that they are imperfect because they have not been invited to join the other gods in a great Yajna that was to be celebrated at Kurukshetra (where Vishnu/Makha is later decapitated). The Asvins proceed to this Yagya, and, asking to be allowed to join in it, are told they cannot do so, because they have wandered familiarly among men, performing cures. In reply to this, the Asvins declared that the gods were making a headless Yajña. The gods inquiring how this can be, the Asvins reply, "Invite us to join you, and we will tell you." To this the gods consented'.
In the Vedas, Indra is the king of Svarga (Heaven) and the Devas. He is the deity of the heavens, lightning, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war.Edward Delavan Perry, Indra is the most referred to deity in the Rigveda. He is celebrated for his powers, and the one who kills the great symbolic evil (malevolent type of Asura) named Vritra who obstructs human prosperity and happiness. Indra destroys Vritra and his "deceiving forces", and thereby brings rains and the sunshine as the friend of mankind.
The above quote from the Taittiriya Samhita concerns a Soma Yajña to Rudra. Other references to the head of Makha are all in the Taittiriya Samhita (e.g.1.1.8, 1.1.12, and 4.1.5, as well as that quoted above), and all seem to be in relation to Agni, the fire god.
A.A. Macdonell states that 'Makha appears to designate a person in two passages of the Rigveda 9.101.13., but in neither passage does the context explain who he was. Probably a demon of some kind is meant. In the later Samhita
In regards to this ambiguity, S. Shrava states that 'Innumerable manuscripts of the valuable Vedic literature have been lost due to atrocities of the rulers and invaders, ravages of time, and utter disregard and negligence. These factors contributed to the loss of hundreds of manuscripts. Once their number was more than a few hundred. Had these including been available today the ambiguity in the interpretation of Samhita could not have crept in'.
The Somyagyas are still performed. Here is the list of various somyagyas held in recent time.
U.M. Vesci states that the Pravargya ritual has two distinct parts:Vesci, Uma Marina (1992) Heat and Yagya in the Vedas, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, , p.218
A.B. Keith states that from 'clay chosen from a pit east of the Ahavaniya fire, to which a horse leads the way, a Mahavira pot is made, a span high, two spare pots, and various other utensiles. A stool of Munja grass is also made as a throne for the pot. The pot is heated, the milk of a cow and a goat is poured in. Finally, the hot drink is offered to the Asvins, and two Rauhina cakes are also offered in the morning to the day, in the evening to the night. At the outset of the ceremony the wife of the conductor is made to cover her head, but she joins with the rest at the close in the finale of the Saman which is sung. At the end the offering utensils are arranged so as to make up the semblance of a man, the three Mahavira vessels marking the head, and so on... The pot is covered with a golden plate, which can be nothing else than a symbol of fire or the sun, the pot glows, the milk, which in its whiteness is a sun symbol, boils with heat. The Yagya by drinking as usual a share of the milk thus gains power at the same time as the sun is strengthened'.
S. Ketkat agrees, elaborating that at the Pravargya ceremony 'a cauldron i.e. is made red-hot on the sacrificial fire, to represent symbolically the sun; in this cauldron milk is then boiled and offered to the Asvins. The whole celebration is regarded as a great Mysticism. At the end of it the sacrificial utensils are so arranged that they represent a man: the milk-pots are the head, on which a tuft of sacred grass represents the hair; two milking-pails represent the ears, two little gold leaves the eyes, two cups the heels, the flour sprinkled over the whole the marrow, a mixture of milk and honey the blood, and so on. The prayers and formulae naturally correspond with the mysterious ceremonies'.
The Pravargya Yagya is itself is detailed in Pancika (book) 1, Adhyaya (chapter) 4, verses 1-22. The overall placement of the Pravargya as an early or introductory ceremony of the overall Soma Yagya is (Pancika II, Adhyaya III onwards is not detailed here):
| 5-9 | Introductory Yagya |
| 10 | The Purchase of Soma |
| 3-7 | The Pravargya |
| 8-9 | The Upasads |
In terms of content, the Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa seems to focus on numerous other sacrificial rites (e.g. the Vratyastoma), rather than the Soma Yagya, of which the Pravargya ritual is an early part. However, of the two direct references found, the above-quoted verse from prapathaka (chapter) 9, Adhyaya (section) 10 entitled 'Expiations for various occasions' instructs the performers of the Pravargya ritual of what to do should one or more of the Mahāvīra pot(s) break in order to atone and continue the Yagya.
Seemingly self-contained rather than presented as a part of the Soma Yagya, the structure of Khanda 14 (the last book) of the Shatapatha Brahmana is:
| 2-4 | The making of the Pot | The Mahāvīra Pot for the Pravargya. The origin of the legend of Varaha is here. |
| 2 | Expiatory Ceremonies | Rules to follow when something goes wrong. |
The legend given here is that 'the gods Agni, Indra, Soma, Makha, Vishnu, and the
The Gharma (hot beverage offered as an oblation) is named after the sound of Vishnu's head hitting the ground (which 'on falling became yonder sun'), and 'inasmuch as he Vishnu stretched out ( pra-vrig) on the ground, therefrom the Pravargya (took its name)'. The body of Vishnu is encompassed by Indra, who possessed by His glory 'became Makhavat (possessed of makha)'. Vishnu is then divided into three parts, with Agni receiving the first (morning) portion, Indra the second (midday) portion, and the remaining Visvedevas the third portion.
A more explicit account of the symbolic importance of the head is however provided in the first book of this Brahmana (1.4.5.5), which states 'the head ( siras) represents excellence ( srî), for the head does indeed represent excellence: hence, of one who is the most excellent ( sresh tha) of a community, people say that he is 'the head of that community'.'
N Aiyangar believes that Book 37 of the Vajasaneyi Samhita, cited in the ceremony, may be the origin of the Earth being lifted by the boar (i.e. earth lifted by oblations / Yagya). Directly relating to this, S. Ghose adds that the 'first direct idea of the boar as an incarnation of Vishnu performing the specific task of rescuing the earth is mentioned in the Satapatha Brahmana... the nucleus of the story of the god rescuing the earth in the boar-shape is found here'. A.B. Keith agrees, repeating that this 'boar, which is called Emusa from its epithet emusa, fierce, in the Rigveda, is stated...to have raised up the earth from the waters in'.
R. Mitra states that the Taittiriya Aranyaka is 'by far the largest of the Aranyaka. It extends altogether to ten p rapāṭhakas or 'Great Lessons', i.e. books or chapters, of which the last four are Upanishads, and the first six, are Aranyaka strictly so-called'. In regards to the Pravargya rite, prapāṭhaka (chapter) 4 provides the Mantra to be used, and prapāṭhaka (chapter) 5 details the performance of the ceremony itself:
First, whereas 'varna' (वर्ण) is a Sanskrit word with a broad range of meanings relating to forms and arrangements, 'caste' is not, having originated from the Portugal word 'casta
Second, whereas the modern caste system is rigid and hereditary, P. Mitra states about the Varna system that there 'are differences of opinion – whether trades and professions of these four classes led to the formation of castes in the later period. But professions were not hereditary, and rather could be followed by any Aryan member . Had the caste system developed into rigid form in the vedic period then surely there would have been the mention of caste in the Rigveda... it the did not develop out of the four Aryan varnas, and the two systems i.e. have never been thoroughly harmonized'.
Third, whereas the modern caste system does not allow non-Aryans to become Aryans, the varna system does, as proven by Vedas literature such as the Panchavimsha Brahmana of the Samaveda (see above).
Pandey also states that 'in times of distress the members of the higher castes could adopt the occupations of the lower caste. But the members of the lower caste were not allowed to follow the occupations of the higher castes'. However, this assertion seems to be contradicted by S.R. Bakshi, who states the Brahmin 'author of the Aitareya Brahmana of, Mahidasa, had a Shudra mother, while the Rishi, Kavasha Aliusha, was born of a Dasi i.e.'. However, A. Sharma and R. Bharati question whether Mahidasa was a sudra as 'far fetched'. There are other examples of Sudra Brahmins and Rishis, and it is notable that the mythical sage Narada was also the son of a maidservant initiated by Brahmins (e.g. Bhagavata Purana 1.6.6).
Digging up clay to form Makha's head
As illustrated, as the clay is dug up and fashioned into Mahāvīra pots, the participant refers to the Vajasaneyi Samhita of the White Yajurveda, specifically Book 37, Verse 3 (i.e. 'Vâg. S. XXXVII, 3') to state it – representing the head of Vishnu – is the head of Makha:
Symbolism of Makha's head
The above quote shows that symbolically, the head is associated with what is 'higher' and therefore what is best or of greatest importance. This is why the Mahāvīra Pot symbolically represents the head of Vishnu in the Shatapatha Brahmana. Particularly as Vishnu is explicitly stated to be 'the Yagya' in the Brahmanas (e.g. Shatapatha Brahmana 1.7.4.20, 1.1.4.9, 3.2.1.38, 3.6.3.3, 5.2.3.6, 5.4.5.1, 5.4.5.18, 11.4.1.4, 12.5.4.11, 14.1.1.13, and 11.4.1.4), the head of Vishnu is thus the best or highest part of it.
Legend of the Boar (Varaha)
As illustrated, the above brief legend is given in respect to digging up the clay to make the Mahāvīra pots as part of the Pravargya Yajna. The participant again refers to Vajasaneyi Samhita of the White Yajurveda, this time specifically Book 37, Verse 5 (i.e. 'Vâg. S. XXXVII, 5'):
Black Yajurveda: Taittiriya Aranyaka
The Pravargya Yajna is not detailed in the Taittiriya Brahmana, but rather the Aranyaka attached to it. In respect to the above quote, a more complete (and different) translation is provided below in respect to the decapitation of Vishnu relating to the Mahāvīra earthen pot used in ritual.
1 Propitiation of the Eastern Altar - Uttara Vedi 2 Brahmanic Education 3 Mantras of the Chaturhotra-Chiti 4 Pravargya Mantras Used for the Pravargya ceremony 5 Pravargya Ceremony Pravargya Brahmana 6 Pitrimedha or Rites for the welfare of the Manes 7 S'iksha or the training necessary for acquiring a knowledge of Brahma Taittiriya Upanishad 8 Knowledge of Brahma 9 Relation of Brahma to food, mind, life, etc. 10 The worship of Brahma Mahanarayana Upanishad
Makha / Vishnu decapitated
This, again, seems to be another altered version of the same legend found in the Panchavimsha Brahmana (Samaveda) and Shatapatha Brahmana (White Yajurveda). This version – likely later than the Shatapatha as it is contained in an Aranyaka, a type of text attached to Brahmana, which are in turn attached to the Samhita – is particularly notable for providing much additional clarity in respect to the mystical nature of the Pravargya ceremony. Again, 'Mahāvīra' means 'great hero' and 'archer', both of which are explicitly mentioned here, as is digging up the earth, and why the milk boiled in the Mahāvīra earthen pots are offered as libations to the Asvins in the Pravargya. The above quote also seems, like the Shatapatha, to imply Makha and Vishnu are synonymous.
Influence of the Varna System
Varna vs caste
The Varna System refers to the general division of Vedic period into four classes: Brahmin (priestly class), Kshatriya (warrior and administrative class, including royalty), Vaishya (merchant class), and Shudra (labouring class). To understand the influence of this Varna system in the Pravargya ceremony, it is first necessary to differentiate it from the modern caste system. As evidenced below, the varna and caste systems are not the same; only 'varna' is a Sanskrit word, and unlike the caste system, the varna system allowed both for movement between the classes and for non-Aryans to become Aryan (Aryans could also become Untouchability and no longer considered Aryan).
Exclusion of Ṥūdras
According to A.B. Keith and A.A. Macdonell at 'the Pravargya (introductory Soma) rite the performer is not allowed to come in contact with a Shudra, who here in, as in the Kathaka Samhita of is reckoned as excluded from a share in the Soma-draught'.
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