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22 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
as that given by the Satapatha Brahmana—namely that the Rig-Veda originated from Agni, Yajus from Vayu and Sam from the Sun.
The Brahad Aranyaka Upanishad has two explanations to offer. In one place, it says [1] :
“As from a fire made of moist wood, various modifications of smoke proceed, so is the breathing of this great Being the Rig-Veda, the YajurVeda, the Sama-Veda, the Atharvangirases, the Itihasas, Puranas, science, the Upanishads, verses (slokas), aphorisms, comments of different kinds—all these are his breathings.”
In another place, it says [2] :
“Prajapati (identified with Death or the Devourer) is said to have produced Vach (speech), and through her, together with soul, to have created all things, including the Vedas.”
“By that speech and that soul he created all things whatsoever, rick, yajush, and saman texts, metres, sacrifices, creatures and animals.”
“ The three Vedas are (identifiable with) these three things (speech, mind and breath). Speech is the Rig-Veda, mind the Yajur-Veda and breath the Sama-Veda.”
IV
Coming to the Smritis, there are two theories as to the origin of the Vedas to be found in the Manu Smriti. In one place [3], it is said that the Vedas were created by Brahma.
“He (Brahma) in the beginning fashioned from the words of the Veda the several names, functions, and separate conditions of all (creatures). That Lord also created the subtle host of active and living deities, and of Sadhyas, and eternal sacrifice. And in order to the performance of sacrifice, he drew forth from Agni, from Vayu and from Surya, the triple eternal Veda, distinguished as Rick, Yajush and Saman.”
In another place [4], he seems to accept the story of Prajapati being the originator of the Vedas as would be evident from the following:
“Prajapati also milked out of the three Vedas the letters, ‘a’, ‘u’, and ‘m’ together with the words ‘bhuh’, ‘bhuvah’ and ‘svar’. The same supreme Prajapati also milked from each of the three Vedas one of the three portions of the text called Savitri (or gayatri), beginning with the word tat . . . . The three great imperishable particles (bhuh,
1 Muir Vol. I. p. 8.
2 Ibid. p. 9.
3 Ibid. p. 6.
4 Ibid p. 7.