The Agnyadheya of The Katha Sakha with An Introduction, The Text, Appendices, Index of Mantras and English Translation

Language: English and Sanskrit
Pages: 146






















Preface

 

"Critical Study of the Agnyadheya
of the Katha Sakha" was one of the two topics of
my project on which I worked during 1981-84 with the financial assistance which
I received from the University Grants Commission. I now take this opportunity
to express my sincere gratefulness to the authorities of the Commission. In the
Preface to my The Full-moon and New-moon Sacrifices of the Katha

Sakha published by the Vaidika Samsodhana Mandala
in 2010 I have mentioned the inevitable circumstances which caused this long
delay in the completion of the Project. I regret it very much. It is a matter
of great satisfaction that this work is now being published by the Vaidika Samsodhana Mandala. I record here my sincere thanks to the
authorities of the Mandala.

 

Introduction

 

I. The Kathas
and their Rich Heritage.

The Katha Sakha which
belongs to the Black Yajurveda has become almost extinct as there are no
followers of that school at present. Although a large part of the literature of
the Kathas is now lost owing to the ravages of time,
the Veda of that school, the Kathaka
Samhita (=KS) or simply known as the Kathakam,
is fortunately
handed down to us. The wide currency and popularity enjoyed by the Kathas has been testified by Patanjali who also refers to
the close association of the Kathas with the Kalapas (identified with the Maitrayaniyas
by SCHRODER

and with the Kauthumas (a branch of the Samaveda), The Caranavyuha', which mentions that the Kathas had 44 upagranthas, speaks
with admiration of the rich heritage of that celeb