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The Brahmanas, a part of the Vedas, "are compendiums of ancient Indian culture and civilisation in its multifarious aspects. "Knowledge of the Brahmanas is a part of the qualification for the M.A. degree in Sanskrit. The students appearing in this examination are put to much inconvenience for want of suitable selections from the voluminous Brahmanas. Because of this pressing demand for such a publication from students and teachers, the present volume has been prepared according to the plan of the University Grants Commission under the scheme of preparation of the university level text books.

The pieces have been selected here from all the major Brahmanas; they represent the most important aspects of these works; Vedic ritual, myths and legends, style and linguistic peculiarities, and information on the social, historical and geographical condition of India in the age of the Brahmanas. The number of the selected pieces leaves enough scope for wide choice of the universities in prescribing passages for examinations.

The pieces have been given here together with a general introduction, traditional commentaries as available, expository notes in English, and bibliography. Keeping in view the needs of the students, parallel passages, references to standard works, points on grammar, ritual and mythology etc. are given in the notes; more emphasis is placed on the passages already prescribed by some universities.