510 THE YAGNAM SACRIFICE
liave no evidence that the Brahmins ever participated in them in the character of sacrificers. Such functions were always entrusted to people of other castes; and even
Rajahs did not disdain to perform them. In the present day, the Brahmins do not officiate in temples where it is the custom to sacrifice living victims.
There was only one occasion on which the Vanaprasthas
could, without scruple, deprive a living creature of existence; it was when they made the famous sacrifice of yagnam, which is still held in great honour among modern Brahmins. A ram is the victim usually offered: but such is the horror with which they regard the shedding of blood, that they either beat the animal to death or strangle it, instead of slaughtering it l. Latter-day Brahmins, however, are not all agreed about the lawfulness of this sacrifice.
The Vaishnavas regard it as an abominable practice, in which they obstinately refuse to participate. They maintain that it is an innovation of much more recent date than their ancient religious laws, and that it is contrary to the
most sacred and inviolable rule which forbids murder under any form and for any reason whatever. This doctrine of the Vaishnavas is one of the chief reasons why they are accused of heresy by other Brahmins 2.
The sacrifice of yagnam is, in the opinion of its advocates, the most meritorious sacrifice of any 3. It is considered extremely acceptable to the gods; and the person who
1
This operation is usually performed by men of the potter caste.
Ed.
2
Nevertheless the sacrifice of yagnam is performed bythe Vadakalais among the Vishnavites in Southern India. Ed.
3
The Indian Mirror, the leading native newspaper of Calcutta, quite recently( 1896) remarked: ' What are the Hindus doing to mitigate the rigour of the water-famine and the cholera epidemic? How many of them have even recollected the injunctions of the Vedas, so far as the yagnas are concerned? A yagna on a large scale, which not only means the feeding of the sacred fire with ghee, and the burning of incense, but also the feeding of the poor in large numbers daily for months together, will cost a hundred thousand rupees or more. If the Vedas are to be relied on, such a yagna does good always both to the rulers
and the ruled. Vedic yagnas have not been performed in India for many and many a year. Is there no true Hindu among the millions of India
who would come forward and support us in our proposal? Are there not among the Maharajahs and Rajahs of the land a few still who would
be found ready and willing to bear the expense of such a yagna? ' Ed.