The Satapatha Brahmana is an important Brahmana text and must be read by every student of Vedic ritual. The present text of the Satapatha Brahmana is divided into fourteen Kandas. The first Kanda covers the Darsapurnamasesti or New and Full-Moon Sacrifices. The second Kanda describes the ritual of Agnyadhana or Establishment of sacred fires. The contents of the third and fourth Kandas form an important chapter of Satapatha Brahmana’s dogmatic explanation of the sacrificial ceremonial. This Kanda is devoted to the detailed description of the performance of the Agnistoma. The fifth Kanda completes the dogmatic discussion of the ordinary circle of sacrifices, some less common, or altogether obsolete ceremonies, such as the Asvamedha (horse-sacrifice), Purusamedha (human-sacrifice), Sarvamedha (sacrifice for universal rule), being dealt with, by way of supplement, in the thirteenth Kanda. In the sixth Kanda, we enter on the detailed explanation of the Agnicayana or Building of the Fire-Altar. In the seventh, eighth and ninth Kandas the Agnicayana ritual is continued. The tenth Kanda is devoted to the mystery of the fire-altar. Agnicayana is declared to include all sacrifices. The Kandas eleven and twelve are of the nature of supplementary remarks to the ritual details that have been discussed in the Kandas from one to four. These remarks are about expiatory ceremonies and oblations in cases of mishaps or mistakes occurring during the performance, or with esoteric speculations regarding the significance and mystic effect of certain rites. In the thirteenth Kanda we come upon an exposition of a series of great sacrifices viz. the Asvamedha or Horse-sacrifice, the Purusamedha or Human-sacrifice and the Sarvamedha or All-sacrifice. These sacrifices are discussed in detail. The fourteenth Kanda, up to the beginning of the Brhadaranyaka, is devoted to the explanation of the Pravargya. Pravargya is, an important, though optional and subsidiary, ceremony performed on the Upasad-days of Soma-sacrifice.
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