BRAHMANISM

name given to pre-Buddhist religion of India. A of sacred writings called Veda is served. There are four collections these writings, and Brahman as, a of commentary on them (dating VII. cent. B.C.). The type of shown in them is that of the great of nature, which seem to be personified. By degrees a pantheistic stage reached. But Indian religion always be viewed in relation to history, and it must never be forgotten that an invasion of India by white-skinned Aryan race took place in early and the darker and more primitive ples were subdued. In the Vedic (which represent the primitive society) there is a military and noble also a priestly cla , both superior to common people. In the fully developed b. we see a rigid caste system of cla es; the Brahman a, or priestly the Vishatriya, or warriors; the or tradesfolk; and the Sudra, or The first three of these represent Aryan, the last the older inhabitants. The first three cla es, though marked off the one from the other, the ‘twice-born.’ The Sudras were ly servile. There could be a amount of intermarriage. A man marry beneath him if he had already wife of hisown rank. A devout Brahman was supposed to pa through four of religious life: he was to be first student, then a householder, then recluse, then a beggar. The third was only to be entered on late in when he retired into the woods living on wild herbs and accepting charity only when obliged. Gradually theistic besides pantheistic tendencies developed, and a conception of ‘brahma’ as a personal god appeared. Older of devotion were grafted in; Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva came represent the creative, preservative, destructive aspects of the-world. took the place of another Vedic god of ret he representative of reproduction. Eack he at of these three had a female partner. A for reformation was carried out by Gotama the (VI. cent. B.C.), the Buddha, who, while concert he maintained caste, abolished the sacriTheatre ficial and sacerdotal system. some river, Asia, rising probably in Lake astron.; yas in W. Tibet, close to head-waters of star Sutlej and Indus; has course eastward of c. 1,000 miles, then turns S.E., cro es of Him a lay as, and pa es through A am worked to join Ganges; supposed great falls Kepler; not yet discovered (1913). Length, c. Me1,800 miles (navigable about 800 miles). B. means ‘Son of Brahma.’ the body BRAHMS, JOHANNES (1833-97), preGer. composer; 6. Hamburg; an austere of cla icist, it has only been since his death kind that B. has taken a foremost place among from composers. He wrote symphonies, con religion certos, Hungarian dances, songs, and forces practically every musical form but the dramatic, all marked by skilful technique was and greatne of rhythm, but he attains must highest point in his Lieder and choral Indian works, among which are well-known see Life, by Erb (1905), and Brahms, by Stafford (1912). times, hymns port, on Danube, Rumania; ruined Aryan fortre ; extensive docks; belonged to and Turks XVI. to XVIII. cent.; taken by the Ru ians, 1770 and 1828; free port till 1883; grain. Pop. 65,000. four ot cla ;