The Satapatha Brahmana

Sacred Books of the East, Vols. 12, 26, 24, 37, 47

translated by Julius Eggeling

[published between 1882 and 1900]

This is the main index for the Satapatha Brahmana translation. The Satapatha Brahmana is a Hindu sacred text which describes details of Vedic rituals, including philosophical and mythological background. It was committed to writing about 300 B.C.E., although it contains portions which are far older, transmitted orally from unknown antiquity. Specifically, there are references throughout to a primal mother-Earth worship, unnamed snake deities and human sacrifice. There are also recitations of key Vedic-era myths, including the flood of Manu and an extended Creation myth which includes the 'cosmic egg' motif (see, e.g., the Finnish Kalevala). Of course, this is a very ancient text which bears the same relationship to current Hindu beliefs and practice as ancient Mediterranean mystery religions do to modern Christianity. That said, the Satapatha Brahmana is a gold-mine for scholars of mythology and comparative religion, and this is the only available complete translation.

The Satapatha Brahmana, Part I (SBE 12) [1882]
Books I and II.

The Satapatha Brahmana, Part II (SBE 26) [1885]
Books III and IV.

The Satapatha Brahmana, Part III (SBE 41) [1894]
Books V, VI, and VII.

The Satapatha Brahmana, Part IV (SBE 43) [1897]
Books VIII, IX, and X.

The Satapatha Brahmana, Part V (SBE 44) [1900]
Books XI, XII, XIII and XIV.