Here it often represents the knowledge of creation and thus describes the secrets of creation. In Brahmanas we find it as symbolic also. Vyavadharana– Kalpana – managerial application.Shabara, in his commentary, has summed up their subjects into ten following heads: The main subject of the Brahmanas is injunction (Vidhi), all other topics being subservient to it. Parakriti means the achievements of others.Purakalpa refers to the performance of sacrificial rites in former times.Prashansha means eulogy, recommendation.Ninda or censure consists in criticism and, refutation of the opponents’ views.Arthavada comprises the numerous explanatory remarks on the meaning of Mantras and particular rites.Vidhi means injunctions for the performance of particular rites.According to him, these texts deal with the following six topics:Vidhi Arthavada, Ninda, Prashansha, Purakalpa and Parakriti. Contents of the BrahmanasĪpastamba defines Brahmanas as ‘Karmacodana Brahmanani’ meaning Brahmanas are injunctions for the performance of sacrificial rites. The Brahmanas are thus the ritual text-books on the details of sacrifice or Yajna. Later this word came to mean a collection of such explanations by the priest on the science of sacrifice. In other words, the name ‘Brahmana’ means the explanation of a ritual by a learned priest. It is derived from the root brih ‘to grow’, ‘to expand’. It comes from the word Brahman which means both the Veda and the Mantra – “ Brahma Vai Mantrah.” Thus the word Brahmana means ‘that which relates to Brahman or the Veda’. The term ‘Brahmana’ has been variously interpreted by the scholars. Sayana has only said in the introduction of his commentary on the Rigveda: “Which in tradition is not a hymn or a Mantra is a Brahmana and which is not Brahmana is a Mantra”. Why these literary compositions are given this name? Authors of Brahmanas and their commentators have not offered any definition of this word. The word Brahmana in neuter gender means Brahmana texts. Brahmanas are most important among several other texts, which were composed in ancient times to explain the difficult meaning and secret knowledge of the Vedic Samhitas. So far we have been referring mostly to Mantras which constitute the Samhita portion of the Veda, now we go to the Brahmanas. The name ‘Veda’ is given to the vast body of literature made up of Mantra and Brahmana. Kerala School of Astronomy and Mathematics.Continuity of oral and textual traditions of the Vedas.