New Books Network Jan E. M. Houben and Julieta Rotaru, "Vedic Myths and Rituals" (Dev Publishers, 2025)
Sep 11, 2025
Jan E. M. Houben and Julieta Rotaru discuss the fascinating connections between Vedic myths and rituals in their work, revealing how ancient practices shape cultural identity. They explore case studies from mythic narratives like Pedu’s horse to the Soma sacrifice, emphasizing the ritual's role in creating 'time out of time' and enforcing cosmic order. The duo also highlights the revival of Sanskrit studies in Bucharest and innovative educational methods in Pune, showcasing ongoing scholarly efforts to deepen our understanding of Vedic traditions.
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Filming Living Vedic Rituals
- Houben recounts filming authentic Vedic rituals and creating a VHS documentary on the Pravargya ritual.
- He later made portions available online to illustrate living ritual practice for students.
Theory Is Needed To Link Myth And Ritual
- The relation between Vedic myth and ritual needs an explicit theoretical lens to reveal structure and meaning.
- Houben argues that mere enumeration of ritual details obscures understanding without theory to integrate myth and ritual.
Ritual-First Versus Myth-First Models
- Competing models treat either myth as the source of ritual or ritual as primary and myth as commentary.
- Houben highlights Mīmāṃsā's stance that ritual prescription is primary and myth is secondary explanation.
