Shrauta Sutras

(“aphorisms on Vedic rituals”) A set of
brief sayings (4th c. B.C.E.) explaining the
ritual instructions for performing the
public sacrifices prescribed in the
Vedas, the earliest and most authoritative Hindu religious texts. Such sacrificial instructions had been prescribed in
the Brahmana literature—itself considered part of the Veda—but with the passage of time the Brahmanas had become
too complex and difficult to understand.
The Shrauta Sutras were essentially
manuals for the priests presiding over
the Vedic sacrifices, composed to ensure
that the sacrifices would be performed
correctly. Aside from instructions for
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Shrauta Sutras
performing the sacrifice, the Shrauta
Sutras also contained an appendix with
the exact measurements for the sacred
altar, known as the Sulva Sutras. In theory, the Shrauta Sutras were the first part
of a Kalpa Sutra, which would also contain prescriptions for domestic rites
(Grhya Sutras) and appropriate human
behavior (Dharma Sutras), with each
Kalpa Sutra being connected to one of
the four Vedas. But in practice the story
of the Shrauta Sutras is far more
complex, since aside from the three
complete Kalpa Sutras that have
survived, by Apastamba, Baudhayana,
and Hiranyakeshin, there are other
Shrauta Sutras, indicating a more
independent composition.