Product Description The fifteen essays collected in this book deal with various aspects of Vedic and Brahmanic ritual. The author attempts to explore the implications of the classical Hindu definition of man: Of all the animals fitted to be sacrifical victims, only man can perform sacrifices. Review `Here is a book that brings to life, through a series of fifteen substantial contributions, the world of 'Brahmanism', the source from which much of later 'Hinduism' developed ... Malamoud's contributions are serious, substantial and analytic studies ... they always provide reliable guidance and contribute a deeper understanding than is available in the large majority of publications on the subject that flood the market ... They are eminently readable and often fascinating.' The Book Review Vol.XXI No.8 1997 About the Author Charles Malamoud, Director of Studies in Indian Religions, Ecole Pratique des hautes etudes, Sorbonne.