Among Iranians and Aryans these practices were organized into a fire sacrifice administered by priests. Another important point the book touched on wasthe importance of astrology in the Brahmanical system. "Priests as early as the Rig Veda calculated aspicious times for the performance of sacrifices based on the phases if the moon and the sun's passage around the ecliptic as designated by selected stars and constellations".6 Astrology continued to be used to calculate proper and ritual occasions, but predictions and life readings for individuals became more and more important. Priests on the basis of astrology gave advice on personal and domestic matters such as the proper times for building a house, conducting a business, or taking part in various activities. The importance of marriage was also touched on in this book. Householdership began with marriage. This was the most important single ritual in a person's life. There was a period of studentship that men had to go through in order for them to get married. Women did not have to go through this period of studentship. They were also much younger than men when they married. Some girls married before they reached puberty, and some were married right after they hit puberty. The father of the girl was responsible to arrange for his daughter's marriage. Brahman women were only allowed to marry Brahman men, and any other marriage relationship would be considered pratiloma, which means against the grain. This would bring disgrace on both the girl's family and her children. Thomas Hopkins, the author of his book, gave a very good overview of the religion of Hinduism. All the topics in the book were well touched upon, and helped me understand the religion and its meaning and basis much more clearly than I knew before. His writing style and the was he divided up the subjects into different subject matters was very organized and therefore makes it easier for the reader to compre...
