The earliest conception of sacrifice represented in the Vedas is that of a vicarious offering of Parusha, a Divine being.  Very obscure references to this are found in the oldest of the four Vedas, dating probably not later than 1200 B.C.  It is brought out still more clearly in a Brahmana which was probably composed in the seventh century B.C.  It is there said that the “Lord of creatures offered himself a sacrifice for the Gods.”  Principal Fairbairn finds Vedic authority for the idea that the creation of the world was accomplished by the self-sacrifice of deity; and Manu ascribes the creation of mankind to the austerities of the gods.  Sir Monier Williams, the late Professor Banergea, and many others, have regarded these references to a Divine sacrifice for the benefit of gods and men as dim traces of a revelation once made to mankind of a promised atonement for the sins of the world.[38]

But so far as the actual observances of the early Hindus were concerned, they seem to have made their offerings rather in the spirit of Cain than in the faith of Abel.  They simply fed the gods with their gifts, and regaled them with soma juice, poured forth in libations; the savor of melted butter also was supposed to be specially grateful.  Still there is reason to believe that the piacular idea of sacrifice was never wholly lost, but that the Hindus, in common with all other races, found occasion—­especially when great calamities befell them—­to appease the gods with the blood of sacrifice.  In the early days human sacrifices were offered, and occasionally at least down to a late period.[39] It was a convenient policy of the priesthood, however, to hypothecate the claim for a human victim by accepting the substitution of a goodly number of horses or cows.  A famous tradition is given, in the Aitareya Brahmana, of a prince[40] who had been doomed to sacrifice by a vow of his father, but who bought as a substitute the son of a holy Brahman—­paying the price of a hundred cows.  When none could be found to bind the lad on the altar, the pious father offered to perform the task for another hundred cows.  Then there was no one found to slay the victim, and the father offered for still another hundred to do even that.  As the victim was of high caste the gods interposed, and the Brahman was still the possessor of a son plus the cattle.  The incident will illustrate the greed of the priesthood and the depravation of sacrifice.  It had become a system of bargaining and extortion.  The sacrifices fed the priesthood more substantially than the gods.  There was great advantage in starting with the human victim as the unit of value, and it is easy to see how substitution of animals became immensely profitable.  The people were taught that it was possible, if one were rich enough in victims, even to bankrupt heaven.  Even demons by the value of their offerings might demand the sceptre of Indra.[41]