India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c11.s2.20

c11.s2.20

PRIESTS.—The generic term *ṛitivij* (III.2.59) was applied to all classes of priests employed at a sacrifice. The priests must have been Brāhmaṇas as in the Vedic period (*Vedic Index*, I.112). This is suggested by the epithet *ārtvijīna* (V.¹.71) denoting a person qualified in priestly duties (*ṛitvik-karmārhati*, *Kātyāyana*) which according to Patañjali was applied to a member of a Brāhmaṇa family. The *Shaḍviṁśa Br.* explains *artvijīna* as one who is able to expound those Vedic texts which are used in *yajñas* (*esha ārtvijīno ya etaṁ vedam anubrūte*, I.3.16). According to Patañjali an *ārtvijīna* should be able to utter the Vedic speech according to its proper *pada*, *svara* and *akshara* (*Bhāshya*, I.3). A priest with reference to his duties on behalf of the *yajamāna* was called *yājaka*; *sūtra* II.2.9. implies that the word *yājaka* was compounded with another denoting the sacrificer, *e.g.* *Brāhmaṇa-yājaka*, *Kshatriya-yājaka*.