Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c7.132

c7.132

The genealogists and students of ancient tales are often mentioned without any allusions to their status, and are sometimes called by the general word jana⁸ added to the various appellations mentioned above; but at other times the description ‘brahmans’ (dvija,⁹ vipra,¹ and even śrutarṣi² and maharṣi³) is applied to those who knew the old tales. They were sūtas in the most ancient times, though Court brahmans may have possessed such knowledge, for the Rāmāyaṇa makes Daśaratha’s priest Vasiṣṭha declare the royal genealogy of Ayodhyā twice,⁴ while king Janaka himself sets out his own genealogy.⁵