History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v2.c28.s1.88

v2.c28.s1.88

Whatever the proper explanation, one fact is unquestioned and appears from the several Śrauta Sūtras themselves, viz., that the Kshatriyas from ancient times had gotras and Pravaras and these were the same as those of the Brahmins, For the Pravarādhyāyas do not declare that the Pravaras given are those of Brahmins. Take for instance the Āpastamba Sūtra. It gives first the rules for Pravara and their recital. Then comes the sūtra पुरोहितस्य प्रवरेण राजा प्रवृणीते इति विज्ञायते. Here the word used is Rājā or king and the commentator adds अत्र च वचनात् ब्राह्मणोपि राज्यं प्राप्तः पुरोहितस्य प्रवरेण प्रवृणीते which means that even when a Brahmin becomes a king he is to use the Pravara of his Purohita. A king has many emergent duties to perform and whenever he sacrifices, he does not, nay cannot, personally attend to the sacrifice. He has always to appoint his agent viz., the Purohita and hence when the king sacrifices and appoints the Hotā, Adhvaryu and other priests, he must use the Purohita's Pravara and select priests of the same Pravara in order that there may be no hitch in the proper performance of the sacrifice.