A History of Sanskrit Literature c12.58

c12.58

Of great importance for the understanding of the sacrificial ceremonial are the Prayogas ("Manuals") and Paddhatis ("Guides"), of which a vast number exist in manuscript. These works represent both the Çrauta and the Gṛihya ritual according to the various schools. The Prayogas describe the course of each sacrifice and the functions of the different groups of priests, solely from the point of view of practical performance, while the Paddhatis rather follow the systematic accounts of the Sūtras and sketch their contents. There are also versified accounts of the ritual called *Kārikās*, which are directly attached to Sūtras or to Paddhatis. The oldest of them appears to be the *Kārikā* of Kumārila (*c.* 700 A.D.).