A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, so far as it illustrates the Primitive Religion of the Brahmans c10.79

c10.79

If then the Rig-veda-sanhitâ was not composed for the special benefit of the Hotṛis, much less of the other two classes of priests, it might be supposed that it had nevertheless a sacrificial character, and was intended to assist the fourth class of priests, or the Brahman, properly so called. The Brahman, as we saw, had to watch the three classes of priests and to correct any mistake they might commit. He was therefore, supposed to know the whole ceremonial and all the hymns employed by the Hotṛi, Adhvaryu, and Udgâtṛi. Now the Rig-veda does contain most of the hymns of the other two Vedas¹, and in several places it is maintained that the Brahman ought properly to be a Hotṛi. All this would render it not improbable that the Rig-veda-sanhitâ belonged to the same age as the other two Sanhitâs, that its collection was suggested by the same idea which led to the collection of the hymns of the other two classes of priests, and that, for the special benefit of the Brahman, it comprehended in one body all the hymns which the Hotṛi, the Adhvaryu, and Udgâtṛi were expected to know singly. In this case the Rig-veda-sanhitâ, instead of being more ancient, would in fact represent the latest collection of a sacred poetry.