The History of Indian Literature c8.197.3

c8.197.3

nay, the latter now and then directly resorted to the former, and borrowed distinct ceremonies from them. This is sufficiently clear from the particulars of one ceremony of the kind, which is embodied, not indeed in the Pañchaviṅśa-Bráhmaṇa, but in the Shaḍviṅśa-Bráhmaṇa, and which is described at full length by Láṭyáyana. It is an imprecatory ceremony (called *śyena*, falcon); and this naturally suggests the idea that the ceremonial of the Atharvan, which is essentially based upon imprecations and magical expedients,—as well as the songs of the Atharvan itself,—may perhaps chiefly owe its cultivation to these western, non-Brahmanical, Aryan tribes. The general name given to these tribes by Láṭyáyana (and with this Páṇini v. 2. 21 agrees) is Vrátínas, and he further draws a distinction between their *yaudhas*, warriors, and their *arhants*, teachers. Their *anúchánas*, *i.e.*, those versed in Scripture, are to be chosen priests for the above-mentioned sacrifice. Śáṇḍilya limits this to the *arhants* alone, which latter word—subsequently, as is well known, employed exclusively as a Buddhistic title—is also used in the Bráhmaṇa of the White Yajus, and in the Áraṇyaka of the Black Yajus, to express a teacher in general. The turban and garments of these priests should be red (*lohita*) according to Shaḍviṅśa and Láṭyáyana; and we find the same colour assigned to the sacrificial robes of the priests of the Rákshasas in Laṅká, in the Rámáyaṇa, vi. 19. 110, 51. 21;