A History of Indian Literature v1.c8.s7.37

v1.c8.s7.37

But “those who know,” the guides through the wilderness of sacrificial art, are the priests, and it is no wonder that the claims of the *priestly caste*—for of such a caste we must now speak, as the caste system is already fully developed—in the Brāhmaṇas (as already in some parts of the Atharvaveda) exceed all bounds. Now the Brahmans are frequently declared to be gods. “Yes, they are the very gods, the Brahmans.”³ One Brāhmaṇa states plainly enough: