Hindu Administrative Institutions c8.s2.113

c8.s2.113

By way of illustration as to the second reasoning, viz., the confusion of texts themselves, the *Aitareya Brāhmaṇa* rules (viii. 24-25). ‘Verily the Gods do not eat the food offered by the king who is without a *purohita*. Therefore let the king who wishes to sacrifice place a Brahmana at the head (पुरो अधोत ।). With this we may compare another text (iv. ii.), (quoted by Jayaswal, *Hindu Polity*, part ii, p. 31) of the *Vājasaneyi Brāhmaṇa Upaniṣad* ‘तस्मात् क्षत्रात्परं नास्ति तस्माद्ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियमधस्तादुपास्ते राजसूये’। ‘Hence there is none above the Ruler, hence the Brahman sits under Kṣatriya in the *Rājasūya*.’ Thus whereas in one text the Purohita is placed at the head in the other he is placed under the Kṣatriya. This inconsistency disappears in the light of the following texts:—