The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c13.27

c13.27

The activity of the *purohitas* who did not live in the king's Court but in the country seems really to be confined to magic, reading of signs and similar things. Here they stood with regard to the representatives of the king probably in a relationship similar to that of the house priest to the king. They, however, lacked all opportunity to develop any political capacity. These *purohitas* who were not in the service of the king are¹ also mentioned in Brahmanical literature, though rarely; still a verse of the Daśa-brâhmaṇa Jâtaka (IV. 364) refers to them and describes their work in these words:—