The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c14.123

c14.123

¹ The verse describes in aphoristic brevity the celebration of a sacrificial bath by which the king on the occasion of a soma-sacrifice instituted by the Brâhmaṇas, becomes free from blame and sin. He sits—so explains the commentator—on a platform adorned with the precious stones and bathes on it, whilst Brâhmaṇas stand below it. By this the impurity and blame of the king pass over to the Brâhmaṇas standing below who then sit on the platform at the termination of the sacrifice and are washed off all blame by other Brâhmaṇas. As rewards they receive the costly bed and the whole jewellery of the king. On the sacrificial bath and its original meaning, cf. Oldenberg, Religion des Veda, p. 407, sq.