The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c12.s5.2

c12.s5.2

It may at first sight cause some surprise that the brahmin should be associated with the violent raiding and transhuming phase. Indeed, from the classical point of view this is forbidden, except in case of dire need. Nevertheless, the disconcerting figure of the *ātatāyin*, or aggressive brahmin (“with bow drawn”), still turns up regularly in the classical dharma texts when they deal with the question of whether such a brahmin may be slain in contravention of the brahmin’s general immunity. This brahmin is not thought to be utterly depraved and forgetful of his duties, for it is considered possible that he is at the same time an austere and learned Veda scholar.⁹⁸ It seems clear that we have here a remnant of the original situation where we meet the warrior-brahmin. This warrior-brahmin we know as the *vrātya*, later to be deprecated but in the *Atharvaveda* a highly respected figure.⁹⁹