The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c14.s1.28

c14.s1.28

The diffusion of power and authority with the ever-renewed sacrificial contest as the mediating and organizing institution would seem to call for a clearly defined priesthood to manage the central institution. In this connection, one will of course immediately think of the brahmin, who is indeed in charge of the Veda and its ritual and owes his preeminence to this charge.