History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c53.s2.8.2

v3.c53.s2.8.2

1 says that the persons who engage together in a sattra must be at least 17 and not more than 24 and each of the performers secures the same unseen (or spiritual) reward for which the sattra is performed (Jai. VI. 2. 1-2). There is therefore no *varaṇa* (choosing) of priests and there is no question of remunerating them for their services by several gifts as in Jyotiṣṭoma (Jai. X. 2. 34-38). At the time when gifts are made in other rites, in sattras the sacrificers perform the Dākṣiṇa homas and waving their dark antelope skins they go out with their faces turned northwards by the path by which dakṣiṇas are taken away in other rites (Śat. XVI. 2. 19, Kāt. XII. 2. 18). As no dakṣiṇas are to be donated in sattras agents (called sanīhāras) are not to be sent for collecting subscriptions (Śat. XVI. 1. 40). The sacrificial utensils (yajñapātras like juhū) to be used in the sattra are specially got prepared for the common use of all, while each keeps his own utensils separate with which he is cremated if he dies in the midst of the performance (Jai. VI. 6. 33-35). Though the general rule is that there is no *pratinidhi* (substitute) for the performer of rites like agnihotra, the sattra is an exception, since if any one of the many performers dies in the midst of a sattra another person may be substituted by the others in his place (Jai. VI. 3. 22), but he is only an agent secured by payment and the spiritual unseen reward of the sacrifice goes to the performer that is dead (Jai. VI.