History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.744

v4.c63.744

⁸¹⁴ In solemn sacrifices like the ज्योतिष्टोम there are four principal priests (होतृ, अध्वर्यु, उद्गातृ, ब्रह्मन्) and each of the four has three assistants. If 100 cows in all are to be distributed as *dakṣiṇā* the four principal priests get 48 in all (i. e. 12 each), the first group of four assistants called 'ardhinaḥ' in the Vedic passages to be quoted below and in Manu VIII. 210 (viz. मैत्रावरुण, प्रतिप्रस्थातृ, ब्राह्मणाच्छांसिन्, प्रस्तोतृ) receive one-half of 48 (i. e. 24, 6 for each), the next group of four called 'one-thirders' (तृतीयिनः) in both get 16 (4 to each of अच्छावाक, नेष्टृ अग्नीध्र, प्रतिहर्तृ), the last group of four called 'one-fourth holders' (पादिनः) get 12 in all (3 to each of ग्रावस्तुत् . उन्नेतृ, पोतृ, सुब्रह्मण्य). Vide Mit. on Yāj. II. 265, Kullūka on Manu. VIII. 210, V. R. p. 119, V. P. p. 301. The कात्यायनश्रौत X. 2. 25 says 'यथारम्भं द्वादश द्वादशाद्येभ्यः षट्षड्द्वितीयेभ्यश्चतस्रश्चतस्रस्तृतीयेभ्यस्तिस्रस्तिस्र इतरेभ्यः ।'. The question of distribution is agitated in Jai. X. 3. 53-55, the prima facie (pūrvapakṣa) view being that the cows should be equally divided among all the priests or according to the work done, while the conclusion is that since the śruti employs the words अर्घिनः, तृतीयिनः and पादिनः as if it was a well-known matter (*anuvāda*), the cows are to be distributed as in Kāt. Ś. sūtra above. The Vedic passage is अध्वर्युर्गृहपतिं दीक्षयित्वा ब्रह्माणं दीक्षयति तत उद्गातारं ततो होतारम् । ततस्तं प्रतिप्रस्थाता दीक्षयित्वाऽर्धिनो दीक्षयति । ... ततस्तं नेष्टा दीक्षयित्वा तृतीयिनो दीक्षयति । ... ततस्तमुन्नेता दीक्षयित्वा पादिनो दीक्षयति ।