Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c4.t4.35

c4.t4.35

Leaving aside these advisory functions and coming to the practical side, we notice that the *purohita* sometimes, and not usually, took part in the administration of justice. In one *Jātaka*¹ he is represented as a ‘backbiter greedy of bribes and a giver of unrighteous judgments (*Kuṭavinicchayiko kuṭattakārako*).’ Here we are told that the study of the Holy lore was the rightful and delightful duty of the *purohita*, but that to sit on the seat of judgment was an unusual task handed to him by the king. So he utters at the end: