Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v2.c4.s5.57

v2.c4.s5.57

Ratnin, ‘receiving gifts,’ is the term applied to those people of the royal entourage in whose houses the Ratna-havis, a special rite, was performed in the course of the Rājasūya or ‘royal consecration.’ The list given in the Taittirīya Saṃhitā¹ and the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa² consists of the Brahman (i.e., the Purohita), the Rājanya, the Mahiṣī (the first wife of the king), the Vāvāta (the favourite wife of the king), the Parivṛktī (the discarded wife), the Senānī, ‘commander of the army’; the Sūta, ‘charioteer’; the Grāmaṇī, ‘village headman’; the Kṣattṛ, ‘chamberlain’; the Saṃgrahītṛ, ‘charioteer’ or ‘treasurer’; the Bhāgadugha, ‘collector of taxes’ or ‘divider of food’; and the Akṣāvāpa, ‘superintender of dicing’ or ‘thrower of dice.’ In the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa³ the order is Senānī; Purohita; Mahiṣī; Sūta; Grāmaṇī; Kṣattṛ; Saṃgrahītṛ; Bhāgadugha; Akṣāvāpa; Go-nikartana, ‘slayer of cows’ or ‘huntsman’; and Pālāgala, ‘courier’; the ‘discarded wife’ being mentioned as forbidden to stay at home⁴ on the day of the ceremony of offering a pap for Nirṛti in her house. In the Maitrāyaṇī Saṃhitā⁵ the list is Brahman (i.e., Purohita); Rājan; Mahiṣī; Parivṛktī; Senānī; Saṃgrahītṛ; Kṣattṛ; Sūta; Vaiśyagrāmaṇī; Bhāgadugha; Takṣa-Rathakārau, ‘carpenter and chariot-maker’; Akṣāvāpa; and Go-vikarta. The Kāṭhaka Saṃhitā⁶ substitutes Go-vyacha for Govikarta, and omits Takṣa-Rathakārau.