Questions of King Milinda Part 01

SR No.: 007681
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T W Rhys Davids
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1890
Total Pages: 2695
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 47 MB

Page 1504

lxi
Brahman felt that he stood in special need of asserting his dignity.
The office of
Even more energetic are the demands of the liturgical texts in the matter of the office of purohita who is known also by the name of brahman and purohita in the guru. 'The king who rules the country shall ritual texts. seek a wise Brahman (brahmânam). He verily is wise that is skilled in the bhrigu and angiras; for the bhrigu and angiras act as a charm against all ominous occurrences, and protect everything' (Kaus. 94, 2-4; cf. 126, 2). The equivalence of brahman, purohita, and guru is guaranteed by comparing with this Ath. Paris. 3, 1, kulinam srotriyam bhrigvangirovidam. ... gurum vrinîyâd bhupatik; and 3, 3, tasmâd bhrigvangirovidam
INTRODUCTION.
...
kuryât purohitam. Cf. also 2, 2, brahmâ tasmâd atharvavit. Conversely, 'The gods, the Fathers, and the twice-born (priests) do not receive the oblation of the king in whose house there is no guru that is skilled in the Atharvan' (2, 3). Cf. Weber, Omina und Portenta, P. 346 ff.; Ind. Stud. X, 138; Sâyana, Introduction to the AV., p. 6. In Kaus. 17, 4 ff. the king and the purohita (Dârila: râgâ, purodhâ) are seen in active co-operative practice at the consecration of the king; and again (brahmâ râgâ ka) in 140, 4 ff. at the indramahotsavafestival.
The Atharva-parisishtas are not content with these strong recommendations of their own adherents, but they would have the adherents of the other Vedas, yea even of certain branches (sâkhâ) of the Atharvan itself, excluded from the purohiti: 'The Atharvan keeps off terrible occurrences, and acts as a charm against portentous ones. . . not the adhvaryu, not the khandoga, and not the bahvrika. . . . The bahvrika destroys the kingdom, the adhvaryu destroys sons, the khandoga dissipates wealth; hence the guru must be an Atharvana.. A Paippalåda as guru increases happiness, sovereignty, and health, and so does a Saunakin who understands the gods and the mantras. The king whose purodha is in any way a Galada or a Mauda is deposed from his kingdom within the year' (Ath. Paris.
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