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Ganesh Thite
there are black magical rites for the sake of destroying the enemy In order to perform this magico ieligious ritual it is essential that the king should appoint a purohita (priest) wellversed in Atharvavedic magico-religion (1.9.9). This pui ohita - priest should possess following qualities He must be coming from a high famuly and must be of good conduct He must know the vedic lore along with its sa limbs, and proficient in onens and political science He should be able to counteract divine and human calamities by means of Atharvan remedies. The king should follow the purohita as a pupil his teacher, a son his father or a servant his master (1.9 10). Ksatriya-power, increased by a Brāhmana, becomes invincible (I. 9 11) In his kingdom, a king has to keep, in addition to the purohita, experts in the practice of magic (and) holy ascetics, capable of counteracting divine calamities and honour them. (IV. 3 44).
On the conditions in which the sorcery rites and other magico-religious rites should be performed. Kautilya gives following instructions. These rites are to be performed in the case of protecting the system of four varnas or in the case of averting the anti-religious people (caturvarnyaraksārtham aupanısadıkamadhārmisthesu prayuñjita-XIV. 11) He also says that the practices accompanied by mantras and medicines and those that are caused by illusion are to be performed for the sake of destroying the enemies and protecting one's own people (XIV 3.88 ) A king is also advised to obtain super. natural and superhuman powers with the help of same magical means and to cause fright to the enemy with evil, miraculous portents, to use it for consolidating the kingdom and pacify a revolt among the people (XIV 2.45) Magico-religious rites in connection with the prince :
If the prince is undisciplined, "this is a living death" according to Kautilya. Therefore he prescribes some ritual to be performed even from before the birth of a prince. Thus when the chief queen is in her ftu (period), priests should offer an oblation of rice to Indra and Brhaspati When she is preg.
