110 Rajendralala Mitra — On Human Sacrifices in Ancient India. [No. 1 



dom), along with slaves (should be given) to the Hota (or reciter of Rio- 

 mantras). (Wealth from) the southern side (with slaves) to the Brahmana 

 (the director) ; (wealth from) the western side (with slaves) to the Adhvaryu 

 (Yajur Vedic priest) ; (wealth from) the northern side (with slaves) to the 

 Udgata (or singer of the Sama hymns), and according to their dues to the 

 Hotrikas, (or junior priests)."* 



[This verse is very elliptical and obscure, and translating without the 

 aid of a commentary, I am doubtful about its exact construction. The 

 ellipses have been supplied from the Sutras of Katyayana.] 



19. " Now if a Brahmana performs the ceremony he should give (all 

 his property) to the most learned. The Brahmana includes everything ; the 

 knower of every thing is included in everything ; the Purushamedha includes 

 everything, (and it is) for the attainment and subjugation of everything.! 



20. " Now, keeping to himself only his own self, and his (household) 

 fire, and after praising the sun with the Uttara Narayana hymn, looking at 

 nothing, he should retire to a forest ; thereby he separates himself from 

 mankind. If he should like to dwell in a village, he should produce a 

 fire by the rubbing of two sticks, and, praising A'ditya with the Uttara 

 Narayana hymn, return home, and there continue to perform the rites he 

 was used to, and which he is able to perform. He verily should not speak 

 with every body ; to him the Purushamedha is everything, and therefore he 

 should not speak to all (kinds of persons) ; to those only whom he knows, 

 who are learned, and who are dear to him he may speak ; but not to all. "J 



No one, I fancy, will deny that the sacrifice described above clearly 

 shows that it is a modification of a prior rite in which the human victims 

 wholly or in part were immolated. No other theory can satisfactorily 

 account for its peculiar character, and the way in which it justifies itself. 

 Probably the number originally sacrificed was few, and that when the 

 rite became emblematic, the number was increased in confirmation of some 

 liturgical theory, particularly as it did not involve any trouble or difficulty. 



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