Warfare and Military System in Vedic Literature
by Rinki Deka | 2023 | 39,711 words
This page relates ‘Status of the Royal Priest and His Characteristics’ of the study on Warfare and the Military System of ancient India as gleaned from the Vedic Literature. The purpose of this work is to study the defensive and offensive systems of the Vedic people, including their army divisions, political and administrative systems, use of arms and armours, fortification, ethics and other principles related to warfare; while reflecting the social system and cultural aspects of ancient India.
The Status of the Royal Priest and His Characteristics
For the smooth running of the government, the king was to appoint a Brāhmaṇa Purohita. He was the spiritual guide and the prime-minister of the king. He advised the king on important social, political and religious issues and showed the way. The royal priest was an important personage of the king in matters of administration. He became an indispensable factor who had great influence over all the leaders from the Grāmaṇī to the king.
In the Nirukta, the term purohita is explained as one, who is placed at the forefront—
In this context, Durgācārya, the commentator of the Nirukta, has stated thus—
rājāno hi śāntikapauṣṭikābhicārikeṣu karmasu enaṃ puro’gre dadhāti dhārayanti puraskurvantīti purohitaḥ/
The Purohita, in the Vedic period, was the forerunner of the Brāhmaṇa minister. The king selected a Brāhmaṇa as his priest, who was learned in the Vedas, of noble family, eloquent, of a virtuous disposition, who lived righteously and who was austere.[2] The Vasiṣṭhadharmasūtra mentions that discipline, austerity, self-control, liberality, truthfulness, intelligence and religious faith are the characteristics of a Brāhmaṇa.[3] The Aitareyabrāhmaṇa also states that receipt of gifts, drinking of Soma, moving at will, smartness and optional submission to the kings are the marks of a Brāhmaṇa.[4] The Purohita figures as one of the king’s jewels (ratnin) in the Śatapathabrāhmaṇa.[5] The Gautamadharmasūtra states that the Purohita should be expert in all the Vedas, all the six limbs of the Veda (Śikṣā, Kalpa, Nirukta, Vyākaraṇa, Chandas and Jyotiṣa), dialogues, Epics like the Mahābhārata,the Rāmāyaṇa, etc., and the Purāṇas.[6] It also states that he should rightly observe the injunctions as laid down in these scriptures.[7]
Haradatta, in his commentary, says—
yānyetāni lokādīnyanūktāni tānyapekṣata iti/ tadvṛttistadabhihitānāṃ karmaṇāmanuṣṭhātā//[8]
A royal Purohita should be proficient in spiritual knowledge as well as in political science.[9]
In this context, Haradatta, in his commentary on the Āpastambadharmasūtra, states—
sa rājā dharmaśāstreṣvarthaśāstreṣu kuśalaṃ ca purohitaṃ gamayet-vinīyatāmasāviti//[10]
The king should select a man as his personal priest, who is pre-eminent in all matters—
sarvatodhūraṃ purohitaṃ vṛṇuyāt//[11]
Commenting on this Govindasvāmin states in the commentary of the Baudhāyanadharmasūtra thus—
sarvatra dhūryasya sarvatodhūḥ/ dhūśca vyāpāraḥ viṣayajñānamihā’bhipretam/ sarvajña iti yāvat/ puro dhīyata iti purohitaḥ/ taṃ vṛṇuyāt vṛṇīta//
Every Brāhmaṇa was not fit or allowed to be a Purohita. In this context, the Aitareyabrāhmaṇa states that the Brāhmaṇa, who knows the three divine Purohitas as well as the three appointers to this office, was able to become a Purohita.[12] Sāyaṇācārya, in his commentary, says that Agni, Vāyu and Āditya are the Purohitas and the earth, air and sky are the appointers, and who knows these, is able to become a Purohita.[13] The Purohita should become sinless, taintless and free from doubts.[14] The king should follow his instructions.[15] The Gautamadharmasūtra states that the king, who follows the advice of the Purohita, obtains prosperity and does not fall into distress.[16] The Vasiṣṭhadharmasūtra also mentions that all the three classes should abide by the instructions of the Brahmaṇa.[17] He should proclaim the duties and the king should govern them accordingly.[18]
The king should undertake all rites with his support, which is stated in the Gautamadharmasūtra—
tatprasūtaḥ karmāṇi kurvīta//[19]
Haradatta, in his commentary, says—
tena purohitena prasūto’nujñāta idamitthaṃ kartavyamiti kṛtopadeśaḥ karmāṇi śrautasmārtādīni paurāṇikāni nityanaimittikāni śāntikapauṣṭikānyābhicārikāṇi kurvīta/ tatprasūta ityasya mūlatvena brāhmaṇamākarṣati//
The Purohita played as the king’s well-wisher and adviser. He must have a person with knowledge of statecraft, well versed in the Atharvaveda-saṃhitā, the Veda of the Kṣatriyas.
V.W. Karambelkar is of the opinion,
‘The royal practices the coronation, the election of the king, etc., placed the Purohita in a position of the prime-minister of the King.’[20]
Sāyaṇācārya, in his commentary of the Atharvaveda-saṃhitā, addressed god Bṛhaspati, whose prototype was the royal Purohita, as devamantrī.[21]
According to R. K. Mookerji,
“He was the sole associate of the king as his preceptor, or guide, philosopher, and friend.”[22]
In the Ṛgveda-saṃhitā, it is mentioned that the king, who places the Brāhmaṇa first with due respect all the people submit of their own accord—
tasmai viśaḥ svayamevā namante yasminbrahmā rājani pūrva eti//[23]
Sāyaṇācārya explains thus—
tasmai viśaḥ prajā svayameva praṇatā bhavanti/ daṇḍanamantareṇa svayameva dattakarā bhavanti/ yasmin rājani brahmā purvaḥ prathamaṃ san eti gacchati//
The subjects of that king, who are guided by a wise priest, live in perfect harmony and are devoted to him.[24] The priestly class helped the military to keep the people under subjection. As spiritual heads, he enjoined the people to be subservient to ruler and obey him. In this context, the Śatapathabrāhmaṇa states that the priest makes the people subservient to the nobility.[25] It also holds that the priest endows the ruler preeminently with power and makes the ruler more powerful than the people and also he makes the people obident to the ruler.[26] He is indeed the supervisor over the people.[27] The king should rule over all except the Brāhmaṇas.[28]
Jogiraj Basu holds,
‘The Brāhmaṇa texts constantly gives stress on the importance of a Brāhmin minister or Purohita for the purposes of administration; he was indispensable to the king and the king had to seek his advice in all important matters relating to government in times of both peace and war’.[29]
He was the supervisor and adviser of the king in the court and in the battlefield. According to A.A. Macdonell and A.B. Keith, the primary function of the Purohita was that of ‘domestic priest’ of a king.[30] The Gautamadharmasūtra mentions that the study of the Vedas, sacrifice for their own sake and giving away as charity are the common duties of the people of three higher castes, viz. Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya and Vaiśya.[31] But these occupations are prescribed for the initiated persons of three higher castes only. The persons are not entitled to follow this rule who are not initiated. Haradatta says that they cannot give alms also.[32] He also holds that alms may be given by an uninitiated person.[33] Besides these, teaching, officiating at sacrifice and receiving gifts were the additional duties of a Brāhmaṇa.[34] In prescribing the duties of the Brāhmaṇas, the Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad states that a Brāhmaṇa is seeker of Brahman. For this purpose, a Brāhmaṇa should study the Vedas, perform sacrifices, practise clarity and austerity consisting in dispassionate enjoyment of sense-objects until death. Through this they achieve the knowledge of Brahman.[35] It also states that a Brāhmaṇa should have knowledge about self-knowledge and strive to live upon the strength of that knowledge. Having mastered this strength he becomes a real Brāhmaṇa.[36]
The Aitareyabrāhmaṇa states the Purohita as the one-half of the Kṣatriya soul—
ardhātmo ha vā eṣa kṣatriyasya yat purohitaḥ //[37]
Commenting this passage Sāyaṇācārya says—
purohito yo’styeṣa kṣattriyasya ‘ardhātmo ha vai’ ardhadeha eva//
He enjoyed the status of a regular official in the king’s office by taking care of the interests and apprehensions of the king through the performance of various rites.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Nirukta , 2.12
[2]:
brāhmaṇaṃ ca purodadhīta vidyābhijanavāgrūpavayaḥśīlasaṃpannaṃ nyāyavṛttaṃ tapasvinam//Gautama-dharma-sūtra , 2.2.12
[3]:
[5]:
Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa , 5.3.1.2
[6]:
sa eva bahuśruto bhavati// lokavedavedāṅgavit// vākovākyetihāsapurāṇakuśalaḥ// Gautama-dharma-sūtra , 1.8.4-6
[7]:
tadapekṣastadvṛttiḥ// Ibid., 1.8.7
[8]:
Haradatta, Ibid.
[10]:
Haradatta, Ibid.
[11]:
Baudhāyana-dharma-sūtra , 1.10.7
[12]:
yo ha vai trīn purohitāṃstrīn purodhātṛn veda, sa brāhmaṇaḥ purohitaḥ/ Aitareya-brāhmaṇa ,8.5.4
[13]:
agnivāyvādityāḥ purohitarūpāḥ pṛthivyantarikṣadyulokāḥ purodhātṛrūpā iti mantrārthaḥ/ yaḥ pumān evaṃ veda mantrārthamanusaṃdhatte eṣaḥ eva yogyaḥ purohitaḥ// Sāyaṇa, Ibid.
[14]:
Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad , 4.4.23
[15]:
tasya śāsane varteta//Baudhāyana-dharma-sūtra , 1.10. 8
[16]:
brahmaprasūtaṃ hi kṣattramṛdhyate na vyathata iti ca vijñāyate// Gautama-dharma-sūtra , 2.2.14
[18]:
brāhmaṇo dharmānprabrūyat/ rājā cānuśiṣyāt// Ibid., 1.40-41
[19]:
Gautama-dharma-sūtra , 2.2.13
[20]:
Vide, Karambelkar, V.W., The Atharvan Civilization-Its Place in the Indo-Āryan Culture, p.239
[21]:
Sāyaṇa, Atharvaveda-saṃhitā , 11.12.10
[22]:
Vide, Mookerji, R.K., Hindu Civilazation, Part.1, p.98
[23]:
Ṛgveda-saṃhitā , 4.50.8
[24]:
tasmai viśaḥ saṃjānate, sammukhā ekamanaso yasyaivaṃ vidvān brāhmaṇo rāṣṭragopaḥ purohitaḥ//Aitareya-brāhmaṇa , 8.5.2
[26]:
kṣatraṃ tadvīryeṇātyādadhāti kṣatraṃ viśo vīryavattaraṃ karotyūrdhvametaṃ cinoti kṣatraṃ tadūrdhvaṃ citibhiścinoti… // Ibid., 9.4.3..3
[27]:
brāhmaṇo vai prajānāmupadraṣṭā//Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa , 2.2.1 Also vide, KS., 9.16
[28]:
brāhmaṇasyādhikāḥ pravacanayājanapratigrahāḥ// Gautama-dharma-sūtra , 2.1.2
[30]:
Vide, Macdonell, A.A. & Keith, A.B., Vedic Index of Names and Subjects, Vol.II, p.5
[32]:
tenānupanītānāṃ dāne’pyadhikāro nāstīti kecit/ Haradatta, Ibid.
[33]:
rājā sarvasyeṣṭe brāhmaṇavarjam // Gautama-dharma-sūtra , 2.2.1
[34]:
tenānupanītasyāpyarthavato hitaiṣibhiḥ pravartitasya dānaṃ bhavatyeva// Haradatta, Ibid.
[36]:
Ibid., 3.5.1
[37]:
Aitareya-brāhmaṇa , 7.4.8