Vedic Priesthood - Assistants

Assistants

In the systematic expositions of the shrauta sutras, which date to the fifth or sixth century BCE, the assistants are classified into four groups associated with each of the four chief priests, although the classifications are artificial and in some cases incorrect:

• With the hotṛ:
  • the maitrāvaruna
  • the acchāvāka
  • the grāvastut (praising the Soma stones)
• With the udgātṛ:
  • the prastotṛ (who chants the Prastâva)
  • the pratihartṛ ("averter")
  • the subrahmanya
• With the adhvaryu:
  • the pratiprasthātṛ
  • the neṣṭṛ
  • the unnetṛ (who pours the Soma juice into the receptacles )
• With the brahman:
  • the brāhmanācchamsin
  • the agnīdh (priest who kindles the sacred fire)
  • the potṛ ("purifier")

This last classification is incorrect, as the formal assistants of the brahman were actually assistants of the hotṛ and the adhvaryu.