The Domestic Sutras of Gobhila

In the Aryan era The early Vedic period, the patron Yajamana: the person who institutes and pays for a sacrifice himself would produce fire by rubbing pieces of wood together, and then offer holy oblations of clarified butter into that blazing fire for the fulfillment of his desires. Because the appointment of an officiating priest Ritvik: a professional priest hired for specific rituals was a costly undertaking, only the wealthy had their sacrifices performed by a domestic priest Purohita: literally 'one placed in front,' a family priest or advisor. In other words, groups of officiating priests were summoned only by the wealthy. * Over time, the responsibility for performing these rites was handed over to priests who were masters of the mantras. Consequently, their influence and majesty increased significantly. The Rigveda Samhita was designated for the Hotr original: "Bahvricha," meaning "versed in many verses" priests. The Samaveda and Yajurveda Samhitas were assigned respectively to the Udgatri original: "Chhandoga," the singer of the chants and the Adhvaryu priests. The specific duties of these different classes of priests were recorded in the Brahmana texts. For the Rigvedic priests, the Aitareya and Kaushitaki Brahmanas were assigned; for the Udgatris, the Tandya Brahmana; for the Adhvaryu priests, the Taittiriya and Shatapatha Brahmanas; and for the Atharvavedic priests, the Gopatha Brahmana was designated. Following the composition of the Brahmana texts, the Kalpa or Shrauta and Gryha Sutras Manuals for public and domestic rituals, respectively began to be formed according to the different branches Shakha: a specific school or tradition of Veda recitation of their respective Vedas. Large-scale sacrifices were performed according to the Shrauta texts, and domestic rites Smartta Karma were conducted according to the Gryha Sutras.

When the study and teaching of the Vedas declined and obstacles began to arise in Vedic rituals, kings became ignorant of Vedic knowledge. From that time, the seeds of mutual jealousy and hatred were sown among the priests. They began to write slander against one another. Previously, the Hotr (Rigvedic), Adhvaryu (Yajurvedic), Udgatri (Samavedic), and Brahma (the Atharvavedic or a master of all four Vedas) had performed the sacrificial work together with mutual joy, each fulfilling their own duty in a single sacrifice. However, they now began to create independent texts, filling them with self-praise and the condemnation of those belonging to other Vedas. The result was that a terrible sectarian original: "sampradayik," relating to different schools or sects malice spread among the kings, the subjects, and indeed all of humanity, leading to the ruin of India Bharatvarsha. As an example of this, we cite the evidence of the text titled "Atharva-Parishishta" A supplementary work of the Atharvaveda tradition.

Severe Sectarian Hatred Among the Priests!!!

In the 192nd chapter of the "Atharva-Parishishta" text, it is written that the Rigvedic 'Bahvricha' priest destroys the kingdom of the patron, and the Yajurvedic 'Adhvaryu' priest destroys the patron’s wife and children; and the patron for whom a Samavedic 'Chhandoga' serves as a priest will have his wealth destroyed. This was born of ignorance or negligence...

• The sage Apastamba has written in the text titled 'Yajna Paribhasha' Definition of Sacrifice as follows: — It (the sacrifice) is prescribed by the three Vedas. [1] By the Rigveda, Yajurveda, and Samaveda. [2] The Hotr performs with the Rigveda. [16] The Udgatri with the Samaveda. [17] The Adhvaryu with the Yajurveda. [18] The Brahma with all of them. [19] original Sanskrit: "sa (yajña) tribhirvedaivirdhīyate... rgvedena hotā karoti... sāmavedenodgātā... yajurvedenādhvaryu... sarvairbrahmā"