Hotṛ
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Hotṛ literally means ‘one who invites gods for receiving oblations’.
A Vedic sacrifice needs four principal priests among whom the hotṛ is the one. He belongs to the Ṛgveda; his special duty is to recite the mantras of the Ṛgveda called ‘śastras’ (laudatory hymns) to invoke the gods to the sacrifice.
He performs all the ritualistic acts for which no other person has been specifically mentioned. He sits, facing the east, to the north of the northern vedi (platform). His assistants are:
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore