This book makes a primary source on ancient South Asia available to research.

The Jaimini-Srauta-Sutra is a Sanskrit text composed around the 6th century BCE. The important new contribution of this book is the excellent Sanskrit commentary of Bhavatrata, who lived in the South Indian state of Kerala around 700 CE.

The Srauta-Sutras codify the duties of the priests performing the elaborate sacrifices of the Vedic religion, as prescribed less systematically in the earlier Brahmana texts considered to be divine revelation. There are four groups of priests representing the four Vedas: the singer priests chant songs from the collection of songs of the Sama-Veda.

Asko Parpola is Professor emeritus of South Asian Studies at the University of Helsinki, Finland.