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Iśānasivagurudevapaddhati सत्यव्रतः शमदमार्जवधर्मनिष्ठः ___ साष्टाङ्गयोगनिरतः शिवशास्त्रविद् यः ।
भक्त्या शिवेऽष्टविधया समलङ कृतश्च
त्यागी सदैव करुणानिलयो गुरुःस्यात् ॥
Most of the texts on Tantra prefer a Brahmin as the priest. But according to Bịhatkālottara any one from the first three castes is eligible for the position if he satisfies other conditions. It is stated :
ब्राह्मणा क्षत्रिया वैश्या विशुद्धा साधकाः स्मृताः । स्ववर्णादानुपूर्व्येण स्युराचार्याः षडानन ॥
Similarly authoritie are almost in agreement on the point of disqualifying people of certain contries beginning with the letter 'Ka'. Eight such regions are identified and named as Kakārāstka : These regions are mentioned as:
कर्णाटककलिङ्गाख्यकच्छकाश्मीरवासिनः ।
कोकणाः करहाटाश्च काम्बोजाः कामरुपिणः ।
ककाराष्त्रकसंज्ञास्ते देषाः तेशिकवर्जिदाः।। Some authorities state that priests belong to three classes, Uttama, Madhyama and Adhama depending upon the regions of their birth. In the first category the regions included are : Kuruksetra, Lâţa, Ujjayini, Pratisthāna, and Avanti. People of seven regions, viz., Gauda, Suhma. Taira, Māgadha, Kerala, Kosala and Daśārğa belong to the second class. Priests of third category belong to the regions of Kalinga, Lambaka, Kamboja, Karņāțaka, Mahārāştra, Kaccha and Neera. Over and above these three categories a class of bad priests are enumerated. They are those belonging to the regions of Kanci, Kāśmira, Saurāştra, Pāņdya, Käveri and Konkaņa. In dealing with this important issue regarding the choice of the priest, the author has quoted the views of many authorities like Mahendra, Vira, Pratișthāsamuccaya, Yogaśivpaddhati, Vijaya, Manjari, Syāyambhuva, Brahmasambhu, Somasambhu, Matanga, Ajitā, Santānika, Sarvajñānottara Mohaśurottara, Parã, Vatulottara, Pauşkara, Bșhatkālottara and Sivadharma. All these text prescribe a
