Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 12: Preparation for the Aśvamedha Sacrifice
Text 1.12.4
ततो राजाब्रवीद्वाक्यं सुमन्त्रं मन्त्रिसत्तमम्।
सुमन्त्रावाहय क्षिप्रमृत्विजो ब्रह्मवादिनः॥
tato rājābravīd vākyaṁ sumantraṁ mantri-sattamam
sumantrāvāhaya kṣipram ṛtvijo brahma-vādinaḥ
tataḥ = then; rājā = the king; abravīt = spoke; vākyam = these words; sumantram = to Sumantra; mantri-sattamam = the best of the ministers; sumantra = Sumantra; āvāhaya = call; kṣipram = quickly; ṛtvijaḥ = the priests; brahma-vādinaḥ = and the Vedic mantra reciters.
Then the king spoke these words to Sumantra, the best of the ministers: Sumantra, quickly call the priests and the Vedic mantra reciters.
[3] ṛtau yajantīti ṛtvijaḥ.
The king then invited and accepted the Adhvaryu and other priests. There is a detailed procedure for inviting and accepting these priests and the king followed this procedure. The sage Vālmīki summarizes this in this text.
The sacrificial priests are called ṛtviks for they perform sacrifices during seasons [3].