In its English translation a Soot may be called a "bard" or "chronicler". Soot have infinite capacity to remember and recite long poems or stories. They could hand down the literature from generation to generation, and for the same reason they had a special position in the society. They were employed by the kings to preserve culture. It is though them that the great epic stories were preserved for hundreds of years. With the creation of writing facility, their importance has declined. They took the positions of chariot drivers and so the word became synonym to chariot driver.

Who is Soot? Agni Puraan, 13 says, When a child is born to a Kshatriya Varn boy and a Braahman Varn girl, he is called a Soot. In olden days Soot had no right to be a king and so had only one job, and that was to serve kings by working in their stables. There are five Soot well known in Hindu religious scriptures - (1) King Shaantanu's Saarathee Adhirath who brought up Karn as his own son was a Soot; (2) King Dhritraashtra's Saarathee Sanjaya who told the account of Mahaabhaarat war to blind Dhritraashtra was a Soot; (3) Vyaas Jee's disciple Romharshan - he is not known by his name but only by "Soot Jee", he was killed by Balaraam while he was on his pilgrimage; and (4) Ugrashravaa - Romharshan's son who is also known as Soot Jee -  he is also not known by his personal name. He has told many stories to many Saadhu and kings. (5) Keechak was also a Soot, Draupadee calls him Soot.