The History of Antiquity, Vol. 4 (of 6)Duncker, Max
History
The History of Antiquity, Vol. 4 (of 6)
Duncker, Max
History, Ancient
In this way all created things emanated from Brahman, and to each class
and kind a definite occupation was appointed, to perform which was the
duty of the class in the universal system. Thus the life of all
creatures was defined, and their vocation assigned to them in such a
manner that they must fulfil it even in subsequent births.[166] The
orders of priests, Kshatriyas, Vaiçyas, and Çudras, were a part in the
divine order of the world; the distinction between them, the nature and
relative position of each, emanated from Brahman. They are, therefore,
distinct steps in the development of Brahman, and, for this reason,
distinct occupations are apportioned to them. Thus there now stood, side
by side, among the Indians, four classes or varieties of men, separated
by God, and each provided by him with a different function. Henceforth
no change was possible for one class into another, no mixture of one
with another could be endured. The limits drawn by God were not to be
broken through. The Brahmans are nearest to Brahman; in them the essence
of Brahman, the holy spirit, the power of sanctification, lives in
greater force than in the rest; they emanated from Brahman before the
others; they are the first-born order. In one of the latest songs of the
Rigveda, the Purusha-suktas, we are told of the world-spirit: "The
Brahman was his mouth, the Rajnaya (Kshatriya) his arm, the Vaiçya his
thigh, the Çudra his foot." This is a parable: the Brahman was his
mouth, because the Brahmans are in possession of the prayers and holy
hymns; whether the arm or the mouth, strength or speech, was preferable,
is a question which remains unanswered. More distinctly and with special
insistance that the mouth of Brahman is the best part of him, the law
book of the priests tells us: Brahman first allowed the Brahmans to
proceed from his mouth; then the Kshatriyas from his arms; next the
Vaiçyas from his thigh; and lastly, the Çudras from his foot.[167] The
duties fixed by Brahman for the Brahmans were sacrifice, the study and
teaching of the Veda, to give justice and receive it. The duty of the
Kshatriyas is to protect the people; of the Vaiçyas to tend the herds,
till the fields, and carry on trade; the Çudras were only pledged to
serve the three other orders.[168] It is a duty for the Kshatriyas and
Vaiçyas to be reverent, submissive, and liberal to the Brahmans or
first-born caste. The vocation of man is to adapt himself to the
existing order of the world, to fulfil the particular mission assigned
to him at birth. Any rebellion against the order of the castes is a
rebellion against the divine order of the world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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