LIBERATING INDIAN MIND- 37
RELIGION and BRAHMANISM(iv)

Continuing our discussion we find another seer, namely Agastya who has the same parentage, as that of Vasihtha. He felt equally concerned about those who had not changed their lifestyle although he had made a name among the seers, of course for dubious reasons. He was short tempered- (अगस्त्यः खनमानो खनित्रैः प्रजामपत्यं बलमिच्छमानः । उभौ वर्णौ ऋषिरुग्रः पुपोष सत्या देवेष्वाशिषो जगाम). Our evidence is slender but the circumstantial evidence as well as logical coherence lead us to the conclusion that vasishtha had severed his connection from his previous ‘society’ while all others chose the middle path. There is a story that Vasishtha had committed theft in the house of Varuna. I fail to read it in any other way but a conscious betrayal despite the fact that he showed no open disregard for Varuna.

But who are the Rgvedic poets if out of them only Vasishtha was the founder of Brahmanism? It flows from what I’ve said that all of them came from Asura background, not excluding Vasishtha. It also leads us to the conclusion that the elders alone in whose rank these clever people managed to sneak, were not called Brahmin but all the members of agricultural pursuits were called Brahmin or Deva by others.

Brahmin as a Varna was creation of a person who had come from non Brahmin background, but he appropriated all the laurels attached to the Devas or Brahmanas including the claim that entire earth, i.e. cultivable land, belonged to the Brahmanas. Legally the master of the land was he who cleared and levelled it for cultivation.

He did not do any work as he had given it in charity to the Kshatriyas but even so he was the master of whatever was produced. It was because of his generosity that humanity received food and clothing. If the Brahmin was fed properly and kept satisfied, all the people were automatically fed and kept satisfied. These references find place in the Manusmriti, but we are confident they formed part of a running belief among the Brahmins.

We must admit that some of the links are still missing, but as we have submitted earlier, social systems are not changed by individuals, but because of the socio-economic changes, so we must concede that Vasishtha is a collective name rather than the name of an individual. This we do not infer from the plural of Vasishtha (वसिष्ठाः) and Vishwamitra (कुशिकासः) which may suggest their line. The ground for our surmise is that we find Varna entrenched in the Rigveda, wherein Varuna represents the Kshatriyas and The Fire god those the Brahmanas, whereas Rudriyas are Vaishyas. Shudras are not mentioned as a separate Varna except in the Purush Sukta. Of course identifiable separate identity of those who upheld the Vedic economic production and many other hints confirm it. There has been an attempt to show that social stratification is of late origin, as a verse in the Rigveda clearly mentions different members of the same family pursuing their vocation as per their intent (कारुरहं ततो भिषगुपलप्रक्षिणी नना। नानाधियोवसूयवोऽनु गा इव तस्थिमन्द्रायेन्दो परि स्रव। 9.112.3). In their hurry the appear to read too much in too little. In fact all the vocations enumerated in the verse fall in line of a single social order. Kauru or bards as well as the physicians did not enjoy high ranking in social order, Upanaprakshini (उपलप्रक्षिणी) ofcourse needs be interpreted as the one who parches grain. It must not be overlooked that in the same hymn a profession of Karmar, carpenter, priest and smith is clearly mentioned. There is unmistakable mention of Brahmins in different contexts:
ब्राह्मणादिन्द्र राधसः पिबा सोममृतूँरनु ।
सोमश्च यो ब्राह्मणाँ आविवेश,
ब्राह्मणासः पितरः सोम्यासः
संवत्सरं शशयाना ब्राह्मणा व्रतचारिणः

Likewise Kshatriyas are mentioned many times:
धृतव्रता क्षत्रिया क्षत्रमाशतुः ।। 8.25.8
त्यान्नु क्षत्रियाँ अव आदित्यान्याचिषामहे
धृतव्रता क्षत्रिया यज्ञनिष्कृतो
तथा राष्ट्रं गुपितं क्षत्रियस्य
तस्मिन् क्षत्रममवत् त्वेषमस्तु
राजाना क्षत्रमहृणीयमाना सहस्रस्थूणं बिभृथः सह द्वौ ।
वरुणं मित्रार्यमन् वर्षिष्ठं क्षत्रमासाथे ।
दूणाशं क्षत्रमजरं दुवोयु ।
The term Visha may be interpreted as all the people but authorities agree that the Rudriyas with their fondness for ornaments and dance and music are certainly representatives of the Vaishyas. The entire business operations extended far and wide speak a lot about the existence and fabulous riches of the trades.
Shudras as we concede are mentioned only once but the they occur in innumerable contexts, from skilled artisans to keepers of animals, agricultural labourers etc.

What we want to discuss is that induction of these Asuras in various capacities was such a turning event that real progress towards urbanisation and international trade, different inventions and innovations were possible only after that and primarily because of them. Contrary to old views I have to admit that world Civilisation is a relay-race, the lamp bearers change hands and take long strides with renewed energy. The narrative is long and we must observe patience.