LIBERATING INDIAN MIND- 36
RELIGION and BRAHMANISM (iii)

In the Previous note we found the discordant blocks which do not match to make a compact whole. One thing is certain. A section of the asuras who believed in Supremacy of Lord Varuna, and despised those who played havoc with the environment, and themselves took care not to harm or pollute it in any way, had helplessly joined the Deva society, early, but only after having made several attempts to frustrate the croppers. They had not only failed in their efforts but also had lost the territory belonging to them. They had lost the battle, not faith. They were not ready to surrender their belief system. They were not ready to participate in any activity which called for destruction of mother nature to create more space for the Devas to expand.

Under the circumstances they were left with few choices.

The first was to be part of the Deva society joining a rank wherein they had not to do any physical or agricultural work. In a word they had to make an entry into the rank of the elders and participate in the job assigned to them.

The other was to join the rank of the sentinel and ward off any danger either from animals or the wandering bands who like them were left homeless but resorted to theft and piracy.

The third option was to engage in some technical work through which they could supply ready or raw material to the cultivators and help them in improving the production and ameliorate their living standards. The cultivators would provide them grain and thus enable them to have their share in agricultural products without themselves directly taking part in agricultural operations.

The fourth option was to leave the country, and settle somewhere far off, beyond the reach of the Devas, and try their luck. They appear to have availed all the options. The last one is confirmed by the birth of Sumerian civilisation where those who arrived went under the leadership of Oannes, reminiscent of Ushana, the legendary priest of Asuras, Mahavali among them.

Interestingly they did not take direct part in agricultural operations there as well, but occurred priestly positions, living with notorious isolation to shame even the most segregationist Brahmin in India. Their tales of cruelty toward the working hands is also disheartening. Through them we may gather some hints as to the psychology of Indian Brahmins who also appear to be their brotheren.

Call it a religion or not they believed in a supreme God of taboos (वारण), who restrained them at the cost of their life from violating an any of the provisions laid down for common good. Thou shalt not eat such and such animals or bird which resemble human beings in any way, but these which resemble humans only in this respect can be consumed. Thou shalt not eat or pluck these plants or eat such fruit before such a stage when they are almost ripe. Thou shalt not violate the boundaries set for your land unless someone invites you as his guest. A list of taboos for people enjoying special status has been provided by Frazer in his Golden Bow. There may be many more of which there is no record and some which varied from tribe to tribe.

But this God had such a great concern for law that he could appear cruel in view of penalties given to the defaulters. He was most alert and informed as he had all the stars as his spies, he himself watching the world as the moon in the night (अदब्धानि वरुणस्य व्रतानि विचाकशत् चन्द्रमा नक्तमेति). How much fear could this belief might have generated in their psyche is anybody’s guess.

There are some threads in our web which demand a satisfactory solution. The first is the dispute between the conservative or old Brahmins who did not allow the new entrants the status of a Brahmin. We even in our last note were under the impression that they could be the members of the original Deva society. But those old ones past generative age could not be those that could produce offspring and lay the foundation of Varna by birth. Naturally, it could have been a conflict between the senior ones who had entrenched their position and the late comers. There is one hint that comes useful in this context. It is the character of Vasishtha, said to be the offspring of Varuna as well as Mitra, from a mother not belonging to Deva society. Interestingly he is said to be the founder of Brahmanical order. The transition from Asura category to that of Devas is so obvious that we cannot expect anything more conclusive from legendary sources.