346 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
II. 135. The student must consider a Brahmen, though but ten years old, and a Kshatriya, though aged a hundred years, as father and son; as between those two, the young Brahmen is to be respected as the father.
II. 136. Wealth, kindred, age, moral conduct, and, fifthly divine knowledge, entitle men to respect; but that which is last mentioned in order, is the most respectable.
II. 137. Whatever man of the three highest classes possesses the most of those five, both in number and degree that man is entitled to most respect; even a Sudra, if he have entered the tenth decade of his age.
II. 138. Way must be made for a man in a wheeled carriage, or above ninety years old, or afflicted with disease, or carrying a burthen; for a woman; for a priest just returned from the mansion of his preceptor; for a prince, and for a bridegroom.
II. 139. Among all those, if they be met at one time, the priest just returned home and the prince are most to be honoured; and of those two, the priest just returned, should be treated with more respect than the prince.
As illustrating the rules of social bearing a reference may be made to rules regarding salutation:
II. 121. A youth who habitually greets and constantly reverses the aged, obtains an increase of four things; life, knowledge, fame, strength.
II. 122. After the word of salutation, a Brahman must address an elder; saying, “I am such an one,” pronouncing his own name.
II. 123. If any persons, through ignorance of the Sanskrit language, understand not the import of his name, to them should a learned man say, “ It is I”; and in that manner he should address all classes of women.
II. 124. In the salutation he should pronounce, after his own name, the vocative particle ‘bhoh’; for the particle ‘bhoh’ is held by the wise to have the same property with names fully expressed.
II. 125. A Brahmen should thus be saluted in return; “ May’st thou live long, excellent man ”, and at the end of his name, the vowel and preceding consonant should be lengthened, with an acute accent, to three syllabic moments or short vowels.
II. 126. That Brahmen, who knows not the form of returning a salutation, must not be saluted by a man of learning; as a Shudra, even so is he.
II. 127. Let a learned man ask a priest, when he meets him, if his devotion prospers, a warrior, if he is unhurt; a merchant, if his wealth