z:\ ambedkar\vol 04\vol4 05.indd MK SJ DK YS 23 9 2013/YS 8 11 2013 193
RIDDLE NO. 16
193
The other explanation speaks of people being descended from Manu and is to be found referred to in the following passages [1] :
“ Prayers and hymns were formerly congregated in the Indra, in the ceremony which Atharvan, father Manu, and Dadhyanch celebrated”. “ Whatever prosperity or succour father Manu obtained by sacrifices, may we gain all that under thy guidance, O Rudra.”
“Those pure remedies of yours, O Maruts, those which are most auspicious, ye vigorous gods, those which are beneficient, those which our father Manu chose, those, and the blessing and succour of Rudra, I desire.”
“That ancient friend hath been equipped with the powers of the mighty (gods). Father Manu has prepared hymns to him, as portals of success to the gods.”
“Sacrifice is Manu, our protecting father.”
“Do ye (gods) deliver, protect and intercede for us; do not lead us far away from the paternal path of Manu.”
“He (Agni) who abides among the offspring of Manu as the invoker (of the gods), is even the lord of these riches.”
“Agni, together with the gods, and the children of Manush, celebrating a multiform sacrifice with hymns, etc.” “Ye gods, Vajas, and Ribhukshans, come to our sacrifice by the path travelled by the gods, that ye, pleasing deities, may institute a sacrifice among these people of Manush on auspicious days”.
“ The people of Manush praise in the sacrifices Agni, the invoker.”
“Whenever Agni, lord of the people, kindled, abides gratified among the people of Manush, he repels all Rakshasas.”
Stopping for a moment to take stock so to say of the position it is quite clear that there is no unanimity among the Vedas on the origin of the four Varnas. None of the other Vedas agree with the Rig-Veda that the Brahamin was created from the mouth of the Prajapati, the Kshatriyas from his arms, the Vaishyas from his thighs and the Shudras from his feet.
II
Let us now turn to the writings called the Brahmanas and see what they have to say on this question.
The explanation given by the Sathpatha Brahmana is as follows [2] :
“(Uttering) ‘ bhuh’ Prajapati generated this earth. (Uttering) ‘ bhuvah ’ he generated the air, and (uttering) ‘ svah ’, he generated
1 Muir’s Sanskrit Texts Vol. I pp. 162-165.
2 Muir Sanskrit Texts Vol. I p. 17.