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RIDDLE NO. 16
sovereign of plants, Brahmans and stars. After celebrating the Rajasuya sacrifice. Soma became intoxicated with pride, and carried up Tara (Star), the wife of Brihaspati, the preceptor of the gods, whom, although admonished and entreated by Brahma, the gods, and rishis, he refused to restore. Soma’s part was taken by Usanas; and Rudra, who had studied under Angiras, aided Brihaspati. A fiery conflict ensued between the two sides, supported respectively by the gods and the Daityas, etc. Brahma interposed, and compelled Soma to restore Tara to her husband. She had, however, in the meantime become pregnant and bore a son Budha (the planet Mercury), of whom, when strongly urged, she acknowledged Soma to be the father. Pururavas, as has been already mentioned, was the son of this Budha by Illa, the daughter of Manu.
“Pururavas had six sons, of whom the eldest was Ayus. Ayus had five sons: Nahusha, Kshattra-vriddha, Rambha, Raji, and Anenas.”
“Kshattravriddha had a son Sunahotra, who had three sons, Kasa, Lesa, and Gritsamada. From the last sprang Saunaka, who originated the system of four castes. Kasa had a son Kasiraja, of whom again Dirghatamas was the son as Dhanvantari was Dirghatamas.”
The third version ascribes [1] the origin to Brahma. It says:
“Maitreya [2] says: ‘You have described to me the Arvaksrotas, or human creation; declare to me, O Brahman, in detail the manner in which Brahma formed it. Tell me how and with what qualities, he created the castes, and what are traditionally reputed to be the functions of the Brahmans and others’. Parasara replies: 3. When, true to his design, Brahma became desirous to create the world, creatures in whom goodness ( sattva ) prevailed sprang from his mouth: 4. Others in whom passion ( rajas ) predominated came from his breast; other in whom both passion and darkness ( tamas ) were strong, proceeded from his thigh; 5. Others he created from his feet, whose chief characteristic was darkness. Of these was composed the system of four castes, Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras, who had respectively issued from his mouth, breast, thighs, and feet.”
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Herein the Vishnu Purana has given the Rig-Vedic theory supported by the Sankhya Philosophy.
In the Harivamsa are to be found two theories. One [3] upholds the theory of the origin of the Varnas as being born from one of the
1 Muir’s Sanskrit Texts Vol. I pp. 61-62.
2 The Vishnu Purana is cast in the form of a dialogue between Maitreya the student who asks questions and Rishi Parashara who answers his questions.
3 Muir’s Sanskrit Texts Vol. I p. 227.