z:\ ambedkar\vol 04\vol4 06.indd MK SJ DK 23 9 2013/YS 9 11 2013 318
318 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
There are two dogmas associated with the Kali Age. It is strongly held by the Brahmans that in the Kali Age there are only two Varnas— the first and the last—the Brahmins and the Shudras. The two middle ones Kshatriyas and Vaishyas they say are non-existent. What is the basis of this dogma ? What does this dogma mean ? Does this mean that these Varnas were lost to Brahmanism or does this mean that they ceased to exist ?
Which is the period of India’s history which in fact accords with this dogma ?
Does this mean that the loss of these two Varnas to Brahmanism marks the beginning of Kali Yuga ?
The second dogma associated with the theory of the Kali Yuga is called Kali Varjya—which means customs and usages which are not to be observed in the Kali Age. They are scattered in the different Puranas. But the Adityapurana has modified them and brought them in one place. The practices which come under Kali Varjya are given below [1 ] :
- To appoint the husband’s brother for procreating a son on a widow [2] .
“2. The remarriage of a (married) girl (whose marriage is not consummated) and of one (whose marriage was consummated) to another husband (after the death of the first).” [3]
- [4] The marriage with girls of different Varna among persons of the three twice-born classes.” [5]
“4. [6] The killing even in a straight fight of Brahmanas that have become desperadoes. [7] ”
“5. The acceptance (for all ordinary intercourse such as eating with him) of a twice-born person who is in the habit of voyaging over the sea in a ship, even after he has undergone a prayascitta [8] .
1 Kali Varjya, P. V. Kane, pp. 8-16.
2 This refers to the practice of niyoga, which was allowed by Gautama (18-9-14, Narada stripuma verse 58), Yajnavalkya (I. 68-69) though it was condemned by Manu (9.64-68), and Brahaspati.
3 This refers to re-marriage of widows. Narada (stripumsa, verses 98-100) allowed re-marriage of even Brahmana widows in certain calamities and Parasara did the same while Vasistha (17.74) and Baudhayana-dharma-sutra (IV. 1.18) allow the re-marriage of a girl whose first marriage was not consummated.
The passage is read ‘balikaksatayonysca’ also; in that case it will mean only ‘a married girl whose marriage has not been consummated’ while the other reading refers to two kinds of widows (whose marriage is consummated and whose marriage is not so).
4 Kali Varjya, P. V. Kane, pp. 8-16.
5 Most ancient smritis allowed anuloma marriages e.g. Baudhayanadharmasutra I. 8. 2-5, Vashishtha I. 24-27, Manu III 14-19, Yajnavalkya 1. 56-57.
6 Kali Varjya, P. V. Kane, pp. 8-16.
7 This is a subject which very much exercised the minds of writers on dharma; Manu (8.350.351) Vishnu V. 180-80, Vashishtha (III. 15-18) permit the killing of an atatayibrahmans, while Sumantu says ‘there is no sin in killing an attatayin, except a brahmana and a cow’, and so forbids the killing even of an atatayi-brahmana. Vide Mitaksara on Yaj. II. 21 for a discussion on this.
8 Baudhayana-dharmasutra 1.1.20 mentions voyage as a practice peculiar to Brahmanas of Northern India and condemns it, by placing it first among Pataniyas (II. 1.41). Some writers say that prohibition applies to one who often crosses the sea as the compound ‘nauyathu’ shows. Ausanasa says that ‘samudraga’ is patita (p. 525, of Jivananada).