THE SHUDRAS : ARYANS AGAINST ARYANS 91
pregnant, being yellow, becomes brown. Being pregnant with a foetus, he became exhausted. Being exhausted he became blackish-brown. Hence an exhausted person becomes blackish-brown. His breath became alive. With that breath ( asu ) he created Asuras. Therein consists the Asura-nature of Asuras. He who thus knows this Asura-nature of Asuras becomes a man possessing breath. Breath does not forsake him. Having created the Asuras he regarded himself as a father. After that he created the Fathers (Pitris). That constitutes the fatherhood of the Fathers. He who thus knows the fatherhood of the Fathers, becomes as a father of his own; the Fathers resort to his oblation. Having created the Fathers, he reflected. After that he created men. That constitutes the manhood of men. He who knows the manhood of men, becomes intelligent. Mind does not forsake him. To him, when he was creating men, day appeared in the heaven. After that he created the gods. This constitutes the godhead of the gods. To him who thus knows the godhead of the gods, day appears in the heavens. These are the four streams, viz; gods, men, fathers and Asuras. In all of these water is like the air.”
(4) T.B., [1] iii.2.3.9.—“This Shudra has sprung from non-existence.”
The following explanation of the origin of creation is given by the Taittiriya Aranyaka :
T.A., [2] i.12.3.1.— “This is water, fluid. Prajapati alone was produced on a lotus leaf. Within, in his mind, desire arose, ‘Let me create this.’ Hence whatever a man aims at in his mind, he declares by speech, and performs by act. Hence this verse has been uttered, ‘Desire formerly arose in it, which was the primal germ of mind, (and which) sages, searching with their intellect, have discovered in the heart as the bond between the existent and the nonexistent’ (Rig Veda x.129.4). That of which he is desirous comes to the man who thus knows. He practised austere fervour. Having practised austere fervour, he shook his body. From its flesh the rishis (called) Arunas, Ketus and Vatarasanas arose. His nails became the Vaikhanasas, his hairs the Valakhilyas. The fluid (of his body became) a tortoise moving amid the waters. He said to him ‘ Thou hast sprung from my skin and flesh.’ ‘No,’ replied the tortoise,’ I was here before.’ In that (in his having been ‘before’ purvam ) consists the manhood of a man ( purusha ). Becoming a man Purusha with a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet (R.V.x.90.1) he arose. Prajapati said to him, ‘thou wert produced before me; do thou first make this.’ He took water from this in the cavity of his two hands and placed it on the east, repeating the text, ‘so be it, O Sun.’ From thence the sun arose. That was the eastern quarter. Then Aruna Ketu placed (the water) to the south, saying ‘so be it, O Agni.’ Thence Agni arose. That was the southern quarter. Then Aruna Ketu placed (the water) to the west, saying ‘so be it, O Vayu.’ Thence arose Vayu. That was the western quarter. Then Aruna Ketu placed (the water) to the north, saying ‘so be it, O Indra.’ Then arose Indra. That is the northern quarter. Then Aruna Ketu placed (the water) in the centre, saying ‘so be it, O Pushan.’ Thence arose Pushan. That is this quarter. The Aruna Ketu placed (the water) above saying ‘so be it, gods.’ Thence arose gods, men,
1 Muir, Vol. I, p. 21.
2 Muir, Vol. I, p. 32.