24 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Sutra states:
“There are four castes—Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras.
Among these, each preceding (caste) is superior by birth to the one following. [1]
For all these excepting Shudras and those who have committed bad actions are ordained (1) the initiation ( Upanayan or the wearing of the sacred thread), (2) the study of the Veda and (3) the kindling of the sacred fire (i.e., the right to perform sacrifice). [2]
This is repeated by Vasishtha Dharma Sutra which says :
“There are four castes (Varnas), Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. Three castes, Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas (are called) twice-born.
Their first birth is from their mother; the second from the investiture with the sacred girdle. In that (second birth) the Savitri is the mother, but the teacher is said to be, the father.
They call the teacher father, because he gives instruction in the Veda. [3]
The four castes are distinguished by their origin and by particular sacraments.
There is also the following passage of the Veda : “The Brahmana was his mouth, the Kshatriya formed his arms, the Vaishya his thighs; the Shudra was born from his feet.”
It has been declared in the following passage that a Shudra shall not receive the sacraments.”
Many other law-givers have in parrot-like manner repeated the theme of the Purusha Sukta and have reiterated its sanctity. It is unnecessary to repeat their version of it. All those, who had raised any opposition to the sanctity of the ideal set out in the Purusha Sukta, were finally laid low by Manu, the architect of the Hindu society. For Manu did two things. In the first place, he enunciated afresh the ideal of the Purusha Sukta as a part of divine injunction. He said :
“For the prosperity of the worlds, he (the creator) from his mouth, arms, thighs and feet created the Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya and the Shudra. [4]
The Brahmin, Kshatriya (and) Vaishya (constitute) the three twice-born castes; but the fourth the shudra has only one birth. [5] "
In this he was no doubt merely following his predecessors. But he went a step further and enunciated another proposition in which he said :
“Veda is the only and ultimate sanction for Dharma. [6] ”
Bearing in mind that the Purusha Sukta is a part of the Veda, it cannot be difficult to realize that Manu invested the social ideal of
1 Prasna 1. Patala 1, Khanda 1, Sutras 4-5. 4 Manu, Chapter I, Verse 31.
2 Prasna 1, Patala 1, Khanda 1, Sutra 6. 5 Ibid., Chapter X, Verse 4.
3 Chapter II, Verses 1-4. 6 Ibid., Chapter II, Verse 6.