46 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
(iii)
(A) The Apastamba Dharma Sutra says :
“A Brahmana shall salute stretching forward his right arm on a level with his ear, a Kshatriya holding it on a level with the breast, a Vaishya holding it on a level with the waist, a Shudra holding it low (and) stretching forward the joined hands. [1]
And when returning the salute of (a man belonging) to the first (three) castes, the last syllable of the name of the person addressed is produced to the length of three moras. [2]
If a Shudra comes as a guest (to a Brahmana) he shall give him some work to do. He may feed him, after (that has been performed. To feed him without asking him first to do some work is to do him honour.)
Or the slaves (of the Brahmana householder) shall fetch (rice) from the royal stores, and honour the Shudra as a guest.” [3]
(B) The Vishnu Smriti prescribes :
“The same punishment (payment of hundred Panas) is also ordained for hospitably entertaining a Shudra or religious ascetic at an oblation to the gods or to the manes.” [4]
(C) The Manu Smriti enjoins that :
One should consider a Brahmana ten years old and a Kshatriya a hundred years old as father and son; but of them the Brahman (is) the father.
Wealth, kindred, age, sects (and) knowledge as the fifth; those are the causes of respect, the most important (is) the last (mentioned).
In whom among the three (higher) castes the most and the best of (those) five may be he is here worthy of respect; a Shudra (is not worthy of respect on the ground of his wealth or knowledge no matter how high they are. It is only on the ground of his age and that too only if) he has attained the tenth (decade of his life that he becomes worthy of respect and not before.) [5]
1 Prasna 1, Patala 2, Khanda 5, Sutra 16.
2 Ibid, Sutra 17.
3 Prasna II, Patala 2, Khanda 4, Sutras 19-20
4 Chapter V. Sutra 115.
5 Chapter II, Verses 135-137.