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SOCIAL CONDITIONS
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raises his arm against a Brahmin, will be banished from heaven for a hundred years and he who strikes, for a thousand years. The orthodox Kapila's bowing down to Rama for gaining economic favour (35. 62) goes against the pronouncement that a Brahmin shall not rise from his seat to receive a Kşatriya or a Vaiśya, however learned and superior he may be. The instances of the insulting of Brahmins by the public (105. 44), the plundering of the house of a Brahmin (30. 62), the kidnapping of the wife of a Brahmin by a king (26. 12) and the raping of a Brahmin girl by a king (103. 99) indicate that they occupied the same position as the average people did. Making allowance for a certain amount of exaggeration in these accounts, the stratum of truth at the base is obvious.
Kșatriras : The Kşatriyas are called Rāj putras also. The PCV mentions (89. 36) Satrughna as a 'rājaputra' (Sattuggha-rāyaputteņam). The first and the foremost duty of the Ksatriyas was to govern and protect the people from internal disorder and external enemies (rakkhapakarananiutta 3.115). Manu (10.79) mentions that the wielding of arms was the means of their subsistence and their duty was to protect the people. The AP? (16. 243) defines Ksatriyas as saviours and protectors of the wounded. There are several instances of Ksatriya kings who ruled over various parts of India, viz. Dasaratha of Saketa (22. 103), Janaka of Mithila (21. 33), Śreņika of Magadha (2. 15) etc. The institution of punishment was controlled by them to maintain internal peace and order. There are a number of examples when kings are found to be punishing the criminals and breakers of law. They posseessed a large army to protect the people from external attacks (caturangabala 24. 28; 26. 29; 33.76; 37. 5 & 56. 1). There are several occasions when they defeated the Mlechas (27. 40) or the notorious chief of a wild tribe (34. 44), or an oppressive king (33. 118), or the invaders (37. 60; 22.60) or imprisoned and chased. off the rebels (26. 29; 105. 92). Thus they were responsible for the destiny of the country and in exchange of their services they were entitled to get sixth part of the income of their subjects by way of tolls and taxes.
According to the Brahmanical preaching as received in the PCV (11.72) the Yajña was prescribed for three Varņas i e. the Brahmins,
1. Gautama, 21.17-20, Vide OGCI. 2. Āpastamba, II 2. 4. 18 Vide OGCI, Vol. I p. 150. 3. Kşatātrāņe niyuktā hi Kşatriyaḥ sastraponyaḥ; See Raghu, 253 (Kşatat kila
trāyata ityudägraḥ kṣatrayasya sabdo bhuvanegu rūdhah). 4. See “Punishment under Polity and Administration'. 5. VR, 2.75.25; Manu, 7.131; 8.307-308.
