________________
78
A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
1
not go undisputed. In spite of an underlying effort to tarnish the image of the Brahmanas and the other sects, in order to eulogise the character of the Jainas, the various stories and instances unconsciously referred to by the author bring before us the real picture of the society.
(ii) Divine Origin of the Brahmanas-The period from the end of the 3rd upto the 10th or 11th century A.D., or as it has been called the age of the Dharmasastras, 2 shows a remarkable development in glorification of the theory of imparting gift to the Brāhmaṇas who were regarded as human gods. A similar position can also be judged from the NC. The Brāhmaṇas were popularly regarded to have been gods in heaven who were sent to earth by Prajapati himself. This concept of the Brahmaņas as being veritable gods upon this earth (bhudeva'-pratyakṣadeva), evidently re-echoes the spirit of the various Brahmanical texts where it is stated: "Brahmaņas are the gods that are directly seen' and also that "there are two kinds of gods; for indeed gods are gods but the Brahmanas are the human gods"
4
(iii) Brahmaņas by Caste Alone-Another important feature seen from the text is that the birth alone had now become the only criterion for belonging to a particular caste. The Brahmaņas were called Brahmabandhu because of their caste itself (jatimatra-sam panna-Brahmabandhuşu). According to the ancient injunctions, "a Brāhmaṇa alone could be one with Brahma, for he alone was entitled to enter the fourth stage of life, viz. "asceticism". Bana also enjoins that even to a Brahmana by
9
1. NC. 3, p. 142.
2. Ghurye, G.S., Caste and Class in India, p. 44.
3. Ibid., p. 91.
4. किं च एते दिवि देवा आसी, प्रजापतिना भूमौ सृष्टा देवा – NC. 3, p. 415.
àà:
:-Yasastilaka, 88. 5.
5. Ibid.; also
6. NC. 4, p. 55.
7. Taittariya Samhita, 1. 7. 31.
8. Satapatha Brāhmaṇa, SBE., Vol. 12, p. 309 and Vol. 26, p. 341.
9 एतेषु जातिमात्र संपन्नब्रह्मबंधुष्वपि दत्तं महत् फलं – NC. 3, p. 415.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
