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BANERJEE : THOUGHTS IN HEMACANDRA
189
Hemacandra counterchecked by contemporary evidence. We must also know at the same time that the sources for studying the social history of the time are indeed very meagre. Yet we will have to collect some valuable information from his writings as well as from the accounts of the contemporary authors.
Structure of Society
From Hemacandra's Kumārapālacarita it appears that society looked like a feudal organisation with the king at its head. The other officials were next in rank to the king. These noble officials used to enjoy some special honours and privileges. As a result, we can imagine that there was a difference in the standard of living between the common people and the privileged officials. The rich people, because of their abundant wealth, indulged in luxury. The food and dress of the wealthy people were rich and gaudy. The rich people lived in highly decorated palatial buildings and probably amused themselves with outdoor and indoor games. Besides the rich people, there was a “middle class” also who used to live on a standard suited to their professions.
From a perusal of the Kumārapālacarita, it appears that there were four castes (caturvarna) in his time. The names of the castes were, as usual Brāhmaṇa, Kşatriya, Vaisya and Sudra (I. 183. II.2). But Hemacandra used different terms to signify these four castes. His names were dvija for brāhmin, kşatra for ksatriya, vit for vaisya and sūdra for sūdra (V. 116).
It seems that the main duty of the brahmins was to study the Vedas and to perform sacrifices (1.75) as the term śrotriya (V.91) indicated. In his time, the brahmins used to get immense power and prestige. From his reference to XVIII. 19, it seems that a brahmin should not be killed by a ksatriya. From H.D. Sankalia (Archaeology of Gujarat, p. 209), we come to know that
