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III. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
1. SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS The Society as depicted by Dhanapāla was no stranger to the old characteristics of the by-gone days. The popular institution of “Varņāśramadharma' forming the mainstay of the contemporary society gained a firmer hold on the beliefs of the individuals forming its constituent elements. .
"यथाविधिव्यवस्थापितवर्णाश्रमधर्मो यथार्थः प्रजापतिः। 'रक्षिताखिलक्षितितपोवनोऽपि त्रातचतुराश्रमः। "अस्वरवर्णा अपि परं न व्यंजनमशिश्रियन्त शत्रवः।' स्वधर्मव्यवस्थापित वर्णाश्रमतया जातनिवृत्तिः। विरलवर्णाश्रमाचाराणि "राजनीतिरिव यथोचितमवस्थापितवर्णसमुदाया' सर्ववर्णान्त:पातिभिः---नानाविधविद्याधरैः।'
All these refer to the duties and jurisdictions of the four varnas along with the four āśramas i.e. the four orders of society or castes along with four stages of life. He refers to these four orders of society and stages of life singularly as well as plurally during the course of his dissertations. Of the four orders he has mentioned the first three quite frequently while the fourth has not been mentioned expressly. It can be inferred indirectly. The stages of life have, however, been singled out directly.
"आसीद् द्विजन्माऽखिलमध्यदेश प्रकाशसांकाश्य विशेषजन्मा। अलब्धदेवर्षिरिति प्रसिद्धिं दानवर्षित्वविभूषितोऽपि शास्त्रेष्वधीति कुशलः क्रियासु बन्धे च बोधे च गिरां प्रकृष्टः ।।16
refers to the sire of Sarvadeva, who has been called a 'dvijanmā' a twice born one who was born in Sāmkāsya and was known as 'devarşi' or a godly sage, a receptacle of charities, a scholar of lores, adept in activities (literary as well as wordily), expert in the composition as well as knowledge of
1. TM Vol. Ip. 59. 2. Ibid. Vol. Ip. 63. 3. Ibid. Vol. Ip.67. 4. Ibid. Vol. I p.71. 5. Ibid. Vol. II p. 286. 6. Ibid. Vol. III p. 61. 7. Ibid. Vol. III pp. 132-133. 8. Ibid. Intro.. verses 51-52pp.40-41.
