________________
\
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
'अनुचरगृहीततैलामलंककतेषु प्रस्थितेषु स्नानाय सरयूतटानि तिलदर्भपत्रिकापूर्णपत्रपुटपवित्रपाणिषु
श्रोत्रियेषु ।'
323
" संपूज्य वस्त्राद्यतिसर्जनेन द्विजातिलोकम् 2
'अनुपदं च प्रणामपरितुष्टाभिर्विजयाशिषाभिनन्द्यमानो द्विजातिपरिषद्भिः । ३ गृहारामाश्च
all go to prove that the Brāhmaṇas known as Śrotriyas, Dvijanmas, Dvijas and dvijātis earned the reverence of the Rajalokas or Ksatriyas and enjoyed superior status to the latter in point of intellect, sagacity, social leanings. They could even shower blessings upon a king or prince starting on a digvijaya or taking upon himself the task of performing some religious ceremony. A king deemed it a privilege to obtain the blessings of the Brāhmaṇas for obtaining a son or progeny in general. Brāhmaṇas were kept in the foreground when a Kṣatriya started off to perform a ritual. Brāhmaṇas could be gratified by the bestowal of charity, clothes and costly gifts. They could be paid homage to by the kings and princes who could earn their goodwill by that medium. The term सफलजातयः श्रोत्रियाः in itself explains the higher status of this order.
'सफलजातयः श्रोत्रियाः
'उपजातजन्मा महति मूर्धाभिषिक्तक्षत्रियाम्नाये माननीया समग्रस्यापि मत्पग्रिहस्य सर्वान्तःपुरप्रधानभूता मदिरावती नाम प्रेमपात्रं मे कलत्रम्"
referring to Madirāvati, the chief consort of Meghavahana born in the huge lineage of the kṣatriyas consecrated on the head etc. explains the equally honourable status of the second order i.e. the kṣatriyas.
" तस्य सर्वदा देवद्विजातिश्रमणगुरुशुश्रूषापरस्य निजभुजार्जितं पूर्व पुरुषोपार्जितं च प्राज्यमर्थमर्थिजनैः सुहृद्भिर्बान्धवैर्विद्वद्भिश्च भुक्तशेषमुपभुंजानस्य पश्चिमे वयसि वसुदत्ताभिधानायां गृहिण्यामपश्चिमः सर्वापत्यानां तारको नाम दारकः समुदपादि "
1. TM. Vol. II p. 166.
2. Ibid. Vol. II p. 251.
3. Ibid. Vol. II p. 254.
4. Ibid. Vol. III pp. 271-72.
5. Ibid. Vol. I p. 94.
6. Ibid. Vol. II p. 275, LL. 1-3
referring to Vaisravaṇa the Sāmyātriko vaṇig a maritime trader who got a son Taraka in his spouse Vasudatta in his later age, refers to his amenability to the service of his preceptors, recluses, gods, Brāhmaṇas and others obviously Kṣatriyas and his duty to earn fabulous wealth in order to make it enjoyed by the learned, the friends, as also the suppliants. This ostensibly prescribes the third status in order of the third order i.e. the Vaisyas who used to be grocers, traders or merchants. The very mention of
