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138
TULSI-PRAINA
Svapacasa. While we are aware of a class who could make foodvessels polluted beyond purification, is it sensible to deny the existence of untouchability at the time ?
As a matter of fact, the Dharmashăstras are so full of details about untouchability (particularly about the Cāndalas), that one cannot easily believe there was no untouchability at the time. So Ambedkar argues that there were not untouchables as such at the time, there was simply a class of impure persons: "The distinction between Impure and Untouchable is very clear. The untouchable pollutes all while the Impure pollutes only the Brāhmaṇā. The touch of the Impure causes pollution only on a ceremonial occasion. The touch of the untouchable causes pollution at all times'*28.
In order to establish it, Ambedkar quotes some rules of atonement prescribed by the śāstras to dispel pollution caused by the touch of a Câņdāla and draws the following conclusions :
1. "That the pollution by the touch of the Cándāla was obscr
ved by the Brāhmaṇa only." 2. "That the pollution was probably observed on ceremonial
occasions only" 24
However, there is nothing in the passages quoted by him to suggest that the pollution was observed on ceremonial occasions only. We have reason to believe that slackening of the rules regarding pollution was permitted on special occasions while observance of pollution was the general practice. Atri permits discarding its observance in temple, in religious procession and during marriage, sacrifice and festivals.25 Similar permission is given by śātätapa and BỊbaspati. Smộtyarthasāra, a work of late 121h century enume. rates the following occasions as unfit for observing the rules of pollution-battle, market-passage, religious processions, temples, festivals, sacrifices, sacred places, calamities, invasions, bank of a big reservior, presence of great men, sudden fire.
Moreover, there is nothing in the passages from Gautama, asistha and Manu quoted by him to suggest that the pollution was observed by the Brāhmanas only. It is only the passage from Bodhayana that contains the word 'Brāhmana'26. Ambedkar studied the Dharmaśāstras through Eoglish translations and translations lead to confusions some times. Generally the words 'Dvijati' and 'Dvija' are used in the Dharma śāstras for the first three varnas and whenever the Brāhmaṇas alone are intended, the words Vipra' and 'Brahmana' are used. Translators are not always caroful in rendering
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