Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 3

Author(s): R P Poddar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 72

UTTARAJJHAYANA AND SOCIO-RELIGIOUS
FORMALISM R. P. PODDAR
In the priest-dominated society of ancient India certain customs and practices were generally regarded as conducive to temporal and eternal good. Consequently their observance had become almost obligatory. These were ceremonial sacrifices, respective order and duties of castes and stages of life, and rites of consecration.
Ceremonial sacrifices included, besides prayers, material oblations and gifts, Killing of animals such as horses and goats. Thus they contravened the general scriptual injunction-'One should not cause injury to living beings'l. Yet they were prescribed, specially for the kings, to secure supremacy in this world and heaven in the next.2 Performer of one hundred ceremonial sacrifices was supposed to rise to Indrahood and command all the pleasures of heaven. Not only the legendary kings but historical ones too performed ceremonial sacrifices and rose to prominence.
Society was divided into four castes in order of importance viz. Brāhmaṇa, Kșatriya, Vaiśya and Sūdra. They had their respective duties and occupations. Reading the Vedas, performing sacrifices and giving gifts to the Brāhmanas were the sacred duties of the first three castes, Their respective occupations were to teach, to protect the subjects and to earn money by trade and agriculture. Upon the Sūdras was enjoined to serve the other three castes. 8 Initially the caste-system might have emerged from a necessity of division of labour. But subsequently it grew rigid and birth became its foremost criterion. Inter-marriages being generally disfavoured, the accidental mixed castes were separately grouped and placed lower; the Untouchables-Candālas and Sopākas were lowest down in the hierarchy. The latter were not allowed to enter at will the habitations of the higher castes. They were forced to live in suburbs and cemeteries and also move about like nomads. Their duties were to dispose of unclaimed dead bodies and behead the criminals sentenced to death. Clothes of the dead were their attire and asses and dogs their only possession. 4
1. A FERITA afri 2. Fauf TAISTA À Na nota 3. Fa fa I, 88-91. 4. Hrafer X, 51-56.