Chapter 58 - King Prithu ordains professions for the half-castes

Summary: King Prithu ordains professions for the half-castes and interdicts further inter-marriages.

Prithu was duly installed as king, and he began to rule with great zeal and ability, conferring all sorts of comforts and benefits on his subjects. Yet he did not feel happy, and, not being able to find out the cause of his disquietude, he summoned the learned Brahmanas before him and asked them why he was unhappy. They told him that the promiscuous marriages among the castes introduced by his father, and which were still going on, were preying on his mind, and that the earth also was groaning under the weight of these sinful connections, and had lost its fertility.

Prithu said,

“Tell me, O Brahmanas, what course should be pursued by me now. I cannot find it in my heart to exterminate these poor half-caste wretches, and yet their existence is a standing threat against the innocent pure castes who are suffering from want of food and comfort.”

The Brahmanas advised him to stop further intermarriages of this sort and to divide those that already existed into distinct castes, and to-allot work to each caste, punishing such as would not obey his orders.

Prithu approved of the advice and issued an, order drecting all the half-castes to appear before him.

When they were all collected together Prithu addressed them and said,

“O ye half-castes, tell me why you are so deformed and haggard looking, and why you are dressed in tattered clothes.”

The half-castes said,

“Prithu we are all very strong and handsome. Our faces are bright and our bodies muscular. We are also very well dressed. It seems that you have lost your sight, and cannot, therefore, properly discern us. Know that we have all been bred and nourished by Vena and should, therefore,, be respected by you like that king himself. Even Brahma, Vishnu and the other gods are in no way superior to us.”

The Brahmanas present in the assembly laughed at this bragging, but the king; was highly enraged and had the offenders, who were cowards at heart, bound hand and foot. Thereupon they began to cry aloud for mercy, and promised that they would thenceforward obey him. in every way.

Prithu thereupon requested the Brahmanas to divide the people into castes and ordain professions for them; and this was accordingly done, and promiscuous marriages interdicted.