Division of Varṇa (a): The Brāhmaṇas

The Brāhmaṇas occupied the highest position in the ancient Indian society.^[1] It is mentioned in this purāṇa that the sinners who cross through all the hells, are born as inferior species like brute creation, worms, insects and birds etc. and all other animal creations. At the time of his birth as human he becomes a dwarf or hunch-back, caṇḍālas etc. according to his sin and merit. Then enters the castes in ascending order such as Śūdras, Vaiśyas, kings and so on. Sometimes, he ascends further up to become a brāhmaṇa or Indra of the Gods. In this way the performers of evil deeds descends downwards in to hell.^[2] Here it is clear that the Brāhmaṇas enjoy in the highest position among another four varṇas.

In the Bhāgavatapurāṇa it is mentioned that the Brāhmaṇas should possess the control of senses, purity of mind, forbearance, contentment, the practice of austerities, kindness, straightforwardness, devotion to Lord Viṣṇu and truthfulness.^[3] The Gītā also explains about the purity, penance and faith in God or Brāhmaṇa.^[4] According to Padmapurāṇa, a brāhmaṇa should have patience, control of the senses, honesty, universal sympathy, wisdom and knowledge of Ātman.^[5] The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa advocates truthfulness as the most important character for the Brāhmaṇas.^[6] Maintenance of truthfulness is better than doing sacrifices accompanied with presents. There is no such great virtue for the Brāhmanas like the observance of truth.^[7] Desire for doing good to others, absence of exertion, absence of jealousy, self restraint, charity and mercy are the characteristics of a Brāhmaṇa.^[8]

The people of each Varṇa have some distinguished duties to be performed. The Dharmaśāstras^[9] advocate the special duties of the Brahmaṇa to be the teaching of the Vedas, offering sacrifices and receiving gifts. The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa prescribes for the Brahmaṇas the threefold duty, viz. being liberal, to study and to perform sacrifice.^[10] In this context the qualities of a brāhmaṇa who is to be invited to a śrāddha dinner, are also mentioned in this Purāṇa.

These qualities are—

1. jyeṣṭha-sāmaga,
2. trisuparṇa,
3. triṇāciketaḥ [triṇāciketa],
4. trimadhu and
5. ṣaḍaṅgavit etc.^[11]

It is also seen that most of the Brāhmaṇas like Gautama, Kauśika, Bhṛgu, Bhāradvāja are engaged in studying Vedas and Vedaṅgas in their family and specialised themselves in a particular topic of the Vedas and auxiliary sciences.^[12] A Brāhmaṇa who had mastered the thirteen sections of the Atharvaveda and had just studied the eight parts of the Āyurveda was called Brahmamitra.^[13] The same duties like the receiving gifts from a worthy person, study of the Vedas, performing and guiding the sacrifice are the specific duties of the Brāhmanas according to the some other Purāṇas also.^[14]

From the Vedic period, the Brāhmanas have been occupying a unique and superior position in the society. In the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa king Hariścandra advised the queen that she should not look down upon a Brahmin and should be ready to work like a slave for him and please him with her utmost efforts as if he were her Lord and God.^[15] This advise establishes the high status of the Brāhmaṇas. Again in the context of describing the duty of a householder it is stated that it is a virtuous custom of a householder that he should yield the path to Brāhmanas.^[16] These are mentioned in some Dharmaśāstras and other books also.^[17] Regarding the performance of nityakarma and āśauca relating to birth and death, there is some relaxation in case of the Brāhmaṇas. Accordingly, in the aśauca relating to death, a Brāhmana can retrain from his nitya rites like giving alms, homa sacrifice and other pious acts for ten days, while a Kṣatriya, a Vaiśya, a Śudra for twelve days, fifteen days and for an month respectively.^[18] There are some other rules relating to birth where one day of impurity for Brāhmaṇas, three days for Kṣṭriyas, seven days for Vaiśyas and nine days for Śudras.^[19] It is also told that one should not revile or ridicule the Brāhmaṇas.^[20]

In the context of the question of king Vipaścit to Yama’s officer about the nature and results of good and evil deed the punishment of various special sins are described in the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa. It has been stated that those who feed a Brāhmaṇa or a person of other easte in one company disagreeably on the earth, he has the same plight as he has done to others.^[21] The result of the wicked immoral behaviour to the Brāhmaṇas has been mentioned in the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa. It is stated by Viśvāmitra to Hariścandra that a promise unfulfilled, especially to Brāhmaṇas was proved injurious.^[22] The different punishment to the different sins in hell is also described in this context. And those men who don’t wash their hands and mouth after meals and touch cattle, Brāhmanas and the fire, their hands are placed in fire-pots and licked repeatedly.^[23] And some men who have listened to contemptuous uttering against the dvijas, the servants of Yama continually drive iron wedges, red as fire into their ears.^[24] Again, who have broken up and destroyed the abodes of Brāhmaṇas, the cruel servants of Yama continually flay the skin of those men from their body by means of sharp instruments.^[25] Again, those men who touch a Brāhmaṇa with their feet, they stand mid piles of charcoal with their feet bound with red hot iron fetters, enduring burning up to the knees.^[26] Brahmahatyā i.e. killing a Brāhmaṇa has been pronounced as the greatest sin from the ancient time.^[27] In this Purāṇa it is stated that due to Brahmahatyā one has to go to the Rauraua [Raurava?] hell.^[28] Because of killing Tvaṣṭr’s son^[29] Indra lost his lustre.^[30] And also when Baladeva killed a Sūta during his intoxication this is also considered as a sin like brahmahatyā and to expiate this sin he decided to observe a vow for twelve years visiting the tīrthas.^[31] Striving after delights was not at all commended in case of the Brāhmaṇas. It tends to weariness in this world and yields no fruit after death.^[32]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

P.Thomas, Hindu Religion, Customs and Manners, p.11

[2]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 10.88-92

[3]:

śamo damostapaḥśaucaṃ santoṣaḥ kṣāntirārjjavaṃ /
jñānaṃ dayācyutātmatvaṃ satyañca brahmalakṣaṇam // Bhāgavatapurāṇ a, 7.11.21

[4]:

Śrīmadbhagavadgītā, 18.42

[5]:

kṣamā dayā ca vijñānaṃ satyaṃ caiva damaḥśamaḥ /
adhyātma-nityatā jñānam etad brāhmaṇalakṣaṇam // Padmapurāṇa, 1.54.25, Bhāgavatapurāṇa, 7.11.21

[6]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 3.47

[7]:

Ibid., 3.48

[8]:

M.N.Dutta, The Dharma Sastra,Vol.II, p.290

[9]:

cf., Gautamadharmasūtra, 10.1-3, 7, 50; Manusmṛti, 1.88-90; Yājñavalkyasmṛti, 1.118-119.

[10]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 25.3-6; 47.74-76

[11]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 28.23-25

[12]:

Ibid., 6.24-25

[13]:

brahmitro’ṣṭadhā bhinnamāyurvedamadhītavān /
trayodhikāraṃ ca pragṛhyātharvaṇo dvijaḥ // Ibid., 60.39

[14]:

yajanaṃ yājanaṃ dānaṃ brāhmaṇasya pratigraham /
adhyāpanaṃ cādhyayanaṃ yat karmāṇi dvijottamāḥ // Kūrmapurāṇa, 2.36; Viṣṇupurāṇa, 3.8.22-23; Vāmanapurāṇa, 524.44-47; Agnipurāṇa, 151.7

[15]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 8.236

[16]:

Ibid., 31.40-42; cf., Bhāgavatapurāṇa,113.39

[17]:

cf., Gautamadharmasūtra, 6.21-22; Manusmṛti,2.138-139; Yājñavalkyasmṛti, 1.117; Mahābhārata, Vanaparva,133.1; Anuśāsanaparva 104.25-26

[18]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 32.40-41

[19]:

Ibid., 32.42

[20]:

Ibid., 31.85-86

[21]:

Ibid., 14.55

[22]:

viśeṣato brāhmaṇānāṃ hantyadattaṃ pratiśrutam // Ibid.,7.38 b

[23]:

Ibid., 14.57 a-58 b

[24]:

Ibid., 14.64

[25]:

Ibid., 14.66-67

[26]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 14.68-69

[27]:

Ibid., 8.261

[28]:

Taittirīyasaṃhitā, 2.5.1.1

[29]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 5.1

[30]:

Ibid., 10.81

[31]:

Ibid., 6.36

[32]:

na bhogārthāya viprāṇāṃ śasyate hi varūthinī /
iha kleśāya viprāṇāṃ ceṣṭā pretya phalaprad ā // Ibid., 58.70