Part 5.2 - Degraded condition of brāhmaṇa

[Full title: Humour and Satire in the Pādatāḍitaka (2) Degraded condition of brāhmaṇa]

The events of the Pādatāḍitaka centre round the attempt at satirising the degraded position of orthodox brāhmaṇas who are not capable enough of suggesting expiation for a śūdra being kicked by a courtesan during copulation. The assembly of brāhmaṇas declares that they went through the sacred law books of Manu, Yama, Vasiṣṭha, Gautama, Bharadvāja, Śaṃkha, Likhita, Āpastamba, Hārīta, Pracetā, Devala, Vṛddhagārgya but did never come across any rules of expiation for a sin like this.^[1] The learned brāhmaṇas to whom Viṣṇunāga appeals for the expiation, look up all the smṛtis and fail to trace a case to help him. At last, one of them, with a sense of humour suggests that he might seek the great community of Viṭas who are experts in courtesan-lore and seek the expiation.^[2] By this incident, the author wants to reflect that the brāhmans were only experts in giving solutions as prescribed in the scriptures but they could not provide expiation for a pragmatic deed.