The Antiquities of Orissa v1.c11.22

v1.c11.22

“A Brāhman versed in the four Vedas, who does not find Vāsudeva, is a donkey of a Brāhman, trembling for the heavy burden of the Veda. Therefore, unless a man be a Vaiṣṇava, his Brāhmanhood will be lost; by being a Vaiṣṇava one obtains perfection, there is no doubt. For Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu) the highest Brahma, is the deity of the Brāhmans; Soma, Sūrya, and the rest are the gods of Kṣatriyas and Vaiśyas; while Rudra and similar gods ought to be sedulously worshipped by the Śūdra. Where the worship of Rudra is enjoined in the Purāṇas and law-books, it has no reference to Brāhmans as Prajāpati declared. The worship of Rudra and the Tripuṇḍra (the three horizontal marks across the forehead) are celebrated in the Purāṇas, but only for the castes of Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras, and not for others. Therefore, ye excellent *munis*, the Tripuṇḍra must not be worn by Brāhmans”.⁸ The *Bhāgavata Purāṇa* follows this very closely and says: “Those who profess the cults of Bhava (Śiva) and those who follow his doctrines, are heretics and enemies of the sacred Śāstras”.⁹ Similar passages may be quoted from the other Purāṇas. The strong feeling of attachment which they evince towards the worship of Viṣṇu, is of course due to uncompromising sectarian zeal; but the question suggests itself, does the statement that the worship of Rudra as inculcated in the Purāṇas is designed for the Śūdras, owe its origin to that cause solely, or to anything more historical?