Indische Palaographie von circa 350 a. Chr. – circa 1300 p. Chr. c48.s2.20.3

c48.s2.20.3

above all, to exceed a conventional maximum number of pillars to the marriage-booth. Castes whose technical skill and circumstances have raised them far above the class from which they sprang have often shown the tendency, as stated in an earlier section, to embrace a new scheme of reform which combines religious doctrine with the weakening of the barriers which prevent their equivalent rise in social position, and in this case the democratic teachings of Jainism and Buddhism had the further backing of the propaganda of Basava in the north Karnatic, with the result that most of the Pañcāla became Liṅgāyat and, therefore, anti-Brāhmanist. None of the Five grouped-sections employs Brāhmans or acknowledges the authority of that order, and all ceremonies are performed by priests of their own body. For some time past the Pāñckalsī have claimed descent from Viśvakarman, the Hephaestos of the Brāhmanic pantheon, and call themselves Viśva Brāhmans, assuming all the attributes of the sacerdotal order. In this respect the Southerners do not stand alone, since a similar claim is put forward by various artisan castes in other parts of India, especially by the goldsmiths. It is needless to say that whatever title or practice may obtain currency within the community, its sanction by the outside world has to be secured through the Brāhman, who naturally will have none of it. Authorities differ as to the homogeneity of the Pāñckalsī.