The Rashtrakutas and their Times c21.48

c21.48

Trade, agriculture, banking, fighting etc., were permitted to Brahmanas only in times of difficulties by earlier writers on the Dharmaśāstra. As time began to roll on, these became quite normal avocations for the first caste. We therefore find the Smritis of our period boldly withdrawing the ban on these professions and permitting them to the Brahmanas. Banking (*kusīda*) has been praised as an ideal profession for the Brahmanas by Brihaspati⁽³¹⁾ and the same writer along with Hārita, Parāśara and the author of Kūrma-purāṇa boldly differs from Manu in declaring that agriculture could be followed as a normal profession by the Brahmanas.⁽³²⁾ Apastamba Smriti⁽³³⁾ also declares that agriculture, cattle breeding etc., were necessary and normal avocations for the Brahmanas and not their *Apaddharmas*.