The History of Indian Literature c8.76.2

c8.76.2

This implacable hatred owes its origin to the trifling circumstance of Vaśishṭha having once been appointed chief sacrificial priest instead of Viśvámitra by one of the petty kings of these early times.—The influence of these royal priests does not, however, at this early period, extend beyond the sacrifice; there are no castes as yet; the people is still one united whole, and bears but one name, that of *viśas*, settlers. The prince, who was probably elected, is called Viśpati, a title still preserved in Lithuanian. The free position held by women at this time is remarkable. We find songs of the most exquisite kind attributed to poetesses and queens, among whom the daughter of Atri appears in the foremost rank. As regards love, its tender, ideal element is not very conspicuous; it rather bears throughout the stamp of an undisguised natural sensuality. Marriage is, however, held sacred; husband and wife are both rulers of the house (*dampatí*), and approach the gods in united prayer. The religious sense expresses itself in the recognition of man’s dependence on natural phenomena, and the beings supposed to rule over them; but it is at the same time claimed that these latter are, in their turn, dependent upon human aid, and thus a sort of equilibrium is established. The religious notion of sin is consequently wanting altogether, and submissive gratitude to the gods is as yet quite foreign²⁶ to the Indian.