Public Administration in Ancient India c5.7

c5.7

² Even the Mahābhārata, the great book of orthodox Brahmanism, admits, “There is no real distinction between the different orders. The whole world at first consisted of Brāhmanas. Created (equal) by Brahman, men have in consequence of their acts become distributed into several classes.” Sānti Parva, Sec. 188, sl. 10. The description given in the Rig-Veda of the rise of the four castes from the mouth, the arms, the thighs, and the feet respectively of Brahman, is merely figurative, but in later times the Brāhmanas used this passage to prove their superiority to the other classes.