A History of Hindu Political Theories from the Earliest Times to the End of the First Quarter of the Seventeenth Century A.D. c7.73

c7.73

In laying down the doctrine just stated that the Brāhmaṇa and the Kṣatriya exercise a joint authority over the people, the Brahmanical canonists are necessarily led to consider the mutual relations of these powers. Whatever might have been the case in the earlier period, the functions of the Brāhmaṇas and the Kṣatriyas are sharply demarcated in the Brāhmaṇas. According to a passage of the Śat. Br., the nobility takes no delight in the priestly office and spiritual lustre (Brahma) takes no delight in noble rank.∗ As regards the relative superiority of these classes, the dogma of the origin of society involves, as we have seen, the Brāhmaṇa's precedence over all the other classes by virtue of the will of the Creator. We have further seen that the ground of this superiority tended to be shifted from dogma to reason in the Brāhmaṇas. We may quote here some extracts bearing specifically upon the mutual relations of the Brāhmaṇas and the Kṣatriyas. The Ait. Br. in the course of its exposition of the Rājasūya observes, "The Brahma certainly precedes the Kṣatra. For the king should think, when the Brahma is at the head, then my royal power would become strong and not to be shaken."[^\dagger] Similarly the Sat. Br., in the course of its explanation of the Rājasūya rite of handing on the sacrificial sword, observes that the king who is weaker than a Brāhmaṇa is stronger than his enemies.\ddag It follows from these passages that the Brāhmaṇa's precedence is necessary in the king's own interest, namely, the security of his power against his enemies.