Caste and Race in India c7.133

c7.133

This philosophy of caste takes the sting off the institution and thus skilfully stereotypes it. During the later ages, therefore, this theory of caste has been rightly harped upon. The difference between the Sūtra theory of caste, detailed above, and this theory is significant. The Brahmin authors of the Sūtras promised salvation to the Śūdra only through the intermediacy of births in higher castes. In plain words it was tantamount to asking him to wait till doomsday. The mark of inferiority was permanently impressed on him, and his low status was declared by implication to render it impossible for him to work out his salvation in his own person. The concession granted testifies only to the liberalism of the writers on Dharma. The Gītā, on the other hand, disarms opposition on more counts than one. First, it tries to provide a rationale for the original division into four varnas. Secondly, it unequivocally asserts the virtual equality of these divisions as far as the value of their distinct work and their inherent capacity for working out individual salvation are concerned.