Caste and Race in India c7.134

c7.134

We have seen that in the Vedic age Kshatriyas sometimes discharged the priestly functions and preached the higher philosophy. Viśvāmitra is one of those Kshatriyas who, according to later tradition, officiated as a priest. In the Rigveda, he and Vasishtha, the Brahmin, are said to have been the priests of King Sudās at different times.² In the Epic literature, Vasistha, the Brahmin, and Viśvāmitra, the Kshatriya, figure as opponents in many a story.¹ The principal cause of quarrel between them appears to be the desire of Viśvāmitra to reckon himself a Brahmin. On the one hand, wonderful powers of enabling his royal patrons to lead their sacrifices to a successful finish, are credited to Viśvāmitra and on the other great valour and military skill are attributed to him. Vasistha is described as a perfectly peaceful and learned Brahmin, able to complete the most difficult sacrifices as well as to meet the most deadly weapons of Viśvāmitra in the characteristic way of the Brahmins, viz. with the help of Brahmanic lustre. Reading these stories one cannot fail to get the idea that in the quarrel of these two individuals is epitomized the history of the rivalry between the first two castes. Though, in the end, Viśvāmitra won Brahminhood, yet Vasistha is represented as having defeated him on every count, not excepting even his martial skill. It seems to us that these stories were designed to teach a lesson to the Kshatriya that his physical prowess was futile before the spiritual force of the Brahmin. Viśvāmitra is made to remark, "Fie on the Kshatriya's strength. By the single brahmanic mace all my weapons are destroyed."² While the Brahmins of the Vedic age were content with making pious declarations that they were above the power of the king, and addressing fervent exhortation that the Kshatriyas should work in unison with the Brahmins, those of the later age were emboldened enough to draw a concrete picture of the utter futility of the Kshatriya's weapons against the spiritual prowess of the Brahmin. Though Viśvāmitra becomes a Brahmin in the end, the Kshatriya is crestfallen. His right to act as priest is very hard won. Viśvāmitra is allowed to become a Brahmin on the one condition that he renounces once for all his ways of the Kshatriyas, and through and through resorts to the methods of the Brahmins. No doubt he entered the Brahmin fold, but he could not open up the closed door to his erstwhile associates.