The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c17.11

c17.11

Viewed in this light, the nexus of karma and caste does not look very promising as a way to ultimate salvation, and it is certainly wide off the mark to speak of a *Kastensoteriologie*. Incidentally, we can now well understand that insofar as the mundane sphere offers a way to salvation, it is not primarily attached to caste and hierarchy but, as we saw, to the dutiful performance of the householder’s rites and duties enjoined by the Veda. This does not solve the essential problem either, but only moves it on to another field, namely, that of the relationship of the Veda to the mundane sphere.²⁰ This problem need not concern us here. At this point, it may be sufficient to note that insofar as a nexus between caste and karma is acknowledged, it can hardly lead to salvation. When caste is brought into play, it is not so much the loyal adherence to one’s caste duties but the renunciation of the “fruit” of one’s dutiful activity that neutralizes the inexorable law of karma and holds out the promise of salvation—an inner-worldly renunciation through totally disinterested action, which then threatens the world with complete meaninglessness and so again leads to an unsoluble dilemma.