[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India)](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930) › v2.c19.52 # History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c19.52 History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c19.52 - **Language:** English ### [v2.c19.52](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v2.c19.52) ⁸⁹ स होवाचाजातशत्रुः प्रतिलोमं चैतद्यद् ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियमुपेयाद् ब्रह्म मे वक्ष्यतीति। बृह. उ. II. 1.15; तं होवाचाजातशत्रुः प्रतिलोमरूपमेव स्याद्यत्क्षत्रियो ब्राह्मणमुपनयीत। कौषीतकिब्रा. उ. IV. 18. In the Tai. S. IV. 5. 11. 9 we read यद् ब्राह्मणश्चाब्राह्मणश्च प्रश्नमेयातां ब्राह्मणायाधिब्रूयाद्यद् ब्राह्मणायाध्याहात्मनेभ्याह यद् ब्राह्मणं पराहात्मानं पराह तस्माद् ब्राह्मणो न परोच्यः।. This literally means 'if a brāhmaṇa and a non-brāhmaṇa come (to a man) asking him a question, then he should speak to the brāhmaṇa first; that he speaks to the brāhmaṇa first is really tantamount to speaking first to one-self; when he speaks away from the brāhmaṇa (i. e. he speaks to the non-brāhmaṇa first and then to the brāhmaṇa) that is really speaking away to oneself; therefore a brāhmaṇa should not be spoken away (i. e postponed to non-brāhmaṇas).' Manu VIII. 24 says that a king should take up the causes of litigants in the order of the varṇas (i. e. if there are two plaintiffs coming with complaints at the same time the brāhmaṇa's complaint should be first attended to). Bṛhaspati says the same thing. Therefore the Tai. S. should be interpreted in the same way. Another meaning is possible viz. if a brāhmaṇa and a non-brāhmaṇa come to a person and ask him who is superior, the person should declare that the brāhmaṇa is the superior of the two (on account of his birth as brāhmaṇa probably or of his being a learned man). This sense of 'adhi' as meaning 'superior' is found in Manu I. 99 'since brāhmaṇa when born becomes (or is born) superior (to all) on this wide earth.' Prof. Keith in his translation of Tai. S. (Harvard Oriental Series, vol. 18 p. 203) says in a footnote "it is not absolutely certain that \*adhibrū\* means 'decide in favour of' rather than 'speak in favour of." Vide also Vedic Index (II. p. 83). Dr. Ghurye (in 'Caste and race in India' p. 43) says 'in a legal dispute between a brāhmaṇa or non-brāhmaṇa an arbitrator or witness must speak in favour of the former.' It appears that Dr. Ghurye simply follows the rather guardedly expressed view of the famous Professor, but makes the sense more emphatic than Prof. Keith puts it and does not think for himself whether any other meaning is possible or more appropriate. Any stick is good for beating the brāhmaṇa with. The brāhmaṇas were never ashamed in the smṛti texts of declaring the privileges they \*(Continued from last page)\* claimed. But they never claimed to be treated in a court of law as above truth and justice. If they had taken the Tai. S. passage in the sense in which Dr. Ghurye takes it they would never have scrupled to say so in smṛti works and would have quoted the Tai. S. in support. Hence the meaning is different. There is no question here of an arbitration or judicial decision. In Ṛg. I. 100. 19 there is a similar expression 'May Indra speak in our favour on all days' (विश्वाहेन्द्रो अधिवक्ता नो अस्तु). Vide Ṛg. X. 63. 11 and Vāj. S. 16. 5 for the verb 'vac' with 'adhi' in the sense of 'speak in favour of' or 'bless.' - [Previous: v2.c19.51](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v2.c19.51) - [Next: v2.c19.53](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v2.c19.53) - [Up: v2.c19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v2.c19) ## Linked texts (6) - [Mānava Dharmaśāstra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu.8.24) — Manu & Bhṛgu, Sanskrit - [Taittirīyasaṃhitā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.samhita.krsnayajur*taittiriya.4.5.11) — Sanskrit - [Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇopaniṣad](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.upanisad.mukhya.kausitaki.4.18) — Sanskrit - [Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.upanisad.mukhya.brhadaranyaka.2.1.15) — Sanskrit - [Vājasaneyisaṃhitā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.samhita.suklayajur*vajasaneyi.16.5) — Sanskrit - [Ṛgvedasaṃhitā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.samhita.rg.1.100.19) — Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v2.c19.52](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v2.c19.52) · Pramāṇa