The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c9.s12.8

c9.s12.8

According to Albert Schweitzer in *Die Weltanschauung der indischen Denker* or “The World-View of Indian Thinkers” (Munich 1935) morality is alleged to be entirely lacking in the *Samhitās*, *Brāhmaṇas* and *Upaniṣads*. This position is contested by M. Winternitz⁴⁵ who refers to the concept of the *ṛta* (“order”) in the *Rig Veda*. The duty of the rich towards the poor is most emphatically insisted upon, says he, in the *Rig Veda* (X, 117). There the man who does not give from his wealth to the poor is described as “eating alone” and “he alone” is known to be “guilty”. Incidentally, it is worth while to observe that Hindu positivism is admitted by Winternitz in the statement that Brāhmaṇism has never given its whole-hearted consent to the ascetic ideal of world-contempt and of renouncing all worldly desires and actions.