Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c17.19

c17.19

¹ *Cf.* *Mbh.*, xii, 78, 2, which permits a Brahmin in distress to take to agriculture and tending cattle like a Vaiśya, if unable to perform the duties of a Kshatriya, and also to trade (4–6), but not in certain prohibited articles. In xii, 76, a Brahmin is described as degraded by the pursuit of the following occupations, viz. accepting office in law-courts for summoning people (the office meant for a Śūdra), performing worship for others for money, officiating in sacrifices for a village, making sea-voyages, foretelling from the stars, acting as Ṛitvijas, Purohitas, counsellors, envoys, and messengers, or engaging in the army as a horseman, or a fighter on elephant or chariot, or as a foot-soldier. In another passage, there is the interesting injunction that the Brahmins should take up arms to protect the people when they are left unprotected. Even a Śūdra who affords such protection to helpless people deserves to be adored by all [xii, 78, 29–40]. It is thus quite apparent that the division of occupations or the distribution of careers in life was not at all rigid and immutable like that of castes. We should note in this connection the remarkable passage [xii, 85, 7–11] which lays down that the king's Ministry should be constituted by four Brahmins, eight Kshatriyas, twenty-one Vaiśyas, three Śūdras, and one Sūta, and all of fifty years of age. Thus the highest post in the administration was thrown open to all the castes, and the Śūdra did not labour under any disqualification. We may also recall the passage of Manu [ii, 241; *Āp.*, ii, 4, 25; *Gaut.*, vii, 1–3; *Baudh.*, i, 3, 41–3], which permits a Brahmin student, "in times of distress," to "learn the Veda" from a non-Brahmin teacher whom he must duly respect—"walk behind and serve"—"as long as the instruction lasts".