DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31218#0049
THE STORY OF VISVAMITRA AND VASISTHA
his attempt to usurp it from a Kshatriya king caused
resentment.
(iii) That outcasting in early days was not, as at pre-
sent, a mere ‘ casting out but involved consorting with
a caste of lower degree.
(iv) That low castes, then as now, were segregated
from other castes and lived in hamlets of their own.
(v) We learn, incidentally, that Visvaratha was grand-
son of Kusika, brother-in-law of Bhargava, and uncle of
Jamadagni. All were Kshatriyas : and yet they are best
known as Brahman rishis, and founders of Brahmanical
gotras. Brahmanical writers allege that ten of their
gotras were actually founded by Kshatriyas who ‘ be-
came ’ Brahmans. That theory would fit the facts so far
as Visvaratha himself is concerned : he would be the
founder of the Visvamitra potra. But there is nothingf to
show that Kusika, Bhargava and Jamadagni also ‘ be-
came ’ Brahmans : and the fact that these Kshatriya
princes have given their names to Brahman gotras sup-
ports another theory—that the Brahmans occasionally
named their gotras after their royal Kshatriya masters.
(vi) Lastly, the whole tradition confirms the conclu-
sion that can be drawn from the Buddhist records—that
in early times the Kshatriya was at the head of societv,
and that the Brahman was simply his priest.
35
his attempt to usurp it from a Kshatriya king caused
resentment.
(iii) That outcasting in early days was not, as at pre-
sent, a mere ‘ casting out but involved consorting with
a caste of lower degree.
(iv) That low castes, then as now, were segregated
from other castes and lived in hamlets of their own.
(v) We learn, incidentally, that Visvaratha was grand-
son of Kusika, brother-in-law of Bhargava, and uncle of
Jamadagni. All were Kshatriyas : and yet they are best
known as Brahman rishis, and founders of Brahmanical
gotras. Brahmanical writers allege that ten of their
gotras were actually founded by Kshatriyas who ‘ be-
came ’ Brahmans. That theory would fit the facts so far
as Visvaratha himself is concerned : he would be the
founder of the Visvamitra potra. But there is nothingf to
show that Kusika, Bhargava and Jamadagni also ‘ be-
came ’ Brahmans : and the fact that these Kshatriya
princes have given their names to Brahman gotras sup-
ports another theory—that the Brahmans occasionally
named their gotras after their royal Kshatriya masters.
(vi) Lastly, the whole tradition confirms the conclu-
sion that can be drawn from the Buddhist records—that
in early times the Kshatriya was at the head of societv,
and that the Brahman was simply his priest.
35