Vol. 4 · pages 171–175

160 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES based on the scriptures and the scriptures have authority and sanctity which cannot be repudiated. All that he insists on is that his Vedanta doctrine is also true because it has also the support of the scriptures. This is not all. What Badarayana does is to use the term Vedanta to cover these senses. He uses it so as to emphasize that the Upanishads do form a part of the Vedic literature. He used it also to emphasize what Vedanta or the Dnyanakanda of the Upanishads is not opposed to the Karmakanda of the Vedas that the two are complimentary. Indeed this is the foundation on which Badarayana has raised the whole structure of his Vedanta Sutras. This thesis of Badarayana—which underlies his Vedanta Sutras and according to which the Upanishads are a part of the Veda and there is no antagonism between the Vedas and Upanishads—is quite contrary to the tenor of the Upanishads and their relation to the Vedas. Badarayana’s attitude is not easy to understand. But it is quite obvious that Badarayana’s is a queer and a pathetic case of an opponent who begins his battle by admitting the validity of the premises of his adversary.? Why did Badarayana concede to Jaimini on the question of infallibility of the Vedas which were opposed to the Upanishads ? Why did he not stand for truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. This is a riddle that requires explanation. zz

APPENDIX III THE RIDDLE OF THE TRIMURTI To say that Hindu Religion is made up of sects is no less true than to say that Hindu Society is made up of castes. But not half the attention paid to the study of castes has been paid to the study of sects. This is as unfortunate as it is strange. Sects have played as great a part in India’s history as castes have done. Indeed some sects just as some castes have made the history of India what it is. The sects which make up the Hindu Religion are of course legion. It is impossible to explore the origin of all and compare and contrast their cults within the compass of a chapter. All that can be done is to take the most important ones and to present some of problems connected with them. The most important of these sects in the history of India have been three, one believing in the cult of God Brahma, second believing in the cult of Vishnu and the third believing in the cult of Shiva or Mahesha. The following are some of the questions, which cannot but puzzle the student who has studied the origin and history of these cults. The Chula-Niddessa a Buddhist treatize refers to various sects which were at one time prevalent in India. Classified on the basis of creeds and cults they may be listed as follows: I CREEDS Serial No. Name of the Sect Essence of the creed 1 Ajivika Shravaka 1 .. Ajivika 2 2 Nigatta Shravakas .. Nigautha 3 This Riddle may be read along with the Riddle No. 11 which deals with The Rise and Fall of Gods. This title ‘The Riddle of the Trimurti’ however does not find place in the original Table of Contents, nor was it available in the MS received by the Govt. This copy has been spared by Shri S. S. Rege—Ed. 1 Shravaka means a disciple. 2 Mendicants following special rules with regard to livelihood. 3 Mendicants who are free from all ties and hindrances.

162 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES I CREEDS— contd. Serial No. Name of the Sect Essence of the creed 3 Jatil Shravakas .. Jatila 1 4 Parivrajaka Shravakas .. Parivrajaka 2 5 Avarudha Shravakas .. Avarudhaka II CULTS Serial No. Name of the Sect The deity which is worshipped 1 Hasti Vratikas 3 .. Hasti 4 2 Ashva Vratikas .. Ashva 5 3 Go Vratikas .. Go 6 4 Kukur Vratikas .. Kukku 7 5 Kaka Vratikas .. Kaka 8 6 Vasudeo Vratikas .. Vasudeo 7 Baldeo Vratikas .. Baldeo 8 Purna Bhadra Vratikas .. Purna Bhadra 9 Mani Bhadra Vratikas .. Mani Bhadra 10 Agni Vratikas .. Agni 11 Naga Vratikas .. Naga 12 Suparna Vratikas .. Suparna 13 Yaksha Vratikas .. Yaksha 14 Asura Vratikas .. Asura 15 Gandharva Vratikas .. Gandharva 16 Maharaja Vratikas .. Maharaja 17 Chandra Vratikas .. Chandra 18 Surya Vratikas .. Surya 19 Indra Vratikas .. Indra 20 Brahma Vratikas .. Brahma 21 Deva Vratikas .. Deva 22 Deesha Vratikas .. Deesha 1 Mendicants who twist their hair on the head. 2 Mendicants who escape from society. 3 Vratika means a devotee. 4 Elephant. 5 Horse. 6 Cow. 7 Dog. 8 Crow.

163 APPENDIX III Comparing the cults of the three Gods with the cults of the various Gods mentioned in the list, two conclusions are obvious. One conclusion is that the cults of Vishnu and Mahesha are new fabrications, later in origin than those mentioned in the Chula Niddessa. The second conclusion is that all the old cults have disappeared. Searching for the causes of this strange phenomenon it is quite clear that New Cults could not have come into being unless the Brahmins had taken up the cause of propagating these new cults. Similarly old cults could not have disappeared if the Brahmins had not ceased to propagate them. The question that puzzles the student of history is why did the Brahmins fabricate these new cults? Why did they give up the old cults ? The question not only puzzles but staggers the student when the God that has vanished in this revolution is no other than Indra. Indra is a Vedic God. He is the greatest of the Vedic Gods. The Brahmins worshipped Indra and praised him as the supreme God for hundreds if not thousands of years. What made the Brahmins give up Indra and become the devotees of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh? Were the reasons for transfer of loyalties by the Brahmins spiritual or commercial? Who is this Shiva whom the Brahmins adopted as their God in preference to Indra? The story of Daksha Prajapati’s Yajna and the part played by Shiva throws great light on Shiva. The story is that somewhere in the Himalayas king Daksha was performing an Yajna. This Yajna was attended by all Devas, Danavas, Pishachas, Nagas, Rakshasas and Rishis. But Shiva absented as Daksha did not give him invitations. Dadhichi one of the Rishis scolded Daksha for his failure to invite Shiva and to perform his puja. Daksha refused to call Shiva and said “ I have seen many of your Rudras. Go away, I don’t recognize your Shiva.” Dadhichi replied “You have all conspired against Shiva, take care, your Yajna will never reach a successful finis.” Mahadeo coming to know of this created a Rakshasas from his mouth and this Rakshasas destroyed the Yajna started by Daksha. This shows that there was a time when Brahmins refused to recognize Shiva as the God to be worshipped or it shows that Shiva was against the Yajna system of the Brahmanas. The difference between the Aryans and the Non-Aryans was cultural and not racial. The cultural difference centred round two points. The Aryans believed in Chaturvarna. The Non-Aryans were opposed to it. The Aryans believed in the performance of Yajna as the essence of their religion. The Non-Aryans were opposed Yajna. Examining the story of Daksha’s Yajna in the light of these facts it is quite obvious that Shiva was a Non-Vedic and a Non-Aryan God. The question is

164 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES why did the Brahmins, the pillars of Vedic culture, adopt Shiva as their God? The third question that puzzles the student is the reformation and transformation which the Brahmins have made in the original format of Shiva and Vishnu. The Hindus are not aware that Shiva is a non-Vedic, non-Aryan God. They identify him with God Rudra mentioned in the Vedas. So that to the Hindus Rudra is the same as Shiva. Now in the Taiteriya Samhita of the Yajur-Veda there is a hymn in praise of Rudra. In this hymn Rudra i.e. Shiva is described as the lord of thieves, robbers, dacoits, as the King of the degraded, of potters and blacksmiths. The question is how did the Brahmins venture to accept this king of thieves and robbers as their supreme God? There is another reformation in the character of Rudra which the Brahmins have made while accepting him as their God Shiva. In the Ashvalayan Grihya Sutra the proper way of worshipping Rudra is prescribed. According to it the worship of Rudra was to be the sacrifice of a bull. The Sutra gives details of the season, and the Nakshatra for performing this sacrifice. It tells the householder to select the best bull from the stable. It prescribes its colour. It recommends that it should be fat. It should be consecrated with rice water or barley water. Then it should be slaughtered and offered to the Rudra addressing him by all his names and his tail, hide, head and feet should be thrown into the fire. Evidently Rudra was a ‘himsak’ God to whom animal sacrifice was necessary. Shiva on the other hand has been an Ahimsaka God. He is not offered animal sacrifice. Question is what compelled the Brahmins to make Shiva give up his meat diet and be a vegetarian. Hindus all over India accept without shame or remorse the virtue of Linga Puja—Phallus worship. This phallus worship is associated with Shiva and it is commonly held that the true way of worshipping Shiva is to worship the Shiva Linga. Was Linga puja always associated with Shiva? Some very interesting facts are brought to light by Prof. Dandekar in his essay on “Vishnu in the Veda”. Says Prof. Dandekar: “The most significant word in this connection is Sipivista, which is exclusively employed in the Veda with reference to Vishnu. The passages where the word occurs in RV (VII. 99.7; VII. 100. 5-6) seems to have been kept obscure with a purpose. The Vedic poets evidently sought to make a guarded and casual reference to that aspect of Vishnu’s personality which was indicated by the word, Sipivista. Many attempts have been made to explain the word, but few satisfy the requirements of philosophy and none brings out the