Vol. 4 · pages 201–205

190 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The subject is referred to in the Rig-Veda in the 90th Hymn of the 10th Book. It runs as follows: “1 Purusha has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet. On every side enveloping the earth, he overpassed (it) by a space of ten fingers. 2. Purusha himself is this whole (universe), whatever has been and whatever shall be. He is also the lord of immortality since (or, when) by food he expands. 3. Such is his ‘greatness, and Purusha is superior to this. All existences are a quarter of him; and three-fourths of him are that which is immortal in the sky. 4. With three quarters Purusha mounted upwards. A quarter of him was again produced here. He was then diffused everywhere over things which eat and things which do not eat. 5. From him was born Viraj, and from Viraj, Purusha. When born, he extended beyond the earth, both behind and before. 6. When the Gods performed a sacrifice with Purusha as the oblation, the spring was its butter, the summer its fuel, and the autumn its (accompanying) offering. 7. This victim Purusha, born in the beginning, they immolated on the sacrificial grass. With him the gods, the Sadhyas, and the rishis sacrificed. 8. From that universal sacrifice were provided curds and butter. It formed those aerial (creatures) and animals both wild and tame. 9. From the universal sacrifice sprang the rich and saman verses, the metres and the yajush. 10. From it sprang horses, and all animals with two rows of teeth; kine sprang from it; from it goats and sheep. 11. When (the gods) divided Purusha, into how many parts did they cut him up? What was his mouth? What arms (had he)? What (two objects) are said (to have been) his thighs and feet? 12. The Brahman was his mouth; the Rajanya was made his arms; the being (called) the Vaisya, he was his thighs; the Sudra sprang from his feet. 13. The moon sprang from his soul (manas), the sun from his eye, Indra and Agni from his mouth, and Vayu from his breath. 14. From his navel arose the air, from his head the sky, from his feet the earth, from his ear the (four) quarters; in this manner (the gods) formed the worlds. 15. When the gods, performing sacrifice, bound Purusha as a victim, there were seven sticks (struck up) for it (around the fire), and thrice seven pieces of fuel were made. 16. With sacrifice the gods performed the sacrifice. These were the earliest rites. These great powers have sought the sky, where are the former Sadhyas, gods.” This hymn is known by its general name Purusha Sukta and is supposed to embody the official doctrine of Varna. How far do the other Vedas support this theory?

191 RIDDLE NO. 16 The Sama-Veda has not incorporated the Purusha Sukta among its hymns. Nor does it give any other explanation of the Varna. The Yajur-Veda has two branches—the White Yajur-Veda and the Black Yajur-Veda. The Black Yajur-Veda is known to have three Sanhitas or collection of Mantras, the Kathaka Sanhita, the Maitriyani Sanhita and Taitterriya Sanhita. The White Yajur-Veda has only one Sanhita which is known as Vajasaneya Sanhita. The Maitriyani Sanhita and the Kathak Sanhita of the Black YajurVeda do not make any reference to the Purusha Sukta of the Rig-Veda; nor do they attempt to give any other explanation of the origin of the Varna system. It is only Taitterriya Sanhita of the Black Yajur-Veda and the Vajasaneya Sanhita of the White Yajur-Veda that have spoken something relating to the Varna system. The Vajasaneya Sanhita contains one explanation of the origin of the Varna System. The Taitterriya Sanhita on the other hand contains two explanations. There are two things to be noted about these two explanations contained in the Taitterriya Sanhita. The first is that these two do not agree with each other in the least; they are quite different. The second is that one of them agrees completely with that contained in the Vajasaneya Sanhita of the White Yajur-Veda. The following is the text of the Taitterriya Sanhita which may be taken as an independent explanation : “He (the Vratya) became filled with passions thence sprang the Rajanya”. “ Let the king to whose house the Vratya who knows this, comes as a guest, cause him to be respected as superior to himself. So doing he does no injury to his royal rank, or to his realm. From him arose the Brahman (Brahman) and the Kshattra (Kshatriya). They said, ‘Into whom shall we enter, etc.” The explanation contained in the Vajasaneya Sanhita which tallies with the second 1 explanation given by the Taitterriya Sanhita reads as follows: “He lauded with one. Living beings were formed. Prajapati was the ruler. He lauded with three: the Brahman was created: Brahmanaspati was the ruler. He lauded with five; existing things were created : Brahmanaspati was the ruler. He lauded with seven; the seven rishis were created; Dhatri was the ruler. He lauded 1 Khanda IV. Prapathaka III Verses X following-

192 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES with nine; the Fathers were created: Aditi was the ruler. He lauded with eleven: the seasons were created: the Artavas were the rulers. He lauded with thirteen: the months were created: the year was the ruler. He lauded with fifteen: the Kshattra (the Kshattriya) was created: Indra was the ruler. He lauded with seventeen: animals were created: Brihaspati was the ruler. He lauded with nineteen; the Sudra and the Arya (Vaisya) were created: day and night were the rulers. He lauded with twenty-one : animals with undivided hoofs were created: Varuna was the ruler. He lauded with twenty-three: small animals were created: Pushan was the ruler. He lauded with twentyfive; wild animals were created: Vayu was the ruler (compare R.V.x. 90, 8). He lauded with twenty-seven: heaven and earth separated: Vasus, Rudras, and Adityas separated after them: they were the rulers. He lauded with twenty-nine: trees were created: Soma was the ruler. He lauded with thirty-one: living beings were created: The first and second halves of the month were the rulers. He lauded with thirty-one; existing things were tranquilized; Prajapati Parameshthin was the ruler.” Here it should be noted that not only there is no unanimity between the Rig-Veda and the Yajur-Veda but there is no agreement between the two Samhitas of the Yajur-Veda on so important a subject as the origin of the Varnas. Let us turn to the Atharva-Veda. The Atharva-Veda has also two explanations to give. It incorporates the Purusha Sukta though the order of the verses varies from the order in which they stand in the Rig-Veda. What is however important to note is that the Atharva-Veda is not content with the Purusha Sukta. It offers other explanations also. One such explanation reads as follows 1: “The Brahman was born the first, with ten heads and ten faces. He first drank the soma; he made poison powerless”. “The Gods were afraid of the Rajanya when he was in the womb. They bound him with bonds when he was in the womb. Consequently this Rajanya is born bound. If he were unborn unbound he would go on slaying his enemies. In regard to whatever Rajanya any one desires that he should born unbound, and should go on slaying his enemies, let him offer for him this Aindra-Birhaspatya oblation. A Rajanya has the character of Indra, and a Brahman is Brihaspati. It is through the Brahman that any one releases the Rajanya from his bond. The golden bond, a gift, manifestly releases from the bond that fetters him.” 1 Muir’s Sanskrit Texts Vol. I pp. 21-22.

193 RIDDLE NO. 16 The other explanation speaks of people being descended from Manu and is to be found referred to in the following passages 1: “ Prayers and hymns were formerly congregated in the Indra, in the ceremony which Atharvan, father Manu, and Dadhyanch celebrated”. “ Whatever prosperity or succour father Manu obtained by sacrifices, may we gain all that under thy guidance, O Rudra.” “Those pure remedies of yours, O Maruts, those which are most auspicious, ye vigorous gods, those which are beneficient, those which our father Manu chose, those, and the blessing and succour of Rudra, I desire.” “That ancient friend hath been equipped with the powers of the mighty (gods). Father Manu has prepared hymns to him, as portals of success to the gods.” “Sacrifice is Manu, our protecting father.” “Do ye (gods) deliver, protect and intercede for us; do not lead us far away from the paternal path of Manu.” “He (Agni) who abides among the offspring of Manu as the invoker (of the gods), is even the lord of these riches.” “Agni, together with the gods, and the children of Manush, celebrating a multiform sacrifice with hymns, etc.” “Ye gods, Vajas, and Ribhukshans, come to our sacrifice by the path travelled by the gods, that ye, pleasing deities, may institute a sacrifice among these people of Manush on auspicious days”. “ The people of Manush praise in the sacrifices Agni, the invoker.” “Whenever Agni, lord of the people, kindled, abides gratified among the people of Manush, he repels all Rakshasas.” Stopping for a moment to take stock so to say of the position it is quite clear that there is no unanimity among the Vedas on the origin of the four Varnas. None of the other Vedas agree with the Rig-Veda that the Brahamin was created from the mouth of the Prajapati, the Kshatriyas from his arms, the Vaishyas from his thighs and the Shudras from his feet. II Let us now turn to the writings called the Brahmanas and see what they have to say on this question. The explanation given by the Sathpatha Brahmana is as follows 2: “(Uttering) ‘ bhuh’ Prajapati generated this earth. (Uttering) ‘bhuvah’ he generated the air, and (uttering) ‘ svah’, he generated 1 Muir’s Sanskrit Texts Vol. I pp. 162-165. 2 Muir Sanskrit Texts Vol. I p. 17.

194 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES the sky. This Universe is co-extensive with these worlds. (The fire) is placed with the whole. Saying ‘bhuh’, Prajapati generated the Brahman; (saying) ‘bhuvah’ he generated the Kshattra; (and saying) ‘ svah’ he generated the Vis. The fire is placed with the whole, (saying) ‘ bhuh’, Prajapati generated himself; (saying) ‘ bhuvah’ he generated offspring; (saying) ‘svah’, he generated animals. This world is so much as self, offspring, and animals. (The fire) is placed with the whole.” The Sathpatha Brahmana also gives another explanation. It reads as follows1: “Brahma (here, according to the commentator, existing in the form of Agni, and representing the Brahman caste) was formerly this (universe), one only. Being one, it did not develop. It energetically created an excellent form, the Kshattra, viz., those among the gods who are powers (kshattrani), Indra, Varuna, Soma Rudra, Parjanya, Yama, Mrityu, Isana. Hence nothing is superior to the Kshattra. Therefore the Brahman sits below the Kshattriya at the Rajasuya-sacrifice; he confers that glory on the Kshattra (the royal power). This, the Brahma, is the source of the Kshattra; hence, although the king attains supremacy, he at the end resorts to the Brahma as his source. Whoever destroys him (the Brahman) destroys his own source. He becomes most miserable, as one who has injured a superior. 24. He did not develop. He created the Vis, those classes of gods who are designated by troops, Vasus, Rudras, Adityas, Visvadevas, Maruts, 25. He did not develop. He created the Sudra class, Pushan. This earth is Pushan; for she nourishes all that exists. 26. He did not develop. He energetically created an excellent form, Justice (Dharma). This is the ruler (kshattra) of the ruler (kshattra), namely justice. Hence nothing is superior to justice. Therefore the weaker seeks (to overcome) the stronger by justice, as by a king. This justice is truth. In consequence they say of a man who speaks truth, ‘ he speaks justice;’ or of a man who is uttering justice, ‘he speaks truth.’ For this is both of these. 27. This is the Brahma, Kshattra, Vis and Sudra. Through Agni it became Brahma among the gods, the Brahman among men, through the (divine) Kshatriya a (human) Kshattriya, through the (divine) Vaisya a (human) Vaisya, through the (divine) Sudra a (human) Sudra. Wherefore it is in Agni among the gods and in a Brahman among men, that they seek after an abode.” The Taittiriya Brahmana offers three explanations. First is in the following terms2: 1 Muir Sanskrit Text Vol. I p. 20. 2 Muir I p. 17.