HISTORY OF INDIA. PART II. Review of the foregoing ac cation of the The education of the Kauravas and Pándavas is very briefly indicated in the foregoing legend; but it will appear hereafter that they followed other count of the edu- pursuits of a primitive character, such as might Kauravas and have been expected amongst a fighting community in ancient times. Thus it will be seen that they practised wrestling, fighting with fists, throwing Stone throwing. stones, and casting a noose. They also went out Pandavas. Wrestling. Casting the noose. every three years. omy. Marking cattle every three years into the pastures to mark all the calves which had been born during the interval, and Practical astron- to re-mark all the other cattle. The astronomy that was taught was no doubt of a practical character; and was either to enable the young men to find their way through a jungle in the night-time, or else to assist them in calculating nativities, or really to impart to them some primitive knowledge of the movements of the heavenly bodies, and the recurrence of months, seasons, and years. Question of whe ther Drona was Kshatriya. An interesting circumstance is connected with a Brahman or a the education of the young men, namely, the selection of a tutor or preceptor, which opens up a curious question as to whether Drona was a Bráhman or a Kshatriya. In the previous generation the venerable Bhishma had undertaken the education of the fathers, but from causes not stated he appears to have taken no part in the tuition of the sons. This duty is said to have been fulfilled by an able and veteran warrior named Drona, who was engaged for the purpose, and who was retained in the household of the family of by being married to a damsel of the family named Kripá, who was apparently the daughter of old Raja Sántanu by a slave girl. He appears to have been treated, both by his pupils and the Chieftains of the house, as an experienced and honoured veteran. Marriage of Bharata. INDIA. wattháma, edu Kauravas and One slight difficulty occurs in the narrative, which HISTORY OF is, however, capable of explanation. Drona had a PART II. son named Aswattháma, whom he educated together Drona's son, Aswith the Kauravas and Pándavas. From this state- cated with the ment it must be inferred that Drona married Kripa some years before taking upon himself the office of instructor; for, otherwise, Aswattháma would have been an infant in arms when the Kauravas and Pándavas were almost men. Brahmanical present Drona as Brahman, who priest. It will subsequently be seen that Drona is occa- Efforts of the sionally represented as a family priest as well as an compilers to reinstructor in the use of arms; that he offered up officiated as; Puprayers to the gods on public occasions; and that he rohita, or family was treated by his pupils with a reverence approaching the divine homage which is due to a religious Bráhman preceptor, rather than with the ordinary respect which would be paid by young men to an elder. This circumstance is deserving of some consideration. It seems certain that Drona was a warrior and a Kshatriya. He occupied the same position as regards the sons of Dhritarashtra and Pándu which Bhishma occupied as regards their fathers, and Bhishma was unquestionably a Kshatriya. On the other hand, the Bráhmans were essentially priests, and are never represented as warriors, excepting in some wildly supernatural legends, which are utterly unworthy of credence. The Brahmanical compilers of the Mahá Bhárata, however, appear to have resolved on representing Drona as a Brahmanical priest and preceptor, corresponding to the Purohita, or family priest, who occupies so important a position in the modern social system of the Hindús. Accordingly, they have introduced an absurd story respecting his birth, which consists INDIA. PART II. HISTORY OF Wholly of supernatural details of the character already indicated, and which in itself is utterly devoid of interest, excepting on account of the object for which it has been inserted, namely, that of representing Drona as a Bráhman.1 Distinction be Here it may be convenient to point out the classes of Bráh- distinction between two classes of Brahmanical tween the two mans; viz. (1.) The Puro- or great ecclesi- 1 These Brahmanical myths, when closely intertwined with the Kshatriya traditions, and introduced for the sole purpose of concealing the real truth, are a decided difficulty to the historian. He may be able to untwine the one from the other, and even to explain the process by which he has separated the truth from the fable, but he is more or less restrained by the character of the supernatural details, which can rarely be introduced without a shock to modern delicacy. At the same time, the reader can be scarcely expected to accept the judgment of a historian without some proofs of its being based upon a sufficient data; and accordingly the task of separating truth from fable in the present instance must be attempted. The myth is as follows:-Drona was the son of a famous Brahman sage, named Bharadwaja; the germ from which he sprung having escaped from the sage whilst inflamed at the sight of a celestial nymph. Drupada, Raja of Panchála, was born under similar circumstances of a Raja named Prishata, and was educated together with Drona by the sage Bharadwaja. Subsequently, as mentioned in the text, Drona had a feud against Drupada, because when Drupada succeeded his father in the Raj, he did not treat his old fellow-pupil with kindness and respect; but rather taunted him with the inferiority of his position as a mendicant Brahman when compared with that of a Kshatriya or Raja. Hence Drona entered the service of Maharaja Dhritarashtra for the very purpose of obtaining revenge against Drupada. The truth may probably be as follows:-The association of Drona and Drupada, both as regards the similarity of their births and their being educated together by the same sage, very likely had a natural basis, and in all probability that basis was family relationship. Moreover, it is distinctly stated that in their youth they had agreed to divide the Raj between them; and Drona says plainly that had Drupada adhered to this agreement there would have been no war. This simple hypothesis at once clears away every difficulty. Drupada and Drona were probably brothers. The former succeeds to the Raj of Panchála, whilst Drona goes into exile; and Drona finally marries a lady of the house of Bharata, and undertakes the education of the Kauravas and Pandavas, on condition that they ultimately undertake an expedition against Drupada. It will be seen, hereafter, that the result of the expedition was that the Raj of Panchála was divided, the half going to Drona whilst the remaining half was left with Drupada. The Brahmanical compilers also insert another myth, to the effect that Kripá the wife of Drona, was born from a Brahman named Gautama, the son of Gotama, in the same unnatural manner as her husband had been. The object of this myth is obvious. Having represented Drona to be a Bráhman, it was necessary that his wife should be born of a Bráhman also. It may be added that Kripa had a brother named Kripa, INDIA. PART II. dignitaries, which, according to Brahmanical ideas, HISTORY OF have existed from time immemorial; inasmuch as a clear perception of these two priestly orders will enable the historian to explain with greater clearness the character and scope of some of the most important of the Brahmanical interpolations. The great mass of Bráhmans may be regarded as mendicant priests. They are feasted on occasions of births, marriages, deaths, and other periods of ceremony and festival; and large gifts are distributed amongst them in times of sorrow and trouble, as well as in times of joy. Again, every Bráhman who is acquainted with the different formulas of worship, may become an officiating priest, and receive pay accordingly. But there are two special Brahmanical orders, who form an essential part of the framework of Hindú society, and who for ages have effectually garrisoned and defended the social system against any hostile attack, whether of foreign religions from without or of heresies from within. These two orders are the Purohita, or family priest; and the Guru, or great ecclesiastical head. In rela- Generally cortive position they correspond generally to that of Chaplains and Chaplains and Bishops in Christian communities; ties, excepting excepting that the offices, like those of all Hindú are hereditary.. institutions, are hereditary; and that sons, real or adopted, have been known to succeed their fathers as Purohitas or Gurus for many generations. Occasionally a Hindú family becomes divided, and the new branch entertains a new Purohita. In like manner also a Bráhman of great wisdom, or austerities, or endowed with a powerful eloquence, or invested by the popular voice with supernatural powers, suddenly appears before the world as a new respond to the Bishops of Christian communi that the offices INDIA. HISTORY OF and famous Guru, surrounded by a band of disciples or followers, and ultimately succeeds in founding a new sect, of which he is the spiritual head. PART II. Duties of the Purohita, as a priest of the family, an instructor in the The Purohita is essentially a family priest and a religious preceptor. Amongst the poorer classes he Sátras, a confi- may officiate for very many families, in which case and an envoy." he employs assistants, and gives them a stipulated dential adviser, The Guru, or great head of the sect. share of the gifts and other perquisites which he may receive. But amongst the richer classes, the duties of a Purohita are confined to a single family, and under such circumstances his influence becomes paramount in the household. He performs all the necessary religious rites and ceremonies for the members of the family, and imparts religious instruction from the sacred books. At the same time, he is the repository of all the family secrets, and the confidential and authoritative counsellor in all times of doubt and difficulty. He is also frequently engaged in more secular matters, such as the settlement of disputes; and in modern times a Hindú Zemindar or Raja has occasionally employed his Purohita as an ambassador or envoy. The Guru holds a still higher position in the Brahmanical hierarchy. He is the head of the religious sect to which the family may belong; and His ecclesiast he is generally engaged in extensive ecclesiastical ical visitations. visitations or tours, accompanied by a band of disciples who occasionally act as assistant Gurus. During his progress he levies such contributions as he may be able to impose upon the families belonging to his sect; he likewise confirms the younger Hindús, who have attained a suitable age, by a number of ceremonies which need not be repeated here. AcHis spiritual cording to the popular belief he is entitled to divine powers. |