| Awaken Bharata |
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| Books By David Frawley |
| ANTI - BRAHMANISM, THE NEW COMMUNALISM OF MODERN INDIA | |
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| The
Brahmins as the priestly class did not control the military or
economy of the country except when individual Brahmins stepped
beyond the traditional limits of their class, which was rare. As a
class Brahmins were not allowed to carry weapons or to accumulate
wealth and property. Each village
had its Brahmins to guide the community and perform religious
ceremonies, whom the villagers would in turn provide with modest
food and shelter.
Village Brahmins were on par with other village folks and most Brahmins were of this type. Hindu kings also had their chief priests or purohits, their special Brahmins to guide the kingdom. Only these Brahmins in service to kings and princes gained social status through royal patronage and the affluence that could come with it. These royal Brahmins served as counselors and advisors, educating the princes and performing state rituals. However, a few of them by their advisory powers did manage to come into positions of political power. In some instances they wrongly interfered in political matters, in violation of the rules of their class. Other times they stepped in to help weak kings and protect the country. This political action of the Brahmins in the face of a weak Kshatriya was considered proper and was not regarded as a violation of their prescribed role in society. When the Kshatriyas failed to protect the people, for example, a few Brahmin groups, like the Peshwas in Maharashtra, took power and themselves became Kshatriyas, but this was only to save the country. |
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