Essay name: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
Author: A. D. Pusalker
This book studies Bhasa, the author of thirteen plays ascribed found in the Trivandrum Sanskrit Series. These works largely adhere to the rules of traditional Indian theatrics known as Natya-Shastra.
Page 379 of: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
379 (of 564)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
359
themselves and others, and did not think it worth their
while to disturb others outside their spheres.
2 Concerning the occupations, the injunctions do not
seem to have been very strictly adhered to. Though
most of the persons followed the scriptures in connection
with the specific professions or trades to be followed by
them, there was also a very small number who
contravened the rules. Thus, we find a Br膩hma峁嘺 youth
engaging himself in trade, and another, under the
influence of cupid, stooping to housebreaking at night.'
The J膩takas also make mention of Br膩hma峁嘺s following
diverse occupations as also of the changes of occupations
in turn by certain individuals. Kautilya's Artha艣膩stra
adds to the duties of the S奴dras by allowing them to till
the soil, to rear cattle, to trade or to do business as
artisans or actors. Thus, it appears that in the days
when these plays were written (i. e., in the pre-Mauryan
age) strict rules as to the occupations to be followed by
different castes were slightly relaxed. The onrush of
Buddhism had not yet dealt a serious blow to the caste
system in the period we are dealing with. Br膩hma峁嘺
superiority was the rule everywhere and Buddhism was
not found favour with.
(B) Four orders (Asramas) and their duties.
In every society are to be found systems analogous
to j膩ti and 膩艣rama in India. The different classes are
known according to their occupations, such as, the clergy,
the nobles, the labourers, etc. Birth has nothing to do
with classes as in the case of castes in India. Every
individual in general, again, goes through some stages.
in his life. During childhood he is engaged in learning;
then comes married life; and in old age he may
be
concerned with religious thoughts or those concerning the
other world. The speciality of India lay in the fact that
both the systems were connected with, and made the
essential parts of the religious system.
There is a difference in the origin and development
of the caste system and the 膩艣rama system in India. The
1 Carudatta and Sajjalaka in the Car. 2 Fick, Social Organization, p. 10f;
Rhys Davids, Buddhist India, pp. 54-55; Legacy of India, p. 142. 3 Arthas膩stra,
I. 3, p. 7; Vi峁usmrti (Ch. 2) mentions all industrial arts () as falling
within the occupations of S奴dras.
