Page:History of India Vol 9.djvu/289

 THE KSHATRIYAS AND VAISYAS 241 others whose nobility is not so great, for that they have mingled with other races and thereby greatly abased their high estate. The two first named intermarry, but they may not wed with those who have fallen so far from their nobility. The duty of the nobles is to protect the land and to provide for it, forcibly to withstand the foe, to see that the Bramines suffer no lack, likewise to make sure that all goeth well in the land, that right and justice make progress; and, in short, it is their duty to govern the realm well. Nevertheless, if they be poor, even as there be many poor nobles, it doth sometimes hap that they must live on their estates, and as, more- over, they have no other income and may not take any mercature in hand, and as their household doth oft- times multiply much because of children, they oft need more than their income bringeth, so that many times they leave behind impoverished children who must then serve as soldiers unto those nobles who have wealth. The third caste is the caste of the Weinsjas. In this caste some are the Comitijs (Komatis) and some are they who are called Sitti weapari. Each of these claim to be the true Weinsjas. These people gain their livelihood in merchantry and live therefrom; and the Bramin Padmanaba said that they must act therein rightly and without guile, so that they may not win much even from mercature. These folk bear themselves in their manner of life well-nigh like the Bramines, whereas the caste of the Settreas and that of the Sou- draes eat fish and flesh, excepting the flesh of kine, which