Page:The history of caste in India.pdf/80

 Maintainance of dharma.—How was dharma maintained? The ceremonial part of dharma which was necessarily performed with the aid of Brāhmanas was easily maintained, e. g.: The determination of the proper time for initiation of a certain caste. Here the Brāhmana was the person with whom the decision lay.

Again the king was supposed to maintain dharma which the priest may declare to him. There was in general an understanding among the people, that dharma would be maintained not only by the kings, but also by the gods. The masses thus obeyed a large number of injunctions of dharma to avoid terrors of the future life. The transgressor would go to one or more of the twenty-one hells (iv, 87–90) or would be condemned to be born in the womb of lower animals (iii, 104) or barbarians. Not only himself but his ancestors (iii, 64-5, 92) or their manes (vi, 249) and descendants also would suffer. Adversity and diseases (xi, 49) would harass them who adhered to conduct not approved of by dharma as retribution for their sins.