Page:The history of caste in India.pdf/46

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
26
HISTORY OF CASTE.

wash his clothes. These are the methods of bringing pressure on the man.

These ideas have their influence in manifesting the status oi a caste. With these principles in view, the castes in some parts may be graded as follows: The castes served by good priests are superior to the castes served by degraded priests. Again, the castes served by a barber and a washerman are superior to those who are not. Even among the castes served by a barber, a distinction may be drawn based on the question whether the barber pares the nails or not; among the latter, whether he pares the toe nails or not. Nonperformance of service on the part of this powerful class implies inferiority in every case.

3. Psychology of Caste.

What human feelings lie at the basis of the mystery deserve to be considered. These social differences of caste have become so firm in the mind of the Hindu that he regards it as a very natural institution. An outsider regards it as foolish, harmful, unjust, and artificial. He thinks that the constitution of the Hindu's mind is different from that of all other people in the world.

How this caste distinction came into existence will be dealt with in the History of Caste. At present I confine myself to making a few remarks on whether there are any passions common to all human beings at the root of the caste system, or whether it is due to certain abnormal traits of character peculiar to a strange and speakable people, the Hindus.

I do not care to inquire into the reason of all the phenomena that are supposed to be a part or result of