Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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hindered the development of any sort of idea of “human rights”. 78
It is not suggested that the Karma theory was formulated
necessarily to justify the caste order and caste-ethics. But, there is no
doubt that it admirably served the ends of the caste order. Like the
scriptures, religious literature and the epics, it was moulded to the
extent necessary for the Brahmanical purposes.
2. The Brahmins
The Brahmins, as a caste, were the kingpin of the caste system
in more than one way. They were its ideologues as well as the focal
point around which the system revolved. As already pointed out, a
great conscious effort was needed to dethrone Buddhism, to arrest the
admixture of Aryan and non-Aryan blood, and to establish exclusive
endogamy. These developments were the handiwork of Brahmins.
a) As Ideologues: Undoubtedly, the entire non-heretical post-
Vedic literature is the handiwork of Brahmins. They are also mainly
responsible for the moulding of non-heretical tradition. All thought
the centuries, no one from within the orthodox society has ever dared
to question this remoulding handiwork of the Brahmins. They saw to
it that all criticism was throttled on pain of the critic being declared a
heretic with its attendant consequences. It was, in fact, the arbitrary
claim to the derivation of authority from the Vedas and the
reconstruction of tradition which gave a semblance of continuity to
the orthodox religion. It was through such means that the new gods of
Neo-Brahmanism were related to the Vedic gods, new practices were
tagged on to the old ones and the post-Vedic literature given full Vedic
authority. And, precisely because these arbitrary claims and the
reconstruction of tradition were not subject to any logical scrutiny,
these came as a handy plastic material in the hands of the Brahmins to
serve their own ends and to preserve the caste order.
The literature of the new from of Brahmanism is all the work
of, or inspired by, the Brahman hierarchy. 79 The fifth book of
Aitareya Aranyaka is notoriously spurious. 80 According to one view,
even Vedic hymns have been arranged in the brahmanical interest, 81
and Manu Smriti has been shortened and reactionary