Essays on the Gita

512 <strong>Essays</strong> on the Gitaof society on the partition of these four functions among fourclearly marked classes. This system was not peculiar to India, butwas with certain differences the dominating feature of a stage ofsocial evolution in other ancient or mediaeval societies. The fourfunctions are still inherent in the life of all normal communities,but the clear divisions no longer exist anywhere. The old systemeverywhere broke down and gave place to a more fluid orderor, as in India, to a confused and complex social rigidity andeconomic immobility degenerating towards a chaos of castes.Along with this economic division there existed the associationof a cultural idea which gave to each class its religious custom,its law of honour, ethical rule, suitable education and training,type of character, family ideal and discipline. The facts of life didnot always correspond to the idea, — there is always a certaingulf found between the mental ideal and the vital and physicalpractice, — but there was a constant and strenuous endeavour tokeep up as much as possible a real correspondence. The importanceof this attempt and of the cultural ideal and atmosphereit created in the past training of the social man, can hardlybe put too high; but at the present day it has little more than ahistorical, a past and evolutionary significance. Finally, whereverthis system existed, it was given more or less a religious sanction(more in the East, very little in Europe) and in India a profounderspiritual use and significance. This spiritual significance is thereal kernel of the teaching of the Gita.The Gita found this system in existence and its ideal inpossession of the Indian mind and it recognised and acceptedboth the ideal and system and its religious sanction. “The fourfoldorder was created by me,” says Krishna, “according to thedivisions of quality and active function.” On the mere strengthof this phrase it cannot altogether be concluded that the Gitaregarded this system as an eternal and universal social order.Other ancient authorities did not so regard it; rather they distinctlystate that it did not exist in the beginning and will collapsein a later age of the cycle. Still we may understand from thephrase that the fourfold function of social man was consideredas normally inherent in the psychological and economic needs