Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Brahmana included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, 鈥榯he five characteristics of a Purana鈥�).
Story of 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺
(叠搁膧贬惭滨狈).
Origin.
叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, 碍峁迟谤颈测补蝉, 痴补颈艣测补蝉, and 艢奴诲谤补蝉 are the 肠补迟耻谤惫补谤峁嘺蝉 or the four castes. The 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 say that the four castes originated from different parts of the body of 叠谤补丑尘腻. See Manusm峁泃i, Chapter 1, Stanza 87
"sarvasy膩sya tu sargasya guptyartha峁� sa 尘补丑腻诲测耻迟颈岣� mukhab膩h奴r奴pajj膩n膩峁� p峁泃hakkarm膩峁噛akalpayat."
(With a view to sustain the world, 叠谤补丑尘腻 ordered activities, for the four castes (叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 碍峁迟谤颈测补, 痴补颈艣测补, and 艢奴诲谤补) who were born from his face, arms, thighs and feet). From this statement it is seen that the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 were born from the face, 碍峁迟谤颈测补蝉 from the arms, 痴补颈艣测补蝉 from the thighs and S奴dras from the feet of 叠谤补丑尘腻.
The activities of a 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺.
The duties of a 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 are, performing sacrifice, and encouraging others to perform sacrifice, learning Vedas and teaching Vedas, giving gifts and getting remuneration. A 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 has two births in one life. Till the time of investiture with the sacred string is one birth and from that period onwards is the second birth. So a 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 is called 'dvija' or twice-born.
The 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 were allowed to do the works of agriculture, keeping cows, trade and commerce and 碍耻蝉墨诲补 (money-lending). Living on the interest of money giving out as loan is 碍耻蝉墨诲补. But they should not trade on products from cow, jaggery, salt, lac and flesh. The suffix '艢补谤尘腻' should be added to the name of 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺. A 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 can have four wives.