The Winslow mail., 1915-12-10
THE HIDDEN SIDE OF CASTE
Founded on the Belief of Rencarna-
tion-Fcur Glasses Recognized.


The hidden side of the oriental caste
system, as originally conceived, re-
Veals a colossal scheme for the Or
derlng of society in such manner that
the normal operation of the national
functions should contribute to the cul-
ture of the individual souls which con-
stituted the population. Duty and re-
sponsibility were regulated in precise
correspondence to education and priv
iieGe, strict accountability was impOs-
ed upon all.
There are divisions and subdivisions
in the order Of caste and natiopf var
iations varying VIII national aaios-
yncrasies, but the scheme a. a &g elo
corresponds with the four u.art~ nat
ural divisions Of society inevitable the
world over; first the producing class
who are engaged in supplying food,
clothing and shelter and the other
physical necessities Of men; second.
the distributing class; third, the
guardians CT the nations, the army,
police, judges, rulers and kings under
whose protection the producers and
distributors labor in peace; fourth
the teachers Of the nation, the scien-
lists, philosophers, priests who guide
and develop the higher natures Of the
citizens.
Should q soul, according to ancient
caste system, by reason OF its mex
perience and youth, enter the lowest
caste in society, the Shudra in the
Indian tongue. the producers, the SER
vers His first lesson would naturally
be those of q child, of obedience, Of
service, Of subQrdination and Of train
Ing. Little responsibility was given
him and little i'll return was expected.
Hardly any restriction was placed on
his food; there was no restriction on
travel.
When the soul during a period Of
many incarnations in the lowest, the
Gnudra caste, had learned the lessons
Of the infant school it passed on TO
The next grade, the next caste in its
birth, and was born in the Merchant
Of Vaissya caste. Here both duties
and restrictions were heavier. For
the Merchant was q tWice-born man,
in the ancient phrase, and was there
fore given the responsibility Of wealth
and its expenditure. He wore the
threefOld thread as sign of belonging
to a tWice-bOrn caste and was expect
ed to hear and study the Vedas Of sac
red books. 1t was his to accumulate
wealth, not for his own qualification,
but for the support Of the nation. He
was the steward in the national house
hold. 1t was his to maintain the tenn
PIES, feed the starving, build rest
houses for the traveller and hospitals
for the sick.
After many incarnations as a mer-
chant man the soul came back to earth
to learn the lessons OF ruling governing
and guarding. The Kshytrya Of India
and the Samurrai Of Bushi of Japan
were the guardians Of the national
peace, presenting the ideal OF the Gt
vine kingship, the divine ruler.
The perfect Samurai or warrior Of
Japan, according to q renowned citl.
zen Of the island empire, regarded
his person as the most precious legacy
left by his fathers, wherein dwelt iU
its most holy Of holes divine pres
ence to be dedicated to the service OF
God, parent or master. His body was
an instrument to be used for an emo
higher than its tenants interest.
Into the fourth, the highest caste
came the souls who by many earth.
lives had passed through the three
lower grades in the school of expert
ence and having well learned theig
lessons were fitted to take upon them
selves the mOmentous responsibilities
Of guide and teacher to the nation.
These were the Brahmans. 1t was
theirs to teach in order that there
might always be a succession of wis0
helpers who should direct the evoIra-
tiOn and progress Of the people. They
must not teach for money, nof for any
personal gain; they were to gain moth.
ing for themselves and everything
for the people. Their life was hedged
about with restrictions in food and
daily conduct, cut away from all the
enioyments OF the earth which they
NCAC NApCNbCN w lllAO C44AS " ucsNp
outgrown and surmounted in the high.
er enjoyments OF learning, philosophy,
religion. They were hidden to have
no earthly wealth; since wealth be-
longed to the merchant man; they
we're bidden to have no right to strug-
gle for liberty, since that was the priv
ilege of the warrior; they were bidder
not to eat and drink and travel about
as they liked since those were the
prerogatiyes OF the child souls born
in the lowest caste. Theirs was the
severe life Of self-denial.
The divisions were founded entirely
upon the souls stage of growth, and
upon this basis they were maintain
ed. In the old days, if mans life
proved that he had mastered the les
sons to be learned in his own caste
and was showing forth the quail
ties Of the higher caste he could pass
from his own caste the next.-Pitts-