Page:An Essay On Hinduism.pdf/128

certain rules of conduct which he may wish to live up to, may sacrifice some of his pleasures and conveniences to those ideals and rules, but to this sacrifice there would be some limit. Should it become necessary to make a greater sacrifice in order to hold to the principle, some very few conscientious people may make the required greater sacrifice, but the bulk of the people would modify the principle in practice; but when the practice changes, it should not be understood that the rule is at once given up, though it tends to fall into disuse.

Now under the present conditions it has become impossible to maintain some of those rules of ceremonial purity, and an average man does not observe them.

For example: A Brāhmaṇa, or a high caste Hindu is supposed to take a bath if he touches a man belonging to one of the lowest castes (antyaja). This rule is fairly well observed in villages. In cities it is less observed. In large cities like Bombay, where it would be necessary to bathe a dozen times a day for the proper observance of the rule, it is dispensed with altogether.

Another example: Nowadays, many Hindus, including even the Brāhmaṇas in Bombay, have no scruples in eating in restaurants established by the Persians (Irans). Until the year 1894 there were no Hindu restaurants in Bombay. Unless a restaurant is conducted by a Brāhmaṇa, Hindus of all castes will not eat in it. The Brāhmaṇas had not opened restaurants either because they shrank from the guilt of selling liquids (Skr. word is "rasa," which includes water, oil, or butter, or food cooked therewith); or because they did not realize the opportunity. The Brāhmaṇas who were working in the offices or other places used to feel the necessity of eating something at noon. Some per-