Page:An Essay On Hinduism.pdf/20

In such a case the features of the tribe which remain are worship, customs and philosophy. The political interest of the tribe is looked after by another tribe and the former has to follow laws made by the latter. The worship and the traditional sacred books are the only heritage of the tribe and these keep the tribe in touch with the past and Very often separate from the other people around them. if such a tribe is surrounded by a dominant theophratry, which may be stealing members from the tribe, then the tribe becomes extremely anxious to keep its own culture and tradition and tries to make itself a theophratry, so that people could come in their tribe by accepting similar worship. But should such a tribe unconnected with religion remain dominant in a country where the theophratries are present then the traditions and ritual of the tribe becomes the State ceremonial as it is in the case of the Japanese.

History of Caste is not History of four Varnas.— The history of caste in India comprises two distinct studies. On one hand it becomes simply a study of social theories and of their developments. For example, the history of four Varnas (chäturvarṇya) is not a history of changes in the society to a very great extent. The theory of four varņas had been of very little influence in making and unmaking social groups. Nevertheless inasmuch as ideas influence social conditions and events and are influenced by them, the doctrine of four varņas received a considerable development when the people who held it came in contact with new peoples and conditions. As they held this doc- trine strongly, the doctrine created feelings of respect, fear, and contempt towards certain peoples and communities. But this theory, as I have said, did not do much to make and unmake social groups.