om land was assigned in religious grants,
[420] and in the deeds of gift, drawn up no doubt by the Brahmans
themselves, the most terrible penalties were invoked on any one who
should interfere with the grant. One of these was that such an impious
person would be a caterpillar in hell for sixty thousand years. [421]
Plots of land and mango groves are also frequently given to Brahmans
by village proprietors. A Brahman is forbidden to touch the plough
with his own hands, but this rule is falling into abeyance and many
Brahman cultivators plough themselves. Brahmans are also prohibited
from selling a large number of articles, as milk, butter, cows, salt
and so on. Formerly a Brahman village proprietor refused payment
for the supplies of milk and butter given to travellers, and some
would expend the whole produce of their cattle in feeding religious
mendicants and poor Brahmans. But these scruples, which tended to
multiply the number of beggars indefinitely, have happily vanished,
and Brahmans will even sell cows to a butcher. Mr. Joshi relates
that a suit was brought by a Brahman in his court for the hide of a
cow sold by him for slaughter. A number of Brahmans are employed as
personal servants, and these are usually cooks, a Brahman cook being
very useful, since all Hindus can eat the food which he prepares. Nor
has this calling hitherto been considered derogatory, as food is
held to be sacred, and he who prepares it is respected. Many live on
charitable contributions, and it is a rule among Hindus that a Brahman
coming into the house and asking for a present must be given something
or his curse will ruin the family. Liberality is encouraged by the
recitation of legends, such as that of the good king Harischandra who
gave away his whole kingdom to the great Brahman saint Visvamitra,
and retired to Benares with a loin-cloth which the recipient allowed
him to retain from his possessions. But Brahmans who take gifts at the
time of a death, and those who take them from pilgrims at the sacred
shrines, are despised and considered as out of caste, though not the
priests in charge of temples. The rapacity of all these classes is
proverbial, and an instance may be given of the conduct of the Pandas
or temple-priests of Benares. These men were so haughty that they
never appeared in the temple unless some very important visitor was
expected, who would be able to pay largely. It is related that when
the ex-Peshwa of Poona came to Benar