s, the Serpents, the Pisachas, and
human beings with their four divisions, viz., Brahmanas, Kshatriyas,
Vaisyas, and Sudras, O best of regenerate ones, and all the other orders
of creatures that exist, were created. The complexion the Brahmanas
obtained was white; that which the Kshatriyas obtained was red; that
which the Vaisyas got was yellow; and that which was given to the Sudras
was black.'

"'"Bharadwaja said, 'If the distinction between the four orders (of human
beings) be made by means only of colour (attribute), then it seems that
all the four orders have been mingled together.[562] Lust, wrath, fear,
cupidity, grief, anxiety, hunger, toil, possess and prevail over all men.
How can men be distinguished by the possession of attributes? The bodies
of all men emit sweat, urine, faeces, phlegm, bile, and blood. How then
can men be distributed into classes? Of mobile objects the number is
infinite; the species also of immobile objects are innumerable. How,
then, can objects of such very great diversity be distributed into
classes?'

"'"Bhrigu said, 'There is really no distinction between the different
orders. The whole world at first consisted of Brahmanas. Created (equal)
by Brahman, men have, in consequence of their acts, become distributed
into different orders. They that became fond of indulging in desire and
enjoying pleasures, possessed of the attributes of severity and wrath,
endued with courage, and unmindful of the duties of piety and
worship,--these Brahmanas possessing the attribute of Passion,--became
Kshatriyas. Those Brahmanas again who, without attending to the duties
laid down for them, became possessed of both the attributes of Goodness
and Passion, and took to the professions of cattle-rearing and
agriculture, became Vaisyas. Those Brahmanas again that became fond of
untruth and injuring other creatures, possessed of cupidity,--engaged in
all kinds of acts for a living, and fallen away from purity of behaviour,
and thus wedded to the attribute of Darkness, became Sudras. Separated by
these occupations, Brahmanas, falling away from their own order, became
members of the other three orders. All the four orders, therefore, have
always the right to the performance of all pious duties and of
sacrifices. Even thus were the four orders at first created equal by
Brahman who ordained for all of them (the observances disclosed in) the
words of Brahma (in the Vedas). Through cupidity alone, many fell away,