as easily turned to
advantage. The Yogi became more or less of a charlatan, more or less
of a juggler. Nor was this all. Yoga-practices began to take
precedence before other religious practices. In the Br[=a]hmanas it is
the sacrifice that is god-compelling; but in the epic, although
sacrifice has its place, yet when miraculous power is exerted, it is
due chiefly to Yoga concentration, or to the equally general use of
formulae; not formulae as part of a sacrifice, but as in themselves
potent; and mysterious _mantras_, used by priest and warrior alike,
serve every end of magic.[9] Apart from acquisition of power, this
Yoga-training is, moreover, all that is needful from the point of view
of righteousness. Physical prowess here is the one thing admirable. To
stand for years on one leg, to be eaten by ants, to be in every way an
ascetic of the most stoical sort, is the truest religion. Such an
ascetic has no ordinary rules of morality. In fact, his practices are
most peculiar, for to seduce young women is one of his commonest
occupations; and in his anger to cause an injury to his foes is one of
the ends for which he toils. The gods are nothing to him. They are
puppets whom he makes shake and tremble at will. As portrayed in the
epic, in terms of common sense, the Muni (silent saint) is a
morose[10] and very vulgar-minded old man, who seeks to intimidate
others by a show of miraculous power. In the matter of penances those
of the law are extended beyond all bounds. The caste-restrictions are
of the closest, and the most heinous crime is to commit an offence
against caste-order. On the other hand, the greatest merit is to give
gifts to priests. This had already proceeded far enough, as was
indicated by a passage cited above from Manu. But in the epic the
greed and capacity of the priest exceeds all imaginable limits. He
takes whatever he can get and asks for more. He has, by his own
showing, scarcely one estimable trait. Avarice, cupidity, sensuality,
gluttony, love of finery, effeminacy, meanness, and pride--everything
charged against him by the Buddhist--are his most marked
characteristics. He appears, however, to be worse than he always was.
For nothing is plainer, from this very epic, than that the priests,
although united as a caste, were sharply distinguished in their lives.
The ascetic described above represents the fourth period of the
priestly life. Below these stood (apart from students)[11] hermits and
householde