BRAHMANISM

ligious caste, and finds its creed in the Vedas, of which the Brahman body became the guardians and interpreters. Consequently, the Brahmans are sacred themselves, A and offences against them are a serious sin. Brahman ought to pa through four states those of novice, married man, solitary inhabitant of: the forest, and ascetic. The spiritual ideas of the Vedic nature-worship have been mixed up with degrading superstitions of uncivilized non- Aryan people, c.ff. Suttee but the Brahmans do represent the highest civilization; of India.