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TIE PHILOSOPHY OF DUTY
This is the period when the mere natural man, the human animal, is to be absolutely sacrificed, and the life of man in the spirit, the supranormal wisdoin-power of the "twice-born," 10 be made effective in the flesh.
Then, abruptly, when the stage of pupilship is finished, and without any transitional period, the youth, now a man, is transferred-one might say, hurled-into married life, the stage of householdership (grhastha). Taking over the paternal craft, business, or profession, he receives a wife (chosen for hiin by luis parents), begets sons, supports the family, and does his best to identily himself with all the tasks and ideal roles of the traditional puter familias, member of the guild, etc. The young ta ther identifies himself with the delights and worries of married life (kūma), as well as with the classic interests and problems of property and wealth (artha), so that he may have the means at his disposal, not only to support his growing family according to the standards proper to his birth or human species (jāti), but also to meet the more or less costly demands of die orthodox sacramental cycle of rituals. For the house-priest, the Brāhmanguru, whom he now must employ and heed-even as Indra must employ and heed the divine Bșhaspati :_blesses and assists the family on every possible occasion, as a combination spiritual adviser and confessor, family doctor, consulting practical ps. chologist, exorcist, conjuror, and wizard. And these professional men charge their fees: that is part of the cause of the real effectiveness of their cryptic, holy, psychotherapeutic dealings. The gurus, linking themselves with full surrender (like everyone else in the community to the privileges and duties of their own immemorial role, serve as conduits of supernatural wisdom and holy power (brahman), like nerves of consciousness throughout the social body.
The guru tends to become petrified into an idol—just as everyone tends to become petrified, dehumanized, stabilized, and 2 Cf. supra, pp. 76-77.
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| SR No. | 007309 |
| Book Title | Philosophies of India |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Heinrich Zimmer, Joseph Campbell |
| Publisher | Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd |
| Publication Year | 1953 |
| Total Pages | 709 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 34 MB |