श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता गौतार्थं संग्रहोपेता Thus the BG, its philosophy, its wisdom and its goal, emancipation are thrown open to one and all. Consequently the BG has become a universal classic in the tradition of Kashmir. Aankes 'xxxviii The above change of attitude does not mean that the Kashmirian scholars had revolutionised the social structure and had totally done away with castes. For, under the famous verse faarfarà etc. (ch. V. 18), Ag. clearly says that the wise look equally upon a Brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-cooker (i.e., a Candala, Harijan). But he quickly adds that this does not mean that the wise act equally with them all, i, e. make use of them in identical way. He goes further to point out that the same distinction between viewing them equally and acting equally with them is applicable even in the purely Tântric tradition of the Vijnanabhairava. Indeed one cannot act equally with (i.e. use indenti- cally) a cow, an elephant and a dog even though one may look upon them equally as living beings with Samvid glowing in." Thus in the Kashmir tradition the caste system seems to have continued in the social level eventhough it had lost its ground in the spiritual plane. The Kashmir revolution seems to have been only to this extent. Rāmakantha makes the point clear under the said verse of the BG. He says: The wise would observe the Supreme Brahman that is equal in a Brāhmaṇa, a Candala, a cow, an elephant and a dog. 1. Ag. believes that the caste-distinction is based on the in- See the intro and herent nature of the respective castes. gloss of ch, XVIII 41-60,
