The point which is really interesting to note is that in spite of the existence of certain obstacles, Brahminical customs and way of life did manage to spread not only among all Hindus but also among some outlying tribes. This is to some extent due to the fact that Hindu society is a stratified one, in which there are innumerable small groups each of which tries ‘to pass for a higher group. And the best way of staking a claim to a higher position is to adopt the customs and way of life of a higher caste. As this process was common to all the castes except the highest, it meant that the Brahminical customs and way of life spread among all Hindus. It is possible that the very ban on the lower castes adoption of the Brahmanical way of life had an exactly opposite effect.