India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c12.s6.14

c12.s6.14

VRĀTYA-STOMAS—Earnest attempts were made to reclaim these people to the Aryan fold by the performance of some easy rituals called *Vrātya-stoma*, considered adequate to purify them (*mṛijānāḥ yanti, Kāt. Śr.*, XXII.4.26), to put an end to their stigma (*vrātyastomeneshṭvā vrātya-bhāvād virameyuḥ, ib.*, XXII.4.29), and to entitle them to social intercourse (*vyavahāryā bhavanti, ib.* XXII.4.30). It is possible that the converted Vrātyas who had been admitted to the Brāhmaṇa or Kshatriya fold were spoken of as *Brāhmaṇa-kṛitāḥ*, and *Kshatriya-kṛitāḥ*, expressions read along with *Śreṇi-kṛitāḥ, Pūga-kṛitāḥ*, etc. in the *Śreṇyādi gaṇa* (II.1.59).