History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v1.c11.45

v1.c11.45

nations are mentioned in a certain order which is significant in the Dharma-sūtra of Baudhāyana. The country between the Indus and the Vidharaṇi (Yamunā), where the black deer roams, is regarded as the Āryan country proper, where religious rites may be performed. The Avantis, Aṅgas, Magadhas, Saurāṣṭras, Dakṣiṇāpathas, Upavṛts, Sindhus and Sauvīras are regarded as of mixed origin. The commentator states before the beginning of this sūtra that after the country between the Indus and the Yamunā begins the Mlechchha country. The actual commentary on Sūtra 29 states that in these countries there is no arrangement or regulation with regard to women. In Avanti customs approved by the Āryans are not prevalent. So the people of South Bihar along with those of South-western Malwa, Kathiawad, Western India and Sindh and Ophir formed a belt of Mlechchha countries around the provinces inhabited by the Āryans and were gradually coming within the pale of Āryan civilisation. The people of the countries lying to the south, east and west of this belt, were still untouchables. The commentary says before beginning the Sūtra that "Certain countries should not be entered." In the Sūtra itself we are informed that any one who goes to the countries of the Araṭas, Kāraskaras, Puṇḍras, Sauvīras, Vaṅgas and Kaliṅgas has to perform the Sarva-pṛṣṭi sacrifice. In the next Sūtra we are informed that whoever goes to Kaliṅga commits sin with his feet and must perform the Vaiśvānariya Iṣṭi. The commentary on the Sūtra makes it very definite and according to it any man who goes to Kaliṅga expiates by the performance either of Sarva-pṛṣṭi or the Vaiśvānariya Iṣṭi as an alternative, but in the case of Āraṭṭas and others, that is, the people of Puṇḍra, Sauvīra and Vaṅga the sin arose even if any Aryan spoke to them or sat together with them.