History of India, c. 150 A.D. to 350 A.D.: Naga–Vakataka Imperial Period c16.s4.30

c16.s4.30

146B. The Mlechchhas are called here the lowest of the Śūdras. Here we should recall the Mānava Code and the other authorities which hold the Śakas in India to be Śūdras. Patañjali, c. 180 B.C., discussed the status of the Śakas and Yavanas who in his time had been politically turned out of India yet few of whom remained as subjects in India. The Mahā Bhārata also has discussed the status of such foreigners, Śakas and others, domiciled in India who had become Hinduised.² Early authorities are unanimous in giving the Śakas the status of the Śūdra who was not permitted to interdine with the twice-born Aryans. These ruling Śakas and political antagonists, on account of their political and social policy, have been lowered by the Bhāgavata as lower than the lowest Śūdras, to the position of pariahs (antyajas). The reason is given by the Bhāgavata itself. They not only disregarded the orthodox system (‘the Vedic holiness’) but they imposed a system of social tyranny. The country under them was encouraged or forced to follow their manners, ethics and religious theories: ‘tannāthās te janapadās tach-chhilāchāra-vādinah.’ Politically they did persistently what the Śaka Satrap Rudradāman was made to swear not to do. He, on getting himself elected as king, took the oath that he would not exact taxes except those sanctioned by Hindu Law³. The Mlechchha kings, however, according to the description of the Bhāgavata and the Vishnu, followed the general practice of their race—exacted illegal taxes (prajās te bhakshayishyanti Mlechchhā rājnaya-rūpinah). They killed and massacred even women and children. They killed cows (which had become sacred by that time, as the Vākātaka and Gupta inscriptions prove). They killed Brahmins, they took away wives and wealth of others (strī-bāla-go-dvijaghnās cha, paradāradha-nāhritāh). They were never ‘crowned’, i.e., legal kings according to Hindu Law. They indulged in constant dynastic revolutions amongst themselves [“hatvā chaiva parasparam”; uditoditavamśās tu uditāstamitās tathā]—a condition already guessed by numismatists from their coins. There was thus a national cry, expressed by the Purāna text, practically inviting the Gupta emperors and the Hindus of the time to eradicate this lingering canker in the North-Western corner—an operation which Chandra Gupta II was compelled to perform and which he did perform successfully.