Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c30.20

c30.20

brahmans, vaiśyas and śūdras generally were Manu’s offspring.¹ The brahmans expressly claimed other origin (chap. XVI). Nothing is said about the real origin of the vaiśyas, śūdras and populace generally. The brahmanical figment that the four castes were produced from different parts of Brahmā’s body in no wise asserts any common origin. There are, however, abundant indications that India contained many folk of rude culture or aboriginal stock, such as Niṣādas,² Dāsas and Pulindas. Powerful races of hostile character are often mentioned, such as Dānavas, Daityas, Rākṣasas, Nāgas and Dasyus. Some of these were partially civilized, while others were rude and savage and were sometimes cannibals. Those races were reduced to subjection and their barbarous practices were repressed; and, as they came under the influence of Aryan civilization, those names became opprobrious, until at length they ceased to possess any ethnological force and turned into purely evil appellations, just like the word asura, and all became synonymous with the meaning ‘demon’.³ This process has gone on continuously;⁴ thus, Piśāca was originally the name of a tribe⁵ and ultimately turned to mean an impish goblin. The following are instances.