Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c18.s1.1

v2.c18.s1.1

Having seen the futility of relying on some of the foreign travellers for information about the four castes and their sub-divisions, we may now attempt to glean as much information as possible about them from epigraphical and literary sources. The most prominent name amongst the four *varṇas* is of course that of the Brahmans. These deserve a treatment for themselves. A section equally important, although outside the pale of the orthodox group of the four *varṇāśramas*, was that of the Jainas. The significant part played by these in the religious and to a great extent in the commercial life of the people will be discussed in a subsequent paper