History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c41.s6.12

v3.c41.s6.12

∗ Not only Sanyāsa but even Tapas was not allowed to the Śūdras, though it was for a long time allowed to Kṣatriyas and Vaiśyas. The episode in the Rāmāyaṇa in which Rāma is told that a Brahmin chlid died owing to the sin of a Śūdra practising penance and Rāma goes to Daṇḍakāraṇya to kill that Śūdra and when he is killed the Brahmin child regains its life is illustrative of this belief that Śūdras are not allowed to perform Tapas much more Sanyāsa.