Public Administration in Ancient India c5.15

c5.15

¹ In the Buddhist books there are many references to persons who changed their professions without losing caste. In the time of the Mahābhārata mixed marriages were infrequent, but not absolutely impossible. The Sukranīti, a comparatively recent work, says, “It is not by birth that men became Brāhmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, Sūdras and Mlechchas; but the distinctions arose in accordance with their qualifications (guṇa) and occupation (karma).” The Bhagavad-Gītā also mentions guṇa and karma as the determining factors in the division of men into castes.