History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c19.154

v2.c19.154

¹⁵² The word 'yuga' is understood by Medhātithi (on Manu X. 64) and Kullūka to mean 'janma'; Sarvajña-nārāyaṇa understands it to mean 'yugma' (pair of spouses). The meaning (yugma) is attached to 'yuga' by Aparārka on Yāj. I. 96 (p. 119). In the S. B. E. vol. II p. 196 Dr. Bühler compares Āp. Dh. S. II. 5.10. 10-11 with Gautama IV. 22. But the great scholar is not accurate here. Āp. does not speak of progeny of mixed marriages rising to higher status or being degraded to lower status after several generations; he rather speaks of a śūdra rising higher and higher in successive births. In the Anuśāsanaparva (chap. 27. 5-6, 28. 6-13) it is said that after numberless births śūdras and others become vaiśyas and so on. Vanaparva (212. 11-12) gives expression to the same idea शूद्रयोनौ हि जातस्य सद्गुणानुपतिष्ठतः । वैश्यत्वं लभते ब्रह्मन् क्षत्रियत्वं तथैव च ॥ आर्जवे वर्तमानस्य ब्राह्मण्यमभिजायते । वनपर्व 212. 11-12.