History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c21.4.1

v2.c21.4.1

In the early Vedic literature several of the names of castes that are spoken of in the smṛtis as antyajas occur. We have carmamna (a tanner of hides?) in the Ṛgveda (VIII. 5. 38), the Cāṇḍāla and Paulkasa occur in the Vāj. S., the Vapa or Vaptā (barber) even in the Ṛg., the Vidalakāra or Bidalakāra (corresponding to the buruḍa of the smṛtis) occurs in the Vāj. S. and the Tai. Br., Vāsaḥpalpūlī (washerwoman) corresponding to the Rajaka of the smṛtis in the Vāj. S. But there is no indication in these passages whether these, even if they formed castes, were at all untouchables. The utmost that can be said is that as the Paulkasa is assigned to *bībhatsā* (in Vaj. S. 30. 17) and Cāṇḍāla to Vāyu (in the Puruṣamedha), the Paulkasa lived in such a way as to cause disgust and the Cāṇḍāla lived in the wind (i. e. probably in the open or in a cemetery). The only passage of Vedic literature on which reliance can be placed for some definite statement about cāṇḍālas is in the Chāndogya Up.³⁸⁶ V. 10. 7. where while describing the fate of those souls that went to the world of the moon for enjoying the rewards of some of their actions it is stated 'those who did praiseworthy actions here, quickly acquire birth in a good condition, viz. in the condition of a brāhmaṇa, a kṣatriya or vaiśya, while those whose actions were low (reprehensible) quickly acquire birth in a low condition i. e.