History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c21.4.2

v2.c21.4.2

as a dog, or a boar or a caṇḍāla.' This occurs in Pañcāgnividyā, the purpose of which is to teach *vairāgya* and disgust with the transmigratory world. This passage does not enjoin anything, it is a bare statement by way of explanation or elucidation. All that can be legitimately inferred from this is that the first three varṇas were commended and that caṇḍālas were looked upon as the lowest in the social scale. It is to be noticed that the śūdra varṇa does not occur in this passage at all. So probably even in the times of the Chāndogya the caṇḍāla was looked upon as a śūdra, though lowest among the several śūdra subcastes. The caṇḍāla is equated with the dog and the boar in this passage, but this leads hardly anywhere. It is no doubt stated in the Śat. Br. XII. 4. 1. 4 ³⁸⁷ that 'three beasts are unclean in relation to a sacrifice viz. the vicious (filthy) boar, the ram and the dog.' Here it is clear that every boar is not unclean, but probably only that variety that subsists on the village offal. On the other hand the flesh of boars was said to cause great delight to the Pitṛs when offered in śrāddha (vide Manu III. 270 and Yāj. I. 259). Therefore this Upaniṣad passage does not say anything on the point whether the Caṇḍāla was in its day untouchable. This passage may be compared with another in which the śūdra is said to be a walking cemetery.