History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.904

v4.c63.t2.904

Gaut. 17. 6, Manu IV. 253 (= Viṣṇu Dh. S.¹⁸⁴⁹ 57. 16), Yāj. I. 166 and Parāśara XI. 19 say that a brāhmaṇa may eat the food of these four and of his own barber. Haradatta on Gaut. 17. 6 and Aparārka (p. 244) remark that a brāhmaṇa can take the food of these persons among śūdras only in the event of extreme calamities. From this it appears that up to the 12th century A. D. the peremptory prohibition contained in this text was either unknown or was not much respected. The exclusiveness of caste in matters of food and marriage was made more strict by the Kalivarjya texts. Vide above (pp. 869 and 885) as to how Parāśara himself was overruled by this text.