History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c91.34

v7.c91.34

Though the brāhmaṇas in the 5th and following centuries A. D wanted to placate the śūdras who were probably a majority of the whole people and to wean them away from Buddhism, they still kept a distinction between *dvijas* and *śūdras* and the only concessions made were that the śūdras could worship in the same way as *dvijas* did and that they could have mantras (Paurāṇika) in their rites and ceremonies. For example, in allowing *bhasma-snāna* (smearing ashes on the body) the Padma (IV. 110. 286-289) provides Vedic mantras for men of the three varṇas but Paurāṇika mantras only (Padma IV. 110. 290-293) for śūdras. The Padma¹⁴⁶⁹ further provides that śūdras could not perform prāṇāyāma or utter the sacred syllable 'om' but that they should substitute *dhyāna* in place of prāṇāyāma and '*Śiva*' in place of 'om'.