History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c93.458

v7.c93.458

As regards the setting up of Vedic fires, the Tai. Br. I. 1. 4 and Āp. Śr. V. 3. 18 prescribe different seasons for men of the three varnas and add that a 'rathakāra should set up Vedic fires in the rainy season'. The question arises whether the word 'rathakāra' in these passages means a person of that caste (i. e. whether it is to be taken in the popular sense) or whether it refers to any one of any varna who manufactures chariots (i. e. the etymological sense). The established conclusion is that the popular sense is to be taken and not the etymological (P. M. S. VI. 1. 44-50). In the case of the *rathakāra* the mantra for *ādhāna* (setting up of Vedic fires) is 'rbhūṇāṃ tvā' (Tai. Br. I. 1. 4. 8). Though not belonging to one of the three higher varnas, the rathakāra could repeat that mantra because the Śruti expressly authorized him to do so, but he was not entitled to *upanayana*. The P. M. S. (VI. 1. 50) held that the *rathakāra* (mentioned in the Tai. Br. and Āp. Śr.) was a caste called Saudhanvana which is neither śūdra nor one of the three higher varnas but is slightly inferior to them. Vide H. of Dh. Vol. II. pp. 45-46. The S. Kau. argues that²¹¹⁰ if once the right of a Hindu widow to adopt is conceded, the mere fact that she is not entitled to repeat Vedic mantras in general cannot deprive her of that right and that it is possible to hold, as in the case of the rathakāra, that she can repeat the specific mantra required in adopting a boy. The Tai. S. IV. 5. 4. 2 separately mentions several craftsmen such as takṣan, rathakāra, kulāla, karmāra &c. From Atharvaveda III. 5. 6 and Vāj. S. 30. 6 (medhāyai rathakāram dhairyāya takṣānam) it appears that the rathakāra held a good position in the then society.