History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c95.359.2

v7.c95.359.2

21, 121, 146 he alleges that the words "yadahareva virajet tadahareva pravrajet" (a man should become a sannyāsin the very day on which he feels disgust for this worldly life) are a dictum or saying of Śaṅkara. But this text is taken from the Jābālopaniṣad 4. The whole passage of the Jābālopaniṣad 4 on the āśramas is quoted by Śaṅkara on Vedāntasūtra III. 4. 20 and Śaṅkara calls it Jābālaśruti. On p 22 Mr. Sanjana quotes Bhagavadgītā (IX. 32, 'mām hi pārtha vyapāśritya yepi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ, striyo vaiśyās-tathā śudrās-tepi yānti parām gatim) and holds that women, vaiśyas and śūdras are declared to be included under 'pāpayonayaḥ' (of evil or sinful birth). This is quite wrong. A Vaiśya from very ancient times belonged to the three higher classes and in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad V. 10. 7, it is expressly stated that Vaiśyayoni is of good birth (those whose conduct has been good will quickly attain some good birth, the birth of a brāhmaṇa or of a kṣatriya or of a vaiśya, but those whose conduct has been evil will attain an evil birth, the birth of a dog or a hog or a cāṇḍāla'. So vaiśya's was good birth in Chān. Upanisad. Women of the higher classes could not study the Veda in medieval times but women of the three higher classes co-operated with their husbands in all religious rites (including Vedic sacrifices). Therefore, the Gītā first mentions the worst case viz.