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The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c7.s11: Vaidya on c. 1000 A.C.

The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c7.s11

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Vaidya on c. 1000 A.C.

c7.s11.1

While dealing with the period of what may be described as a “pentarchy” in India, i.e. the synchronous hegemony of five powers, the Kāśmīris, the Gurjara-Pratīhāras, the Pālas or Senas, the Rāṣṭrakūṭas, and the Cholas, we come across an interesting estimate by a Deccani scholar of Poona, C. V. Vaidya.³⁷ According to him during the ninth and tenth centuries India “undoubtedly enjoyed greater happiness than in any century of her known history, whether previous or subsequent." His position is described below : "Mauryas ruling south from the north or Āndhra-bhrityas ruling north from south were an evil," says he. But during the period in question "the three great empires of Kanauj, Malkhed and Manghyr were ruled by entirely local ruling dynasties. There was no domination of either the Maratha over the Bengali or the Bengali over the Assamese." Again, Śūdras were considered fit to be dined with; and the *Parāśara Smriti* ordained that Brāhmaṇas and Kṣatriyas might take to the agricultural occupation and yet keep to their Vedic ritual. Besides, *anuloma* marriage was practised among the three higher castes. A Brāhmaṇa was permitted to marry a Kṣatriya or even a Vaiśya girl, the progeny being treated as Kṣatriya or Vaiśya respectively. In the same family there was thus room for Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas and Vaiśyas.

c7.s11.2

³⁷ *History of Mediæval Hindu India* Vol. II (Poona 1924) pp. 247, 250-251, 255. See also the appendix on extracts from important *Smritis* (Manu and Yājnavalkya excepted) showing the freer social condition of India in the ninth and tenth centuries.

Cites (3)