Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c11.40

c11.40

śūdra and karṣaka as two independent words, seems to be correct.¹ On the other hand the commentary of Yogghama which treats śūdra as an adjective of karṣaka² reflects the state of affairs in medieval times when śūdras were treated as peasants. Yogghama clearly states that vaiśya peasants are few in number.³ This obviously applies to the medieval period when the vaiśya peasantry had become practically extinct;⁴ in ancient times till the Gupta period the vaiśya peasants were the principal taxpayers. Kauṭilya’s instruction therefore does not signify any fundamental change in the position of the śūdras. It merely focuses on the role of śūdras as slaves, artisans and agricultural labourers in opening virgin lands to cultivation and in founding new villages.