Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c12.188

c12.188

In cases of assault and similar crimes the punishments prescribed for the śūdras are very harsh. It is provided that the very limb with which a man of low caste (*antyajaḥ*) hurts a man of the highest caste (*śreṣṭhaḥ*) shall be cut off.² Here Kullūka takes *antyaja* in the sense of śūdra,³ which agrees with a similar rule of earlier times.⁴ The term *śreṣṭha* refers to brāhmaṇas and not to the men of three higher orders, such as is sometimes understood.⁵ In a verse Manu states that he who raises his hand or a stick shall have his hand cut off; he who in anger kicks with his feet shall have his foot cut off.⁶ Probably this also refers to the offences of the śūdra against the brāhmaṇa. It is further laid down that if a man of the lowest birth (*apakṛṣṭaḥ*) tries to place himself on the same seat with a person of high caste (*utkṛṣṭaḥ*), he shall be branded on his hip and banished, or the king shall cause his buttock to be gashed.⁷ The *apakṛṣṭaja* stands for the śūdra and the *utkṛṣṭa* for the brāhmaṇa.⁸ Similarly if out of arrogance the śūdra spits on a brāhmaṇa, the king shall cause both his lips to be cut off; if he urinates on him, the penis; if he breaks wind against him, the anus.⁹ Again, if the śūdra lays hold of the hair of a brāhmaṇa, the king should unhesitatingly amputate his hands, likewise if he takes him by the feet, the beard, the neck, or the scrotum.¹⁰ Perhaps to cover all such cases, Manu lays down a general rule that the king shall inflict on a base-born śūdra, who intentionally gives pain to brāhmaṇas, various corporal punishments which cause terror.¹ Giving pain to the brāhmaṇas is interpreted as causing him physical pain or stealing his property.²