Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c12.226

c12.226

But the rule of Manu that people should not converse with the wives of others does not apply to some sections of the śūdras such as actors and singers, for they live on the intrigues of their wives.⁷ Nevertheless, those who converse with these and women slaves under the charge of a master are required to pay a small fine.⁸ Buddhist and Jain nuns are also included in this category,⁹ for they were probably recruited from the lower orders, and, like monks, were looked upon as śūdras.¹⁰ Manu prescribes the most severe punishment for a śūdra male adulterer. The śūdra who has intercourse with an unguarded woman of the twice-born caste shall lose the part offending and all his property; in the case of such an offence against a guarded woman he shall lose everything, even his life.¹ Here the term twice-born (*dvijāti*) seems to refer to the brāhmaṇa, for the two following rules provide punishments for kṣatriya and vaiśya offenders against a brāhmaṇa woman.² But if these two offend against a guarded brāhmaṇī who is the wife of an eminent brāhmaṇa, they shall be also punished like a śūdra or be burnt in a fire of dry grass.³ It may be recalled that in this case Kauṭilya provides the punishment of death by burning only for the śūdra offender,⁴ although Vasiṣṭha provides similar punishments for kṣatriya and vaiśya offenders as well.⁵ A passage of Manu is taken to mean that in such a case the śūdra shall be punished with death.⁶ Since the death penalty for the śūdra adulterer is generally corroborated by other sources, the provision of Manu may not have been ineffective.