Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c12.269.2

c12.269.2

Manu further adds that the food of an artisan destroys the offspring of the snātaka, that of a washerman his physical strength and the food of the tribal groups and harlots excludes him from the higher worlds.³ If he takes the food of any of these people unintentionally, he must fast for three days; but if he has done so intentionally, he must perform a difficult penance known as the kṛcchra.⁴ It seems that in all these references the snātaka probably means a Vedic student from the brāhmaṇa varṇa. The result of these restrictions, if enforced, would be to prevent all social contacts between the lower orders and the educated brāhmaṇas. Manu lays down that the learned brāhmaṇa must not take the cooked food of a śūdra who does not perform the rites of śrāddha, but on failure of all other means of subsistence he might accept raw grain sufficient to maintain him for one night.⁵ But such a rule is not valid in abnormal times. Manu cites several examples of the distinguished sages who took forbidden food in time of distress.⁶ Thus hungry Viśvāmitra, who could distinguish between right and wrong, was ready to eat the haunch of a dog, receiving it from the hands of a caṇḍāla.⁷ Generally the food of the śūdras was accepted in normal times.