Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c12.435

c12.435

In the earlier periods the main distinction lay between the śūdras and three upper varṇas. Although this distinction is retained by Manu as a matter of form, his work shows a far stronger tendency towards the approximation of the vaiśyas and śūdras in matters of legal provisions, food and marriage. The development was probably due to the fact that large numbers of vaiśyas were being thrown into the ranks of the śūdras. The Viṣṇu Purāṇa states that in the Kali age the vaiśyas will give up agriculture and trade, and will take to servitude and mechanical arts,¹ and the prevailing castes will be those of the śūdras.² That the traditional vaiśya varṇa was gradually disappearing is evident from a passage of Manu. He attributes the quality of truth (sattva) to the brāhmaṇa and activity (rajas) to the kṣatriya;³ the śūdras and mlecchas are cast together as representatives of the dark quality madhyamā tāmasi gati produced by actions in a former life,⁴ but there is no mention of vaiśyas in this connection. This may suggest that the vaiśyas were being lost in the śūdra masses.