Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c12.85

c12.85

Manu lays down a number of laws which affect the economic position of the śūdras adversely. Thus he introduces rates of interest differing according to varṇa.¹ The monthly interest charged should be two, three, four or five per cent according to the order of the varṇas.² But probably this law did not work in practice. According to a Nāsik Inscription when money was deposited with a weavers' guild, the rate of interest paid by them amounted to from 1 to 3/4 per cent per month.³ There is nothing to show that as śūdras they had to pay the highest rate of interest. A modern apologist has tried to justify this gradation of interest on the ground that it is in proportion to the social services of the borrowers.⁴ which implies that the services rendered by the śūdras were negligible when in fact, along with the vaiśyas, they sustained the entire social fabric by their producing activities. Although Manu’s law regarding interest may not have worked in practice, in charging interest probably the brāhmaṇas were shown some consideration while the śūdras were made to work off their debts. In any case such preferential treatment prevailed till recent times.