Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c13.230

c13.230

During this period also we hear of śūdra rulers such as those in Saurāṣṭra, Avanti, Arbuda and Malwa. Along with them are mentioned the traditional Śūdra, Ābhīra⁵ and Mleccha rulers, who all are described as reigning in the regions of Sindhu and Kashmir, and are assigned by Pargiter to the fourth century A.D.¹ But they were labelled śūdras not because they arose from the fourth varṇa, but because these tribal and foreign rulers did not patronize the brāhmaṇas and did not follow the brāhmaṇical dharma.² In a drama, however, there is the example of a cowherd who became a king.³ When Yājñavalkya repeats the old injunction that a snātaka should not accept presents from a king who is not a kṣatriya he has probably such rulers (either tribal or śūdra) in mind.⁴ But in course of time these rulers received brāhmaṇical recognition and were turned into respectable kṣatriyas.