Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c13.457

c13.457

The law-books of the period retain the distinction between the śūdras and untouchables. Thus Yājñavalkya lays down that a śūdra who has intercourse with a caṇḍāla woman is reduced to her position.⁹ Śūdras and śvapakas are mentioned separately in several texts.¹ But in the *Amarakośa* mixed castes and untouchables are looked upon as part of the śūdra community. Ten mixed castes, the karaṇa, the ambaṣṭha, the udgra (probably ugra), the māgadha, the māhiṣa, the kṣattṛ, the sūta, the vaidehaka, the rathakāra and the caṇḍāla are included in the *śūdra-varga* of that work.² The vaidehaka (trader) is, however, listed in the *vaiśya-varga* also.³