Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c13.575

c13.575

An important indication of improvement in the religious status of the śūdra is to be found in some provisions regarding the making of images. While enumerating the constituents suitable for preparing clay for this purpose, a Vaiṣṇavite text lays down that men of all castes can make images.¹ This shows that the śūdras could make and worship images, made of the same material as the members of the other varṇas. Another text of the period, however, prescribes varṇa distinctions in the selection of wood to be used for making images, and accordingly four varieties of wood are provided for the four varṇas respectively.² A similar rule occurring in a post-Gupta Vaiṣṇavite Upapurāṇa ordains that in making temples and images white wood is auspicious for the brāhmaṇas, red for the kṣatriyas, yellow for the vaiśyas, and black for the śūdras.³ In making images, the same text recommends stones of these four colours for the four varṇas respectively.⁴ In spite of these varṇa distinctions in regard to the selection of wood and stone, the texts dealing with iconography leave no doubt that the śūdras could make and worship images.