Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c13.678

c13.678

The Gupta period witnessed momentous changes in the status of the śūdras. Not only was there an increase in the rates of wages paid to hired labourers, artisans and pedlars, but slaves and hired labourers were gradually becoming sharecroppers and peasants. This change is broadly reflected in the politico-legal position of the śūdras. The admonitions of the Śānti Parvan advocating the appointment of śūdra ministers⁴ may not be taken seriously, but certainly the heads of the guilds of artisans were associated with the work of the district government, and in times of emergency the śūdras were conceded the right to bear arms. The rigours of the varṇa legislation were softened, and probably some of the harsh measures against the śūdras were annulled. The religious rights of the śūdras were considerably enlarged. Social degradation undoubtedly took place in the case of the untouchables, who were regarded as śūdras only theoretically, but for all practical purposes were marked out as a separate community. But it would be wrong to think that other sections of the śūdras were socially degraded in the Gupta period.⁵ There is no evidence for this in regard to food and marriage practices. As regards education, the śūdras were definitely conceded the right of hearing the epics and the Purāṇas, and sometimes even the Veda. Considered as a whole, the economic, politico-legal, social and religious changes in the position of the śūdras during the Gupta period may be regarded as marking a transformation in the status of that community.