Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c15.50

c15.50

In the second century, inscriptions of Gautamīputra Sātakarṇi and Rudradāman emphasise the preservation of varṇas as one of the main royal functions. This aspect is also stressed by Manu, who is very keen on avoiding varṇasaṃkara. All this may point to a date around A.D. 200 for the earlier portions of Manu. But an epigraphic examination of some of the other contents of Manu would place them in the fifth century or even later. We can therefore suggest a revised time bracket, between A.D. 220 and 400. This fits in with the dating of the Śānti Parvan in which some of Manu’s verses exactly occur; it is difficult to say who borrowed from whom. However the tenth chapter, which deals with over five dozen mixed castes, may belong to late Gupta or even post-Gupta times.