[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1958) › c8.291 # Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c8.291 Śūdras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c8.291 - **Language:** English ### [c8.291](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1958.c8.291) ⁴ The \*Mbh.\* list in practically the same form occurs in the Purāṇas, in which the Śūdras are mentioned as a people along with the Ābhīras, Kālatoyakas, Aparāntas, Pahlavas (wrongly mentioned as Pallavas in the Cr. Edn. VI. 10.66) and others. \*Mārk. P.\*, ch. 57. 35-36 and \*Matsya P.\*, ch. 113. 40. In the Gupta period the Śūdra tribe seems to have held a definite territory, which is listed in the \*Viṣṇu Purāṇa\* (IV. 24.18) along with the territories Saurāṣṭra, Avanti and Arbuda. There is no justification for Diksitar’s reading \*śūra\* (Gupta Polity, pp. 3-4), for the text clearly mentions \*śūdra\* territory. - [Previous: c8.290](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1958.c8.290) - [Next: c8.292](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1958.c8.292) - [Up: c8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1958.c8) ## Linked texts (4) - [Matsyapurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.matsya.113.40) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit - [Mahābhārata](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.6.10.66) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit - [Viṣṇupurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu.4.24.18) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit - [Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.markandeya) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1958.c8.291](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1958.c8.291) · Pramāṇa