Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c8.47

c8.47

Myths and rituals with which ancient texts are replete form an important source for the reconstruction of social history. Recently under the influence of some sociologists a few Western Sanskritists have started questioning the validity of this method. They attribute all kinds of symbolical meanings to rituals and connect many of them with the creation processes. We cannot ignore fertility rites, but it should be noted that they underscore the importance of the production of plants, animals and human beings. The operation of rituals in day-to-day life shows that they originate in reality, and change with change in real life. Hence studies in rituals cannot be discarded by social historians. Some shreds of reality cannot be denied to myths. It was in response to certain social needs that the original 8000 verses of the *Mahābhārata* were first raised to 24000 and then finally to 100000.