Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c9.125

c9.125

The *aśvamedha* sacrifice was performed with the object of conquering all the four varṇas, which shows that the ruler felt the necessity of securing the allegiance of all sections of society.² The same impression is acquired from another passage, in which on the occasion of the *rājasūya* sacrifice, the priest makes the king successful in gaining splendour, strength, offspring and firm footing, which qualities are respectively associated with the brāhmaṇa, the kṣatriya, the vaiśya and the śūdra.³ A passage of similar import is to be found in the *Taittirīya Saṃhitā*.⁴ According to it the rājanya has to repeat the kindling verses thrice, because in addition to the allegiance of the warrior, he has to secure the obedience of the three other classes of people, namely the brāhmaṇa, the vaiśya and the śūdra. All this shows that the obedience of the śūdra was not taken for granted as in some later sources. That it was found essential for the king to win his support also is evident from a passage of the *Jaiminīya Brāhmaṇa*. It informs us that the Pañcāla prince Darbha Śātānīki was honoured among the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas and the śūdras successively through the use of the *gāyatrī*, the *triṣṭubh*, the *jagatī* and the *anuṣṭubh* metres.⁵