Cultural Study of Nisitha Curni

SR No.: 001743
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Madhu Sen
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar
Publication Year: 1975
Total Pages: 432
Language: English, Prakrit
Classification: Book_English, Agam, Canon, & Literature
File Size: 23 MB

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A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
Śūdras, however, were included into the four Aryan Varnasa and as such they were differentiated from the Cāņdalas, śvapākas and other despised people who had no place in the Aryan society. It is not clear as to who constituted this class of the Aryan Śūdras. The dasas, kammakaras, bhayagas and other agriculturist and manual labourers so frequently mentioned in the NC.might be taken as representatives of the Sūdra Varpa. Yuan Chwang informs us that the fourth class is that of the Sūdras or agriculturists who toiled by cultivating the soil and were industrious at sowing and reaping. Like the three higher Varnas the Sūdras also had their own kulas or families and the ladies belonging to the Sūdras were not equated with the untouchables for having belonged to the Aryan Varna. It is evident that although occupying the lowest position in the Āryan society, the status of the Sūdras was much higher than that of the Cāndalas or others who were considered as untouchables. Despised and Untouchables
Besides this Āryan population there was a large number of the tribal population residing on the outer fringes of the Aryan settlements who were despised and segregated by the members of the Aryan society. These people were usually called by a generic term Mecchas or Andriya?, and they roughly corresponded to the untouchable sections of the Brāhmanical society. A difference has been marked by the scholars between impurity and untouchability. According to Ambedkar,
1. See-NC. 4, p. 50. Here the Sūdra ladies are mentioned along with the
other three Āryan Varnas as distinct from the ladies belonging to the
despised castes. 2. NO. 2, p. 263; NC, 3, pp. 272-73, 519. 3. Watters, op. cit., 1, p. 168. 4. Tracy T , 341Chetat 9 - --NC. 3, p. 413. 5. तत्थ अदुगुछिता बंभणी खत्तिया वेसि सुद्दी य । दुगु छिता...णडवरुडादियाओ--
NC. 4, p. 50. 6. NO. 3, pp. 429, 518. 7. NO. 4, p. 40. 8. Sharma, op. cit., p. 125.