________________
Sec. I]
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA
165
Lausikā, Arabi, Drāviḍī, Simghali, Pulindi, Puşkali, Sabari and
Pārasi.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, the position of the Brahmanas in the society does not appear to be superior to that of the Ksatriyas, but they ranked equally with the latter in the front line of the social strata. Like the Ksatriyas and the Vaisyas they possessed abundant wealth to live as rich citizens, even affording the luxury by maintaining a retinue of servants, maids and foreign female slaves belonging to different tribes and nationalities.
The Ksatriyas appear as the ruling class, exercising their power and influence over the whole society, while the merchants and the householders controlled the economic life of the society by carrying on trade and commerce, industry and agriculture, and various arts and crafts, and producing the national wealth and necessaries of all citizens.
They were the real bases of the social edifice on which stood the superstructure of the society.
The BhS also reveals that these three orders stood equal in the eyes of Sramana Dharma, as it is evidenced by the fact of admission of the members of these three castes belonging to both sexes to the Nirgrantha order without any distinction. But there is no evidence to show that the members of lower social grades were admitted to this Sangha.
The reference to the foreign female slaves and waiting maids employed in the house of the rich Brahmana, Rṣabhadatta clearly shows the racial synthesis between the Indians and outside peoples belonging to different races and nationalities, who were incorporated into the fold of the social system of the period of the BhS.
This gradual absorption of these foreign elements in Indian society was one of the most important features of the social evolution of that age which was marked by the catholic spirit of the people.
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