THE NATIONAL LAW INSTITUTE UNIVERSITY

BHOPAL

PROJECT

ON
“SHUDRAS”

SECOND TRIMESTER

SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:

ISHITA SINGH 2018BALLB54 MR. BIR PAL SINGH

SOMYA YADAV 2018BALLB37 Assistant Professor

ADHIR LOT 2018BALLB43 Sociology

SIDDHARTH VISHWAKARMA 2018BALLB28

RACHIT RAGHUWANSHI 2018BALLB27

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We take this opportunity to thanks everyone who helped out in completing my project directly or
indirectly. I show a special gratitude towards Bir Pal Singh Sir, Assistant professor, Sociology,
without whose guidance and support, I would have been unable to complete this project. I would
also like to thank NLIU’s library, which helped a lot in learning more about my project’s topic.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

SYNOPSIS......................................................................................................................................4

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM........................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................5

VARNA SYSTEM..........................................................................................................................6

BRAHMANIC VIEW OF ORIGIN OF SHUDRAS.......................................................................7

WESTERN THEORY OF ORIGIN OF SHUDRAS......................................................................9

AMBEDKAR’S THEORY OF ORIGIN OF SHUDRAS.............................................................10

PROBLEMS FACED BY THE SHUDRAS.................................................................................12

PURITY AND IMPURITY...........................................................................................................14

SHUDRAS AND AVARNA.........................................................................................................16

CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................18

BIBLIOGRAPHY..........................................................................................................................19

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 SYNOPSIS

The project deals with the shudras, their position in hierarchical chain of varnas, their relevance
in today’s modern Indian society, the restrictions posed over them and conflicting theories of
their origin.

Statement of Problem

The theory of shudras owes its origin on the fact of conquer of india by Aryans however Dr.
Ambedkar, a polymath and a Dalit activist, believed that there were initially only three varnas:
the Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya, and that the Shudras were the Kshatriyas who were denied
the Upanayana, an initiation ritual, by the Brahmins. This presents a conflicting view over the
origin of shudras for ex. Ambedkars’ claim has been contested by historians such as Sharma.

Research methodology

Doctrinal method of research is being followed.

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 INTRODUCTION

Shudra is the fourth Varna, whose mythological origins are described in the Purusha Sukta of
the Rig-Veda, one of the sacred texts of Hinduism, and later explained in the Manusmṛti. This
latter text defines society as comprising four groups, sometimes also called chaturvarna, of
which the other three are Brahmins (priests), Kshatriya (those with military as well as governing
functions) and Vaishya (agriculturalists, cattle rearers and traders). According to this ancient
text, the Shudra perform functions of serving the other three Varna.

The Rig-Veda was compiled over a considerable period and it is generally agreed that

the Purusha Sukta, which is the only hymn in the Rig Veda which mentions the varnas, was
added during the Mantra period, the period immediately preceding the Brahmana period, or the
beginning of the post-Vedic age.  Since the varnas are first mentioned in the Purusha Sukta, it is
evident that they did not exist before the Mantra period.

The relationship between occupation, Varna, and social ordering in the Rig Vedic period is
complex. In the Varna ordering of society, notions of purity and pollution were central. The
phenomenon of the upper classes living on the labour of tribesmen was just emerging, and was
not ritualized or ideologically ratified until the Purusha Sukta.  R. S. Sharma states that "the Rig
Vedic society was neither organized on the basis of social division of labour nor on that of
differences in wealth but was primarily organised on the basis of kin, tribe and lineage."1

Sri Aurobindo finds varna system actually depicts an aspect of Physical cosmology, where he
terms Shudra is one of the power, tendencies, nature of toil, labour & service being present in all
human beings in different proportions, He finds that with time this concept was too much
externalised and mechanised which became a hard system quite different from what it was
intended.

VARNA SYSTEM
1
Sharma, Ram Sharan (1990). Śūdras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order Down to
Circa A.D. 600. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. p. 5

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Varna is a Sanskrit term varṇa (वर्ण). It is derived from the root vṛ, meaning "to cover, to envelop,
count, classify consider, describe or choose". The meaning of the word as used in
the Rigveda has the literal meaning "outward appearance, exterior, form, figure, shape, colour"
besides the figurative "colour, race, kind, sort, character, quality, property". In the Rigveda, the
term can mean "class of men, tribe, order, and caste", especially expressing the contrast between
the āryas and dāsas. According to Indian sources the word Varna originates from the root word
"vrinja" which means "choice".  Ancient Hindu literature classified all humankind, and all
created beings, in principle into four varnas:

1. Brahmin: At the top of the social hierarchy were the Brahmins. The sages of Indian
culture are all Brahmins. Besides they were wise men who imparted knowledge and
wisdom to the society. They were highly respected in the ancient Indian society. They
were the advisors in the royal courts.
2. Kshatriya: The warrior or the ruling class ranked second in the Varna System. They
were the protectors of the society. The Kshatriyas were depicted as gallant & courageous.
With the evolution of caste system their position in society remained the same. 
3. Vaishya: This was the merchant class. They were the moneyed class and contributed a
great deal in the economic growth of the nation. The Brahmins kept them in good humor
as Vaishya community constructed temples and other buildings for social cause. 
4. Shudra: The worst hit by the caste system in India were the Shudras. Though they were
looked down as dasas and dashyus, and were discriminated against. In the post Vedic
ages there evolved a new section known as the Untouchables which were often confused
as Shudras but were originally Avarna. This quadruple division is an ancient stratification
of society is not to be confused with the much more nuanced jati or "caste".

The Varna system is discussed in Hindu texts, and understood as idealised human callings. The
concept of Varna is generally traced to the Purusha Sukta verse of the Rig Veda, however
modern scholarship believes that this verse was inserted at a later date, possibly to create a
charter myth.

BRAHMANIC VIEW OF ORIGIN OF SHUDRAS

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 “Purusha has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and thousand feet. On every side 
enveloping the earth he overpassed (it) by a space of ten  fingers.
Purusha himself is this whole (universe), whatever has been and whatever shall be. He is
the Lord of immortality, since (or when) by food he expands. …………………..
When (the gods) divided Purusha, into how many parts did they cut him up? What was
his mouth? What arms (had he)? What (two objects) are said (to have been) his thighs
and feet?
The Brahmana was his mouth, the Rajanya was made his arms; the being called the
Vaishya, he was his thighs; the Shudra sprang from his feet…….. .”

The Purusha Sukta is a theory of the origin of the Universe. In other words, it is a
cosmogony. No nation which has reached an advanced degree of thought has failed to
develop some sort of cosmogony.
Brahmanic speculations on the origin of the four classes and of the Shudras. The ancient
Brahmins were evidently conscious of the fact that the origin of the four classes was an
unusual and uncommon social phenomenon and that the place of the Shudra in it was
very unnatural and that this called for some explanation. Otherwise, it would be
impossible to account for these innumerable attempts to explain the origin of the
Chaturvarnya and of the Shudra.

The variety of them is simply bewildering. Some allege that Purusha was the origin of the
four Varnas, and some attribute their origin to Brahma, some to Prajapati and some to
Vratya. The same source gives differing explanations. The White Yajur Veda has two
explanations, one in terms of Purusha, the other in terms of Prajapati. The Black Yajur
Veda has three explanations to offer. Two are in terms of Prajapati, the third in terms of
Brahman. The Atharva Veda has four explanations, one in terms of Purusha, second in
terms of Brahman, third in terms of Vratya and fourth quite different from the first three.

Even when the theory is the same, the details are not the same. Some explanations such
as those in terms of Prajapti, or Brahma are theological. Others in terms of Manu or

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 Kasyapa are in humanistic terms. It is imagination running riot. There is in them neither
history nor sense.

Prof. Max Muller commenting on the Brahmanas has said:

"The Brahmanas represent no doubt a most interesting phase in the history of the Indian
mind, but judged by themselves, as literary productions, they are most disappointing. No
one would have supposed that at so early a period, and in so primitive a state of society,
there could have risen up a literature which for pedantry and downright absurdity can
hardly be matched anywhere. There is no lack of striking thoughts, of bold expressions,
of sound reasoning, and curious traditions in these collections. But these are only like the
fragments of a torso, like precious gems set in brass and lead. The general character of
these works is marked by shallow and insipid grandiloquence, by priestly conceit, and
antiquarian pedantry. It is most important to the historian that he should know how soon
the fresh and healthy growth of a nation can be blighted by priestcraft and superstition.
It is most important that we should know that nations are liable to these epidemics in
their youth as well as in their dotage. These works deserve to be studied as the physician
studies the twaddle of idiots, and the raving of madmen”

WESTERN THEORY OF ORIGIN OF SHUDRAS

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 “The people who created the Vedic literature belonged to the Aryan race. This Aryan
race came from outside India and invaded India. The natives of India were known as
Dasas and Dasyus who were racially different from the Aryans. The Aryans were a white
race. The Dasas and Dasyus were a dark race. The Aryans conquered the Dasas and
Dasyus. The Dasas and Dasyus after they were conquered and enslaved were called
Shudras. Aryans cherished colour prejudice and therefore formed the Chaturvarnya
whereby they separated the white race from the black race such as the Dasas and the
Dasyus.”

These are the principal elements in the Western theory about the origin and position of
Shudras in the Indo‐Aryan society. Whether it is valid or not is another matter. But this
much must certainly be said about it that after reading the Brahmanic theories with their  
long and tedious explanations attempting to treat a social fact as a divine dispensation, 
one cannot but feel a certain amount of relief in having before oneself a theory, which 
proceeds to give a natural explanation of a social fact.One can do nothing with the Brahm
anic theories except to call them senseless ebullitions of a sillymind. They leave the 
problem as it is. With the modem theory, one is at least on the road to recover one's way
to test the validity.

However Vedas do not support this view as:

The Vedas do not know any such race as the Aryan race. There is no evidence in the
Vedas of any invasion of India by the Aryan race and its having conquered the Dasas and
Dasyus supposed to be natives of India. There is no evidence to show that the distinction
between Aryans, Dasas and Dasyus was a racial distinction. The Vedas do not support the
contention that the Aryas were different in colour from the Dasas and Dasyus.

Ambedkar’s THEORY OF ORIGIN OF SHUDRAS

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 THE object of his essay2 was to trace the origin of the Shudras and discover the causes of
their degradation. After an examination of historical material and of theories suggested
by various writers— orthodox as well as modern—he put forth a new thesis. It has been
presented in parts for the facility of laying the foundation of each part separately. These
parts were assembled together for a full and complete understanding of what the thesis is.
It may be summarized as follows:

 The Shudras were one of the Aryan communities of the solar race.
 The Shudras ranked as the Kshatriya Varna in the Indo-Aryan Society.
 There  was a time when the Aryan Society recognized only three Vamas.
Brahmins, Kshatriyas and  Vaishyas.  The Shudras were not a separate Varna
  but  a part of the  Kshatriya Varna.
 There was a continuous feud between the Shudra kings and the Brahmins, in
which the Brahmins were subjected to many tyrannies and indignities.
 As a result of the hatred towards the Shudras due to their tyrannies and
oppressions, the Brahmins refused to invest the Shudras with the sacred thread.
 Owing to the loss of the sacred thread the Shudras became socially degraded, fell
below the rank of the Vaishyas and came to form the fourth Varna.

Ambedkar has pointed out that the creator of the Vedic literature belonged to the Aryan
race. They came from outside India and invaded India. Those were natives in India
known as Dasas and Dasus and they were racially different from the Aryans. The Dasas
and Dasus were a dark race and the Aryans were a white race. The Aryans conquered the
Dasas and Dasus and the Dasas or Dasus were conquered and enslaved were called
Shudras. The Dasas and Dasus form a fourth Varna popularly known as Shudras. The
Shudras were racially black such as the Dasas and the Dasus. According to Dr.
Ambedkar, there was no evidence in the Vedas of any invasion of India by the Aryan
race and its having conquered the Dases or Dasus to be natives of India. There was no

2
“Who Were Shudras? How they came to be the fourth Varna in the Indo-Aryan Society”, (1946)
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 relevance and evidence to show that the Aryans, Dasas and Dasus were distinct on
elements.

The Vedas do not support in the contention that the Aryans were different in colour from
the Dases and Dasus. He has stated that the Shudras were Aryans community. The
Shudras belonged to Kshatriya class and some powerful kings of the ancient Aryan
communities were Shudras. To improve his argument he has mentioned Verses 38-40 of
Chapter 60 of the Shanti Parvan of the Mahabharata. The Shanti Parvan mentioned that
the Paijavana was a Shudra and the Shudra Paijavana performed sacrifices. The Brahmins
performed sacrifices for him and accepted Dakshina from him. Yaska’s Nirukta formed
that the person who was the son of Paijavana is Sudas and Paijavana means son of
Paijavana.

In Rig Veda, Paijavana was another name of Sudas. Sudas was neither Dasas nor Aryan.
They were enemies to each other. Sudas was neither Dasa nor Arya. Divodasa was a king
and the father of Sudas was Divodasa. Divodasa fought against Turvasas and Yadus,
Shambara, Parava and Karumja and Gungu. Sudevi was the wife of Sudas. Sudas was a
king and his coronation ceremony was performed by the Brahma-rishi- Vasistha. The
king Sudas was more superior to a Kshatriya. He was a mighty king. The Rig Veda did
not mention the Shudra as a separate Varna. Satapatha and the Taittiriya do not speak of
the creation of the Shudras as a separate. Purusha Sukta of the Rig Veda mentioned that
there were four Varnas. The Shudras were one of the Aryan communities. In the Indo
Aryan society there were three Varnas namely, Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishya and
the Shudras were not a separate Varna but was a part of the Kshatriya Varna.

There were many fights between the Shudras King and the Brahmins. As a result, the
Shudras were defeated with Brahmins communities. In this way the Shudras became
socially degraded and fell below the rank of the Vaishya and came from the fourth Varna.

Problems faced by the shudras

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 The general proposition that the social organization of the Indo-Aryans was based on the
theory of Chaturvarnya and that Chaturvarnya means division of society into four classes
—Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (soldiers),Vaishyas (traders) and Shudras (menials)
does not convey any idea of the real nature of the problem of the Shudras nor of its
magnitude. Chaturvarnya would have been a very innocent principle if it meant no more
than mere division of society into four classes. Unfortunately, more than this is involved
in the theory of Chaturvarnya. Besides dividing society into four orders, the theory goes
further and makes the principle of graded inequality. the basis for determining the terms
of associated life as between the four Varnas. Again, the system of graded inequality is
not merely notional. It is legal and penal. Under the system of Chaturvarnya, the Shudra
is not only placed at the bottom of the gradation but he is subjected to innumerable
ignominies and disabilities so as to prevent him from rising above the condition fixed for
him by law. Indeed until the fifth Varna of the Untouchables came into being, the
Shudras were in the eyes of the Hindus the lowest of the low. This shows the nature of
what might be called the problem of the Shudras. If people have no idea of the magnitude
of the problem it is because they have not cared to know what the population of the
Shudras is.

Such were the laws made against the Shudras by the Brahmanic lawgivers. The gist of
them may be summarised under the following heads:
(1) That the Shudra was to take the last place in the social order.
(2) That the Shudra was impure and therefore no sacred act should be done within
his sight and within his hearing.
(3) That the Shudra is not to be respected in the same way as the other classes.
(4) That the life of a Shudra is of no value and anybody may kill him without 
paying compensation and if at all of small value as compared with that of the 
Brahmana, Kshatriya and Vaishya.
(5) That the Shudra must not acquire knowledge and it is a sin and a crime to give
him education.

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 (6) That a Shudra must not acquire property. A Brahmin can take his property at
his pleasure.
(7) That a Shudra cannot hold office under the State.
(8) That the duty and salvation of the Shudra lies in his serving the higher classes.
(9) That the higher Classes must not inter-marry with the Shudra. They can
however keep a Shudra woman as a concubine. But if the Shudra touches a
woman of the higher classes he will be liable to dire punishment. That the
Shudra is born in servility and must be kept in servility forever.

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 PURITY AND IMPURITY

Another function of Varna is that it creates a complex system of purity and impurity. The
ritual purity one acquires at birth may be enhanced by the practice of rituals during life.
The higher the caste, the purer are its members. However, the higher castes are also
considered to face the grave danger of ritual contamination from members of the lower
castes. Purity regulations codify many areas of Indian life, especially those involving
intimacy, such as drinking, eating, touching, and marriage.

According to the Laws of Manu, drinking from a vessel after a Sudra used it would cause
spiritual pollution of members of the higher castes. Purification requires a three-day
regimen of drinking water in which kusa grass has been boiled. In addition twice-born
Indians are forbidden to eat food prepared by a Sudra because it is considered to be
impure. If a Brahman died with Sudra food undigested in his or her stomach, that person
would be reborn as a Sudra. Sudras were urged to fast and eat only the leftovers of
the dvijas. To become Vaisyas in the next life, Sudras had to abstain from meat.

The ideas of ‘pure’ and ‘impure was deeply rooted on ancient history back in Vedic
period. The upper caste staying away from the unclean people is understandable in the
society that was obsessed with the concept of physical and mental purity. And it was
enforced with the help of law book such as Manusmriti and the support of king and
panchayat who considered themselves as upholders of dharma. The belief in tradition,
superstition, religious belief, fear of punishment, all this play an important role in the
caste system. The caste is heredity, duties prescribe by birth, marriage outside the caste is
forbidden, and all the member can be recognized the caste by their clan’s names.

The powerless Sudras were assigned to the rank of servants in India, and most service
and menial jobs became their duties. According to the Laws of Manu, a Sudra faced with
starvation could engage in handicrafts. However, the best way of life for a Sudra was to
serve a Brahman, because this was the best occupation and prepared one for the next life.
A Sudra is unable to lose caste, being already at the bottom; however, Sudras can prepare
for the next world by imitating the virtuous.

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 The powerless Sudras were assigned to the rank of servants in India, and most service
and menial jobs became their duties. According to the Laws of Manu, a Sudra faced with
starvation could engage in handicrafts. However, the best way of life for a Sudra was to
serve a Brahman, because this was the best occupation and prepared one for the next life.
A Sudra is unable to lose caste, being already at the bottom; however, Sudras can prepare
for the next world by imitating the virtuous.

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 SHUDRAS AND AVARNA

There is a common misconception that Sudras and untouchables were same. The Sudras
are the lowest-ranking of the four varnas into which Indian society was traditionally
divided; but they are definitely higher in rank than the Untouchables or Panchamas, a
category so demeaned in status that it is not even referred to in the classical varna model.
Sudras are not entitled to wear a sacred thread, but they have normally been allowed to
enter all Hindu temples (something that was not true for Untouchables). Avarna in the
Sanskrit language of India means one who does not have a Varna. The term denotes
those sections of people in the Hindu fold who do not belong to the four major Varnas. 

Though Shudras were beneath the other varnas and supposed to serve them, they were
not untouchable and could enter temples and so on. On the other hand, Dalit are the fifth
Varna - that is, people who are outside the chaturvarna system. Untouchables are not part
of any of this. They are simply outcaste. Anyone outside the then society and not in
Varna is Avarna. Untouchables or even the shadow of them were considered unpure.
The outcastes are below Sudra and not a part of society

However, P.V. Kame gave the answer to the question of “Do untouchables belong to the
category of Sudras?” in affirmative. However, problem arises with the evidence given by
him.3

A line from the Santiparva of the Mahabharata uses the word-vaidehika refers to an
"untouchable" and "because the Santiparva expressly says that the vaidehika is called
Sudra by learned dvijas," it is clear that "untouchables" are comprised within the sudra
class. The relevant line seems to have been misconstrued by P. V. Kane, and by
employing it the way he does, he virtually reverses its purport--a purport in some ways
unique in the annals of Hindu social history.

3
By Sharma, Arvind; “P. V. Kane’s Homeric Nod” The Journal of the American Oriental Society.

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 Kane interprets the line to mean that "the vaidehika is called sudra by learned dvijas."
This is certainly one way in which the line could be read by itself, as the word vaidehaka
(vaidehika) has been used elsewhere to denote an "untouchable." The line, however, does
not stand by itself. It constitutes the first line of a stanza of four lines. This stanza occurs,
with some variations, in all the readily accessible texts of the Mahabharata. P. H.
Prabhu translates the verse, in the reading he shares with P. V. Kane, as follows:
“Brahmanas learned in the Vedas regard a-virtuous Sudra as a model of a Brahmana
himself. I, however, regard such a Sudra as the effulgent Vishnu of the universe, the
foremost one in all the worlds.”

It is clear that the meaning the verse bears will depend in part on whether vaidehika is
taken as a substantive, or as an adjective. Kane takes it as a substantive and proceeds to
regard it as synonymous with sudra. But this begs the question. Should vaidehika be
taken as a substantive, as per Kane, or as an adjective, as per Prabhu? And is the
commentarial material on the Mahabharata of any help in this respect?”

According to Nilakantha, a spiritual-minded Sudra is also a vaidehika, achieving

salvation after progressive rebirths as a Vaisya, a Kshatriya and a Brahmana. The stanza
is meant to be spiritual. More so one more interpretation is possible which was stated as
follows:

King Janaka! Brahmanas learned in the Vedas compare the Sudra to Brahma, but I see
him as the world's God, Vishnu, foremost in the universe. In this reading, not only has
the Sudra attained divine rank, he has also risen from the relatively neglected rank of
Brahma to the more celebrated status of Vishnu!

In sum his interpretation brought down Shudras to untouchables rather than the real
interpretation of them being equated to lord Vishnu.

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 Conclusion

In the Hindu Rig-Veda, the dvijas (twice-born) are identified as members of the

Brahman, Kshatriya, and Vaisya castes. At about twelve years of age, members of these
castes underwent a ceremony that made them “twice-born,” and they were thereafter
permitted to study the Vedic scriptures. The Sudras were not dvijas and therefore were
not allowed to study the Vedas. Such study usually consisted of listening to recitations or
readings of the Vedas because the very sounds were believed to have religious power.
Some ancient legal books report that Sudras caught listening to Vedic recitations had
molten lead poured into their ears. A Sudra could also have been forced to drink boiling
oil if he or she claimed to have taught someone something learned from the Vedas.

Today Sudras commonly are self-employed farmers, but they may also be found in all
walks of modern life. They number several hundred million, and they include hundreds
of castes in every part of the country.4

Sudras are essentially rural laborers: the classical lawgiver Manu (c. 2nd century a.d.)
defined their role as essentially to serve the three higher-ranking varnas. A racial
justification for this state of affairs is implied in the earliest Sanskrit writings, which
suggested that whereas the three higher varnas were originally the Indo-Aryan invaders,
the Sudras were Dāsas, darker-skinned Aborigines (who probably spoke Dravidian
languages). If there is any historic truth to this idea, then the Sudras may be viewed as the
modern descendants of those who created the Indus (or Harappan) civilization.

4
Hutton, John H. (1963). Caste in India. 4th ed. London: Oxford University Press.

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 Bibliography

Websites:

1. http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Sudra.aspx
 "Sudras." International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences.
2008. Encyclopedia.com. 4 Dec. 2015
 Hockings, Paul. "Sudra." Encyclopedia of World Cultures.
1996. Encyclopedia.com. 4 Dec. 2015
2. http://www.google.com

Books:

1. Sharma, Ram Sharan. [1958]2002. Sudras in Ancient India: A Social History of

the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600. Delhi: Motilal Bananrsidass

2. Ambedkar, B. (1970). Who were the Shudras? How they came to be the fourth
Varna in the Indo-Aryan society. Bombay: Thackers.

3. P.H. Prabhu, Hindu Social Organization, 4th ed. (Bombay: Popular Prakashan,
1963)

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