Shudra

Shudra or Shoodra[1] (Sanskrit: Śūdra[2]) is one of the four varnas of the Hindu varna system and social order in ancient India.[3][4] Some sources translate it into English as a caste,[4] or alternatively as a social class. Theoretically, Shudras constituted a class like employees.[2][5][6]

The word Shudra appears in the Rig Veda and it is found in other Hindu texts such as the Manusmriti, Arthashastra, Dharmashastras and Jyotishshastra. In some cases, Shudras participated in the coronation of kings, or were ministers and kings according to early Indian texts.[7][8]

  1. ^ "Sudra | Encyclopedia.com".
  2. ^ a b Sharma 1990, pp. 60–61, 192–200, 261–267 with footnotes.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference davis51 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Varadaraja V. Raman 2006, pp. 200–204.
  5. ^ Ghurye 1969, pp. 15–17, Quote: "This was only generally true, for there were groups of occupations like trading, agriculture, labouring in the field and doing military service which were looked upon as anybody's, and most caste were supposed to be eligible for any of them..
  6. ^ Richard Gombrich (2012). "Chapter 8. Caste in the Monastery". Buddhist Precept & Practice. Routledge. pp. 343–357. ISBN 978-1-136-15616-8.; According to Gombrich's study of Buddhist texts, particularly relating to castes in Sri Lankan Buddhist and Tamil Hindu society, also "The terms Vaisya and Sudra did not correspond to any clear-cut social units, even in the ancient period, but various groups were subsumed under each term (...); In medieval times (say AD 500–1500) though society was still said to consist of the four classes, this classification seems to have become irrelevant (...)"
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference jabbar148 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Sharma 1990, pp. 54–61, 267–268 with footnotes.

© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search