The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4: Books 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18
General
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4: Books 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18
Epic literature, Sanskrit
garments obtained by stripping human corpses. They are again seen to eat
from broken earthenware[300]. These three castes of very low status are
born of women of the Ayogava caste (by fathers taken from different
castes). The caste called Kshudra springs from the Vaidehaka. The caste
called Andhra which takes up its residence in the outskirts of towns and
cities, also springs up (from the Vaidehakas). Then again the Charmakara,
uniting himself with a woman of Nishada caste, begets the class called
Karavara. From the Chandala again springs up the caste known by the name
of Pandusaupaka whose occupation consists in making baskets and other
things with cleft bamboos. From the union of the Nishada with a woman of
the Vaidehi caste springs one who is called by the name of Ahindaka. The
Chandala begets upon a Saupaka woman, a son that does not differ from the
Chandala in status or occupation. A Nishada woman, by union with a
Chandala, brings forth a son who lives in the outskirts of villages and
towns. Indeed, the members of such a caste live in crematoria and are
regarded by the very lowest orders as incapable of being numbered among
them. Thus to these mixed castes spring up from improper and sinful union
of fathers and mothers belonging to different castes. Whether they live
in concealment or openly, they should be known by their occupations. The
duties have been laid down in the scriptures for only the four principal
orders. As regards the others the scriptures are entirely silent. Among
all the orders, the members of those castes that have no duties assigned
to them by the scriptures, need have no fears as to what they do (to earn
their livelihood). Persons unaccustomed to the performance or for whom
sacrifices have not been laid down, and who are deprived of the company
and the instructions of the righteous whether numbered among the four
principal orders or out of their pale, by uniting themselves with women
of other castes, led not by considerations of righteousness but by
uncontrolled lust, cause numerous mixed castes to come into existence
whose occupations and abodes depend on the circumstances connected with
the irregular unions to which they owe their origin. Having recourse to
spots where four roads meet, or crematoria, or hills and mountains, or
forests and trees, they build their habitations there. The ornaments they
wear are made of iron. Living in such places openly, they betake
themselves to their own occupations to earn their livelihood. They may be
seen to live in this way, adorning their persons with ornaments and
employed in the task of manufacturing diverse kinds of domestic and other
utensils. Without doubt, by assisting kine and Brahmanas, and practising
the virtues of abstention from cruelty, compassion, truthfulness of
speech, and forgiveness, and, if need be, by preserving others by laying
down their very lives, persons of the mixed castes may achieve success. I
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