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Shudra or Shoodra[1] (Sanskrit: Śūdra[2]) is one of the four varnas of the Hindu caste and social system in ancient India.[3][4] Some sources translate it into English as a caste,[4] or as a social class. Theoretically, Shudras constituted a class like workers.[2][5][6]
According to Richard 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[.]"
The word Shudra appears in the Rigveda and it is found in other Hindu texts such as the Manusmriti, Arthashastra, dharmaśāstras and jyotiḥśāstras. In some cases, Shudras participated in the coronation of kings, or were amatya "ministers" and rajas "kings" according to early Indian texts.[7][8]
- ^ "Sudra | Encyclopedia.com".
- ^ a b Sharma 1990, pp. 60–61, 192–200, 261–267 with footnotes.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
davis51was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Varadaraja V. Raman 2006, pp. 200–204.
- ^ 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..
- ^ Richard Gombrich (2012). "Chapter 8. Caste in the Monastery". Buddhist Precept & Practice. Routledge. pp. 343–357. ISBN 978-1-136-15616-8.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
jabbar148was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Sharma 1990, pp. 54–61, 267–268 with footnotes.