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From: paturi@harvard.UUCP (Ramamohan Paturi)
Newsgroups: net.nlang.india,net.politics,net.religion.jewish,net.nlang.africa,net.religion
Subject: Some Ideas from India: Laws of Manu: Duties of Sudras
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Date: Mon, 6-Jan-86 16:53:47 EST
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Posted: Mon Jan  6 16:53:47 1986
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From paturi@harvard.HARVARD.EDU.ARPA (Ramamohan Paturi):

			Some Ideas from India
                        ---- ----- ---- -----

The following is taken from "A source book in Indian Philosophy" 
(S. Radhakrishnan and C. A. Moore).

Manu's code (???? BC)  gives detailed instructions regarding the then social 
rules and practices in India. It believes in the fourfold order 
of society as a means of social cooperation for the common good. Each one has 
to perform the function for which his nature best suits him. The following are 
the duties of Sudras who form the fourth group according to the caste system 
(brahmin, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra in that order).


   			DUTIES OF SUDRAS

   ... to serve brahmins (who are) learned in Vedas, house-holders, and
   famous (for virtue) is the highest duty of a sudra, which leads to
   beatitude.

   (A sudra who is) pure, the servant of his betters, gentle in his
   speech, and free from pride, and always seeks a refuge with brahmins
   attains (in his next life) a higher caste.

   But a sudra, whether bought or unbought, he may compel to do servile
   work; for he was created by the Self-existent (Svayambhu) to be the
   slave of a brahmin.

   A sudra, though emancipated by his master, is not released from servi-
   tude; since that is innate in him, who can set him free from it?

   If a sudra, (unable to subsist by serving brahmins), seeks a livelihood, 
   he may serve ksatriyas, or he may also seek to maintain himself by attending
   on a wealthy vaisya.

   But let a (sudra) serve brahmins, either for the sake of heaven, or
   with a view to both (this life and next); for he who is called the
   servant of a brahmin thereby gains all his ends.

   The service of brahmins alone is declared (to be) an excellent
   occupation of a sudra; for whatever else besides this he may perform
   will bear him no fruit.

   A sudra can not commit an offence, causing loss of caste, and he is
   not worthy to receive the sacraments; he has no right to (fulfill) the 
   sacred law (of the Aryans, yet) there is no prohibition against
   (his fulfilling certain portions of) the law.

   (Sudras) who are desirous to gain merit, and know (their) duty, commit no 
   sin, but gain praise, if they imitate the practic of virtuous men without 
   reciting sacred texts.

   The more a (sudra), keeping himself free from envy, imitates the behaviour
   of the virtuous, the more he gains, without being censured, (exaltation in)
   this world and the next.