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Who Were the Shudras?: How they came to be the Fourth Varna in the Indo-Aryan Society
Who Were the Shudras? is a book about the history of the Shudra (lowest) varna of the Indian caste system written in 1946 by Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. The book is dedicated to Jyotirao Phule and intends to break the myth about Shudras being an untouchable caste in India. Ambedkar cites the Indian scriptures like The Vedas and Mahabharata among others to argue that Shudras were in fact Aryan kings who fell to a substandard caste after a long-drawn conflict with the Brahmans. Ambedkar also discusses the Aryan race theory and does not agree on the Indo-Aryan migration that has often been considered canon in the history of the race.
The book is a debunking of myths and ideologies and hopes to achieve a sense of tolerance for a misunderstood and ill-treated caste in India.
The book is a debunking of myths and ideologies and hopes to achieve a sense of tolerance for a misunderstood and ill-treated caste in India.
247 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1946
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About the author
B.R. Ambedkar
297 books1,103 followersBhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was born in 1891 into an “Untouchable” family of modest means. One of India’s most radical thinkers, he transformed the social and political landscape in the struggle against British colonialism. He was a prolific writer who oversaw the drafting of the Indian Constitution and served as India’s first Law Minister. In 1935, he publicly declared that though he was born a Hindu, he would not die as one. Ambedkar eventually embraced Buddhism, a few months before his death in 1956.
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August 24, 2025
Brahmin: Are you man or god?
Buddha: Neither. I am awoken.
************
Who Were the Shudras? And who am I to know? I am no one, but everyone in India knows B R Ambedkar. His statues are everywhere, more frequent than Buddhas, planned higher than the Statue of Liberty, straddling stupas and pointing towards the sky. After consecutive PhD's in New York and London, he rivaled Gandhi, helped to found the Republic and write the Constitution. Converting half a million Indians to Buddhism, he is considered the Maitreya by many Dalits. His greatest triumph was his untiring fight for the rights of oppressed people: untouchables, shudras and women.
This short book is about the Shudras, the bottom class of the Varna system, laborers and service workers. Ambedkar says they comprised more than three quarters of all Hindus in 1946, so around 250M people. He first dispenses with race: whether once Indo-Aryan or aboriginal was meaningless, as all groups were then mixed. Blaming ancient Brahminism for a system of pain and penalty, he asserts that some parts of the Vedas were fabrications meant to serve Brahmin interests. He said this book was an atomic bomb dropped on dogma, and it was a heresy to many.
Ambedkar begins with the Rig Veda (c. 1500 BC). The Varnas were divided from the body of Parusha, a cosmic man sacrificed in the creation of life. His mouth, arms, thighs and feet became the four castes of Indo-Aryan people: priests, soldiers, traders and laborers. This social hierarchy was then propagated through subsequent texts, the Dharmasutras, Brahmanas and Manusmriti. Ambedkar claims that no one challenged this, except for the Buddha, who failed to counter the law givers. As time passed, punishment and restrictions on the Shudras would only proliferate.
Beyond relegation to menial tasks, the Shudras were prohibited a spiritual second birth, excluded from receiving sacraments and offering sacrifices. Other examples of social exclusion were sharing of food, physical space, association with or showing respect to Shudras. Graded laws applied exponentially greater punishments on Shudras than to Kshatriyas and Vaishyas. Brahmins were privileged over all. Ambedkar contended (while illegal in 1946) the practice existed in social and religious contexts. An untouchable himself, he held exalted and influential positions.
So, Who Were the Shudras? Ambedkar theorizes they were once ruling members of the Kshatriya class who oppressed Brahmin priests. In retaliation the Brahmins refused privileges, such as sacrament and sacrifice. Through religious ostracization, Shudras became socially degraded and became a fourth Varna. Ambedkar cites Vedic, Vishnu Purana and Mahabharata passages to show that the person called ‘Suda’ in the Rig Veda was a Kshatriya king. It is more than likely that ancient politics played a role in subjected people being assigned to inferior social classes.
Not all of Ambedkar’s theories have been borne out by subsequent scholarship. The Parusha verse regarding caste is now considered inserted at a later date, as he surmised. Historians Olivelle and Sharma contest the use of caste as a hereditary social or professional order during the Vedic period. Others ascribe the practice to a period later than the Mahabharata, when caste was based one’s individual moral character. The Bhagavad Gita describes dharma as one's own 'nature from birth'. Historical cases of Shudra power can be cited. By tradition Chandragupta was one.
Ultimately this is a political tract and a polemic against modern caste discrimination. It is a work of theoretical history as well. Although not a historian, nor an expert of Sanskrit, Ambedkar pointed a way forward for study by specialists. He admits in the preface as a work of literature it falls short. Replete with arcane terms, rambling and repeating itself, it is a challenge to read. Nearly 75 years old, parts of this book appear as fresh as if written yesterday. Published before India's independence, events have shown Ambedkar remains disturbingly relevant.
Buddha: Neither. I am awoken.
************
Who Were the Shudras? And who am I to know? I am no one, but everyone in India knows B R Ambedkar. His statues are everywhere, more frequent than Buddhas, planned higher than the Statue of Liberty, straddling stupas and pointing towards the sky. After consecutive PhD's in New York and London, he rivaled Gandhi, helped to found the Republic and write the Constitution. Converting half a million Indians to Buddhism, he is considered the Maitreya by many Dalits. His greatest triumph was his untiring fight for the rights of oppressed people: untouchables, shudras and women.
This short book is about the Shudras, the bottom class of the Varna system, laborers and service workers. Ambedkar says they comprised more than three quarters of all Hindus in 1946, so around 250M people. He first dispenses with race: whether once Indo-Aryan or aboriginal was meaningless, as all groups were then mixed. Blaming ancient Brahminism for a system of pain and penalty, he asserts that some parts of the Vedas were fabrications meant to serve Brahmin interests. He said this book was an atomic bomb dropped on dogma, and it was a heresy to many.
Ambedkar begins with the Rig Veda (c. 1500 BC). The Varnas were divided from the body of Parusha, a cosmic man sacrificed in the creation of life. His mouth, arms, thighs and feet became the four castes of Indo-Aryan people: priests, soldiers, traders and laborers. This social hierarchy was then propagated through subsequent texts, the Dharmasutras, Brahmanas and Manusmriti. Ambedkar claims that no one challenged this, except for the Buddha, who failed to counter the law givers. As time passed, punishment and restrictions on the Shudras would only proliferate.
Beyond relegation to menial tasks, the Shudras were prohibited a spiritual second birth, excluded from receiving sacraments and offering sacrifices. Other examples of social exclusion were sharing of food, physical space, association with or showing respect to Shudras. Graded laws applied exponentially greater punishments on Shudras than to Kshatriyas and Vaishyas. Brahmins were privileged over all. Ambedkar contended (while illegal in 1946) the practice existed in social and religious contexts. An untouchable himself, he held exalted and influential positions.
So, Who Were the Shudras? Ambedkar theorizes they were once ruling members of the Kshatriya class who oppressed Brahmin priests. In retaliation the Brahmins refused privileges, such as sacrament and sacrifice. Through religious ostracization, Shudras became socially degraded and became a fourth Varna. Ambedkar cites Vedic, Vishnu Purana and Mahabharata passages to show that the person called ‘Suda’ in the Rig Veda was a Kshatriya king. It is more than likely that ancient politics played a role in subjected people being assigned to inferior social classes.
Not all of Ambedkar’s theories have been borne out by subsequent scholarship. The Parusha verse regarding caste is now considered inserted at a later date, as he surmised. Historians Olivelle and Sharma contest the use of caste as a hereditary social or professional order during the Vedic period. Others ascribe the practice to a period later than the Mahabharata, when caste was based one’s individual moral character. The Bhagavad Gita describes dharma as one's own 'nature from birth'. Historical cases of Shudra power can be cited. By tradition Chandragupta was one.
Ultimately this is a political tract and a polemic against modern caste discrimination. It is a work of theoretical history as well. Although not a historian, nor an expert of Sanskrit, Ambedkar pointed a way forward for study by specialists. He admits in the preface as a work of literature it falls short. Replete with arcane terms, rambling and repeating itself, it is a challenge to read. Nearly 75 years old, parts of this book appear as fresh as if written yesterday. Published before India's independence, events have shown Ambedkar remains disturbingly relevant.
June 15, 2016
This is a wonderful book full of fresh insights into the question of the origin of the Shudras. Dr Ambedkar brings in tools from sociology, anthropology, mythology, theology, economics, and historiography to raise and answer the question which constitutes the title of the book. Nobody before him, and arguably hardly anybody after him, has taken up the issue which any scholar working on Indian society and history must take up. This book has a sequel entitled 'The Untouchables: Who Were They and Why They Became Untouchables?' Another must read. It is quite understandable that only somebody hailing from the untouchable caste and only a thinker of Dr Ambedkar's stature (arguably, one of the greatest thinkers the world ever produced) could address the gravest concern of the Indian Republic, namely, the caste inequality. Some of the passing remarks made by Dr Ambedkar, which I found amusing, are as follows:
1. 'The meek and non-violent looking Hindu can be violent when anybody attacks his Sacred Books' - Ambedkar, 'Who were the Shudras?'
2. 'I am not going to be dettered from catching a cheat by the menaces of a ruffian' - Dr Johnson, quoted by Dr Ambedkar in 'Who Were the Shudras?'
3. 'I do not despair of success. For I take consolation in the words of the poet Bhavabhuti who said, "Time is infinite and earth is vast, some day there will be born a man who will appreciate what I have said'" - Dr Ambedkar 'who Were the Shudras?'
4. 'That a man thinks is a biological fact, what he thinks is a sociological fact' - Prof Thorndyke, as quoted by Dr Ambedkar in 'Who were the Shudras?'
A must read for the students of social sciences and humanities!
1. 'The meek and non-violent looking Hindu can be violent when anybody attacks his Sacred Books' - Ambedkar, 'Who were the Shudras?'
2. 'I am not going to be dettered from catching a cheat by the menaces of a ruffian' - Dr Johnson, quoted by Dr Ambedkar in 'Who Were the Shudras?'
3. 'I do not despair of success. For I take consolation in the words of the poet Bhavabhuti who said, "Time is infinite and earth is vast, some day there will be born a man who will appreciate what I have said'" - Dr Ambedkar 'who Were the Shudras?'
4. 'That a man thinks is a biological fact, what he thinks is a sociological fact' - Prof Thorndyke, as quoted by Dr Ambedkar in 'Who were the Shudras?'
A must read for the students of social sciences and humanities!
July 7, 2015
I found it tedious to go through this work (thesis)of one of the greatest scholars India has ever produced.
It is an extraordinary work by an incredible man.
The way he defended his theory is simply magnificent.
By going through this work one can very well conclude provided the evidences quoted in this book that there were not four varnas in the beginning but three and also the so called shudras were not the natives of India but they were also the Aryans who constituted the class Kshatriya, eliminating the long believed theory of invasion of the natives by the foreigners.
It is also extremely clear that the Shudras as a result of continuous conflict with the Brahmans they were degraded paving way to the formation of the fourth varna.
The process used by them was found to be the denial of UPANAYANA the right to wear sacred thread.
Ultimately in ancient aryan times upanayana decides the eligibility to own property, to get educated, etc.
When denied of their basic rights which once they were able to enjoy really made the bottomline of the story which resulted in continuous oppression, which even now prevails..
GREAT WORK .. COULD HAVE BEEN A PAINSTAKING ONE ... DESERVES RESPECT AND PUBLICITY...
It is an extraordinary work by an incredible man.
The way he defended his theory is simply magnificent.
By going through this work one can very well conclude provided the evidences quoted in this book that there were not four varnas in the beginning but three and also the so called shudras were not the natives of India but they were also the Aryans who constituted the class Kshatriya, eliminating the long believed theory of invasion of the natives by the foreigners.
It is also extremely clear that the Shudras as a result of continuous conflict with the Brahmans they were degraded paving way to the formation of the fourth varna.
The process used by them was found to be the denial of UPANAYANA the right to wear sacred thread.
Ultimately in ancient aryan times upanayana decides the eligibility to own property, to get educated, etc.
When denied of their basic rights which once they were able to enjoy really made the bottomline of the story which resulted in continuous oppression, which even now prevails..
GREAT WORK .. COULD HAVE BEEN A PAINSTAKING ONE ... DESERVES RESPECT AND PUBLICITY...
January 30, 2018
Ambedkar vs brahmins
Ambedkar shows no mercy on people who claim to have prove the theory of "purushasukta" and the people who preach about the "aryan invasion theory".
It explains each and every aspect of the theory of why brahmins enjoys the caste system so desperately. This book as it may very difficult to go through but one can throughly understand the difficulties what babasaheb have gone through painstakingly to prove every aspect. And several aspects were marvellous..
Overall a very good read..
Ambedkar shows no mercy on people who claim to have prove the theory of "purushasukta" and the people who preach about the "aryan invasion theory".
It explains each and every aspect of the theory of why brahmins enjoys the caste system so desperately. This book as it may very difficult to go through but one can throughly understand the difficulties what babasaheb have gone through painstakingly to prove every aspect. And several aspects were marvellous..
Overall a very good read..
March 22, 2013
Another masterpiece of scholarly work by Dr. Ambedkar. One just needs to read this to know the brilliance of Ambedkar and why he was so successful in changing the mindset of Dalits and not just their material conditions of slavery. By far the most logical explanation of the root causes of evil structure of caste and why it is not justifiable by any stretch of imagination or justification of history.
November 19, 2018
We live in the political/philosophical atmosphere of 'strong' arguments and opinions, and not necessarily well thought out ones. In such a setting,Reading Ambedkar's book will surely be a breath of fresh air.
I was amazed by his knowledge which spans linguistics anthropology,philosophy of the west and the east. The Amount of research that went into this thesis is breathtaking.The book/thesis delivers exactly what it claims in the title - a deep dive into how the Sudras came to be.He doesnt pull his punches when it comes to criticising the Brahminical order, yet stays off emotionally charged attacks at the community.
The only downside I would say is that this is academic literature. There are too many citations that one could get lost in. But then again this is a must read for any Indian, who wants to know the thoughts of the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.
P.S:Speaking of citations, I am curious what this man could have produced if he was strapped with the resources of the Internet age.
I was amazed by his knowledge which spans linguistics anthropology,philosophy of the west and the east. The Amount of research that went into this thesis is breathtaking.The book/thesis delivers exactly what it claims in the title - a deep dive into how the Sudras came to be.He doesnt pull his punches when it comes to criticising the Brahminical order, yet stays off emotionally charged attacks at the community.
The only downside I would say is that this is academic literature. There are too many citations that one could get lost in. But then again this is a must read for any Indian, who wants to know the thoughts of the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.
P.S:Speaking of citations, I am curious what this man could have produced if he was strapped with the resources of the Internet age.
August 22, 2022
The question of the origin of the Shudras. Dr BR Ambedkar brings tools from sociology, anthropology, mythology, theology, economics, and history. Ambedkar shows no mercy on people who claim to have prove the theory of "purushasukta" and the people who preach about the "Aryan invasion theory". The evidence of shudras status collected from Rig veda, Yejur veda, Atharvana veda, Sama veda, Bhagavatha purana, Vishnu purana, Markhadeya purana, Dharmashastra, Manusmriti, Mahabharatha, Ramayana shows how voracious reader he is. AN HONEST ANALYSIS OF CHATURVARNA( four classes). The book is in the form of a thesis being proposed. The book clears a lot of myths. Must read for the students of humanities!.
March 2, 2017
Now I know what it feels like to read a scholarly work written by a scholar. To say that the work is a well researched one would be a big understatement. This book is a painstaking effort by Mr Ambedkar to portray the background, the origins of the caste system in India and the tyranny meted out to the oppressed. Needless to say, the work must have garnered him a huge amount of criticism from the various quarters of the Indian population, but the revelation is nothing less than thought provoking. The depth of research is deep to the point that reading becomes tedious. But nevertheless, this is one of the best books I have read
June 3, 2017
ഇന്ത്യയിലെ ജാതിവ്യവസ്ഥയുടെ ഉദ്ഭവം, പരിണാമം എന്നിവയെക്കുറിച്ചാലോചിക്കുന്നവര് അടിസ്ഥാനഗ്രന്ഥമായി സ്വീകരിക്കേണ്ടതാണ് ഡോ. അംബേദ്കറുടെ 'ശൂദ്രര് ആരായിരുന്നു?: അവര് ഇന്തോ ആര്യന് സമൂഹത്തില് നാലാം വര്ണമായതെങ്ങനെ?' എന്ന കൃതി.
വേദങ്ങളും മറ്റു പ്രാചീന ഇന്ത്യൻ സാഹിത്യ, തത്വശാസ്ത്ര കൃതികളെയും സൂക്ഷ്മമായി വിശകലനം ചെയ്ത് ഡോ. അംബേദ്കർ എത്തിച്ചേരുന്ന പ്രധാന കണ്ടെത്തലുകൾ ഇവയാണ്:
1 . ശൂദ്രർ സൂര്യവംശത്തില്പെട്ട ആര്യൻ സമുദായങ്ങളിൽ ഒന്നായിരുന്നു
2 . പ്രാചീന ആര്യൻ സമൂഹത്തിൽ 3 വർണങ്ങൾ മാത്രം അംഗീകരിച്ച ഒരു കാലം ഉണ്ടായിരുന്ന് .( ബ്രാഹ്മണർ, ക്ഷത്രിയർ, വൈശ്യർ)
3 . ശൂദ്രർ, ആര്യൻ സമൂഹത്തിലെ ക്ഷത്രിയ വർണത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗമായിരുന്നു.
4 . ശൂദ്രരായ രാജാക്കന്മാരും ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരും തമ്മിൽ നിരന്തരമായ പ്രശ്നങ്ങളും തീരാപ്പകയും ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു; തൽഫലമായി, ബ്രാഹ്മണർ പീഡനങ്ങൾക്കും അപമാനങ്ങൾക്കും വിധേയരാക്കപ്പെട്ടു
5 . ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്ക് ശൂദ്രരോട് വിദേശം ജനിക്കുകയും തൽഫലമായി, ശൂദ്രരുടെ ഉപനയനം നടത്താൻ ബ്രാഹ്മണർ വിസമ്മതിച്ചു
6 . ക്ഷത്രിയരായ ശൂദ്രർ അവർക്ക് ഉപനയനം നിഷേധിക്കപ്പെട്ടതിന്റെ ഫലമായി സാമൂഹികമായി അധപതിച്ചു; അവർ നാലാം വർണമായിത്തീർന്നു
ഋഗ്വേദത്തിലെ പുരുഷസൂക്തത്തിന്റെ നിരൂപണത്തോടെയാണ് പ്രബന്ധം ആരംഭിക്കുന്നത്. വിരാട്പുരുഷന്റെ മുഖം, ബാഹുക്കള്, തുട, പാദം എന്നിവയില്നിന്ന് യഥാക്രമം ബ്രാഹ്മണരും ക്ഷത്രിയരും വൈശ്യരും ശൂദ്രരുമുണ്ടായി എന്ന സൂക്തപരാമര്ശത്തിന്റെ അര്ത്ഥതലങ്ങളും അതിന്റെ സാമൂഹികമായ പ്രയോഗവും അംബേദ്കര് പരിശോധിക്കുന്നു.വേദത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗമെന്ന നിലയിലുള്ള ദിവ്യത്വവും അപ്രമാദിത്വവും എങ്ങനെ സാമൂഹികതലത്തില് വര്ണങ്ങളുടെ ശ്രേണികരണത്തിനു കാരണമായി എന്നും അദ്ദേഹം വിശദീകരിക്കുന്നു.
വേദങ്ങളും മറ്റു പ്രാചീന ഇന്ത്യൻ സാഹിത്യ, തത്വശാസ്ത്ര കൃതികളെയും സൂക്ഷ്മമായി വിശകലനം ചെയ്ത് ഡോ. അംബേദ്കർ എത്തിച്ചേരുന്ന പ്രധാന കണ്ടെത്തലുകൾ ഇവയാണ്:
1 . ശൂദ്രർ സൂര്യവംശത്തില്പെട്ട ആര്യൻ സമുദായങ്ങളിൽ ഒന്നായിരുന്നു
2 . പ്രാചീന ആര്യൻ സമൂഹത്തിൽ 3 വർണങ്ങൾ മാത്രം അംഗീകരിച്ച ഒരു കാലം ഉണ്ടായിരുന്ന് .( ബ്രാഹ്മണർ, ക്ഷത്രിയർ, വൈശ്യർ)
3 . ശൂദ്രർ, ആര്യൻ സമൂഹത്തിലെ ക്ഷത്രിയ വർണത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗമായിരുന്നു.
4 . ശൂദ്രരായ രാജാക്കന്മാരും ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരും തമ്മിൽ നിരന്തരമായ പ്രശ്നങ്ങളും തീരാപ്പകയും ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു; തൽഫലമായി, ബ്രാഹ്മണർ പീഡനങ്ങൾക്കും അപമാനങ്ങൾക്കും വിധേയരാക്കപ്പെട്ടു
5 . ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്ക് ശൂദ്രരോട് വിദേശം ജനിക്കുകയും തൽഫലമായി, ശൂദ്രരുടെ ഉപനയനം നടത്താൻ ബ്രാഹ്മണർ വിസമ്മതിച്ചു
6 . ക്ഷത്രിയരായ ശൂദ്രർ അവർക്ക് ഉപനയനം നിഷേധിക്കപ്പെട്ടതിന്റെ ഫലമായി സാമൂഹികമായി അധപതിച്ചു; അവർ നാലാം വർണമായിത്തീർന്നു
ഋഗ്വേദത്തിലെ പുരുഷസൂക്തത്തിന്റെ നിരൂപണത്തോടെയാണ് പ്രബന്ധം ആരംഭിക്കുന്നത്. വിരാട്പുരുഷന്റെ മുഖം, ബാഹുക്കള്, തുട, പാദം എന്നിവയില്നിന്ന് യഥാക്രമം ബ്രാഹ്മണരും ക്ഷത്രിയരും വൈശ്യരും ശൂദ്രരുമുണ്ടായി എന്ന സൂക്തപരാമര്ശത്തിന്റെ അര്ത്ഥതലങ്ങളും അതിന്റെ സാമൂഹികമായ പ്രയോഗവും അംബേദ്കര് പരിശോധിക്കുന്നു.വേദത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗമെന്ന നിലയിലുള്ള ദിവ്യത്വവും അപ്രമാദിത്വവും എങ്ങനെ സാമൂഹികതലത്തില് വര്ണങ്ങളുടെ ശ്രേണികരണത്തിനു കാരണമായി എന്നും അദ്ദേഹം വിശദീകരിക്കുന്നു.
May 31, 2021
Debunks like no other
As Dr. Ambedkar goes about deconstructing the history of Shudras, he attempts to answer few of these questions -
1. Were the Shudras really non-Aryans and who are Aryans anyways? Scientifically speaking, are/were there 2 different races in India?
2. Have there always been 4 varnas in the Hindu social order? And were Shudras actually one of the other three at one point in history and have they been relegated over time?
3. Are the atrocities against Shudras actually sanctioned in the Manusmriti? (!) If they are, what drove the animosity? And why were they not "prescribed" in the Rig Veda or prevalent early on in the Hindu society?
4. Were the Shudras actually kings at one point in time and did the Brahmins and the denial of the Upanayana ceremony play a crucial role in their fall in the Hindu social order?
If these are questions that intrigue you, it's a must-read!
As Dr. Ambedkar goes about deconstructing the history of Shudras, he attempts to answer few of these questions -
1. Were the Shudras really non-Aryans and who are Aryans anyways? Scientifically speaking, are/were there 2 different races in India?
2. Have there always been 4 varnas in the Hindu social order? And were Shudras actually one of the other three at one point in history and have they been relegated over time?
3. Are the atrocities against Shudras actually sanctioned in the Manusmriti? (!) If they are, what drove the animosity? And why were they not "prescribed" in the Rig Veda or prevalent early on in the Hindu society?
4. Were the Shudras actually kings at one point in time and did the Brahmins and the denial of the Upanayana ceremony play a crucial role in their fall in the Hindu social order?
If these are questions that intrigue you, it's a must-read!
December 19, 2020
Read this to know the shocking and painful history of Shudras.
November 21, 2020
Although not all, but a lot of people (this writer included) have a vague and surface-level understanding of the evil of casteism, and some, through experiences ( either personal or witnessed), understand the basic premise of the inequality it causes in terms of social and behavioral treatment of the so-called lower-caste by a certain lot of the so-called upper castes.
What this vagueness of understanding hides, however, is the abhorrent, inhuman, and documented monstrosity of the actual extent and impact of this evil practise to which millions of people have been subjected, and which lies beneath the surface of our vague understanding -- that surface which a lot of us have rarely bothered to peer into to understand what lies in the ugly depths below, at the root of this evil practise, to truly understand it.
Dismantling this social edifice of the bare minimum lip-service and the superficial acknowledgement with which a lot of us nod in solidarity with the oppressed, yet with only a dumb blank stare of an ignorant lacking any depth of understanding, Dr. Ambedkar creates a knowledge structure by directly quoting from the sources themselves -- the ancient texts -- the things which were created and perpetuated by them in the name of social structure, but were/are such horrific and inhuman practices and traditions that it leaves one aghast at the lack of basic human decency in the people who created these social rules.
For example: one such abhorrent and evil social traditions and practise of the so-called social structure commanded that (paraphrased) "if any person of the lower caste even dares utter the name of a Brahmin, a ten inch long hot iron rod should be inserted down his throat".
Another such despicable evil social practise said: "if a person of lower caste listens to the holy text being recited, molten lead shall be poured into his ears".
Dr. Ambedkar goes deep into the relevant ancient and recent history to unmask this evil. With his other works on the subject, one would do well to let this be one of things read and learned from about the subject (if you haven't already).
His fifteen years of subject study, and the resulting works are an important resource which document not only the origins of casteism, but also emphatically answer and invalidate any feeble-minded arguments that crop up in support of this casteism by the usual bigoted suspects.
In his unequivocal and right rejection of this socio-religious practise, he educates the reader with the concreteness of facts and rationale, such as may be on the subject.
His message is as correct and clear today as it was then: not only must we get rid of the remnant or residual traditions of casteism that still linger today, but we need to denounce and reject the very thought-process and the socio-religious ideology that propagates this evil.
What this vagueness of understanding hides, however, is the abhorrent, inhuman, and documented monstrosity of the actual extent and impact of this evil practise to which millions of people have been subjected, and which lies beneath the surface of our vague understanding -- that surface which a lot of us have rarely bothered to peer into to understand what lies in the ugly depths below, at the root of this evil practise, to truly understand it.
Dismantling this social edifice of the bare minimum lip-service and the superficial acknowledgement with which a lot of us nod in solidarity with the oppressed, yet with only a dumb blank stare of an ignorant lacking any depth of understanding, Dr. Ambedkar creates a knowledge structure by directly quoting from the sources themselves -- the ancient texts -- the things which were created and perpetuated by them in the name of social structure, but were/are such horrific and inhuman practices and traditions that it leaves one aghast at the lack of basic human decency in the people who created these social rules.
For example: one such abhorrent and evil social traditions and practise of the so-called social structure commanded that (paraphrased) "if any person of the lower caste even dares utter the name of a Brahmin, a ten inch long hot iron rod should be inserted down his throat".
Another such despicable evil social practise said: "if a person of lower caste listens to the holy text being recited, molten lead shall be poured into his ears".
Dr. Ambedkar goes deep into the relevant ancient and recent history to unmask this evil. With his other works on the subject, one would do well to let this be one of things read and learned from about the subject (if you haven't already).
His fifteen years of subject study, and the resulting works are an important resource which document not only the origins of casteism, but also emphatically answer and invalidate any feeble-minded arguments that crop up in support of this casteism by the usual bigoted suspects.
In his unequivocal and right rejection of this socio-religious practise, he educates the reader with the concreteness of facts and rationale, such as may be on the subject.
His message is as correct and clear today as it was then: not only must we get rid of the remnant or residual traditions of casteism that still linger today, but we need to denounce and reject the very thought-process and the socio-religious ideology that propagates this evil.
January 28, 2020
A thesis, providing solutions for several riddles surrounding the answer of the question 'Who were the Shudras ? and How they came to be the fourth varna of Indo-Aryan Society ?'
July 24, 2020
“Who were the sudhras” பாபாசாஹேபின் ஆகா சிறந்த படைப்புகளில் ஒன்று அதில் அவர் கூறும் எடுத்துக்காட்டுகளும் ஆதாரங்களும் வியப்பை ஏற்படுத்தும்.
சூத்திரன் என்பவன் வர்ண அடுக்கில் நான்காம் இடத்தை சேர்ந்தவன் என்ற அளவில் மட்டுமே தெரிந்த எனக்கு அவனது வரலாறு ஒரு ஆச்சாரியம் தான். வேதங்களில் சூத்திரன் பற்றி மிக மோசமாகவும் இழிவாகவும் சொல்ல பட்ட விசயங்களில் சில
சூத்திரன் என்றால் ஏழுவகைப்படும்.
1. போரில் புறங்காட்டி ஓடியவன்,
2. போரில் கைதியாகப் பிடிக்கப்பட்டவன்,
3. பிராமணனிடத்தில் பக்தியினால் ஊழியம் செய்பவன்,
4.விபச்சாரி மகன்,
5. விலைக்கு வாங்கப்பட்டவன்,
6. ஒருவனால் கொடுக்கப்பட்டவன்,[அடிமை ]
7. தலைமுறைதலைமுறையாக ஊழியம் செய்பவன்.[அத்தியாயம் 8, ஸ்லோகம் 415]
அவனுக்கும் வேதம் சொல்லித்தர கூடாது, யாரையேனும் பெயர் சொல்லி அழைத்தால் அவன் வாயில் காய்ந்த இரும்பு கம்பியை விட வேண்டும், வேதத்தை படித்தாலோ அல்லது கேட்டாலோ அவனது காதில் ஈயத்தை காச்சி ஊற்றவேண்டும்.
சூத்திரன் இப்படி எல்லாம் இழிநிலை அடைந்ததற்கு காரணம் அவன் பார்ப்பானை எதிர்த்தது மட்டும் தான். இந்நூலில் புரட்சியாளரின் ஆதாரங்களின் படி சூத்திரன் ஒரு ஆரிய இனத்தை சேர்ந்தவன், அப்போது இருந்தது மூன்று வர்ணங்கள் தான் அதில் இரண்டாம் வர்ணமான சத்ரிய வனத்தின் கிளை வர்ணம் தான் சுதா என்ற சூத்திர வர்ணம். அவர்கள் பார்ப்பனர்களை எதிர்த்து போரிட்ட மற்றும் வேதங்கள் இயற்றிய வரலாற்று ஆதாரங்கள் இந்நூலில் அடங்கும்.
இப்படி ஆரிய இனத்தை சேர்ந்த சூத்திரர்கள் தங்களை எதிர்ந்தார்கள் என்ற ஒரே காரணத்திற்காக அவர்களை வேசி மகன் என்றும், வேதம் படிக்கக்கூடாது என்றும், பூநூல் அணிய கூடாது என்றும் அடிமை படுத்திய வரலாறு வன்மமும் சித்திரவதைகளும் நிறைந்தது.
வேதத்தில் கூறப்படும் சூத்திரர்களும் தற்போது இந்து மதத்தில் உள்ள சூத்திரர்களும் வேறு என்றும் அனால் இவர்களும் அதையே வகையில் நடத்தப்பட்டனர் என்பதும் தான் முரண்பாடுகளின் உச்சக்கட்டம்.
தங்களை இந்து என்று சொல்லிகொள்ளுபவர்கள் பாபாசாஹேபின் 1. Philoshopy od hinduism 2. Riddles of hinduism 3. Who were the sudhras 4. The untouchables ஆகிய நூல்களை வாசித்தல் இந்து மதத்தின் உண்மை முகம் புரியும். தங்களை இந்து என்று அடையாளப்படுத்தும் அணைத்து சூத்திரர்களும் அவசியம் வாசிக்கவும். நான் குறிப்பிட்டதை விட பல ஆதாரபூர்வ அதிர்ச்சி தகவல்கள் இந்நூலில் அடங்கும்.
வாசிக்கும் போது கோவம் வந்தால் அதற்கு நாள் பொறுப்பல்ல.
Book:Who Were the Shudras?
Author :Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
சூத்திரன் என்பவன் வர்ண அடுக்கில் நான்காம் இடத்தை சேர்ந்தவன் என்ற அளவில் மட்டுமே தெரிந்த எனக்கு அவனது வரலாறு ஒரு ஆச்சாரியம் தான். வேதங்களில் சூத்திரன் பற்றி மிக மோசமாகவும் இழிவாகவும் சொல்ல பட்ட விசயங்களில் சில
சூத்திரன் என்றால் ஏழுவகைப்படும்.
1. போரில் புறங்காட்டி ஓடியவன்,
2. போரில் கைதியாகப் பிடிக்கப்பட்டவன்,
3. பிராமணனிடத்தில் பக்தியினால் ஊழியம் செய்பவன்,
4.விபச்சாரி மகன்,
5. விலைக்கு வாங்கப்பட்டவன்,
6. ஒருவனால் கொடுக்கப்பட்டவன்,[அடிமை ]
7. தலைமுறைதலைமுறையாக ஊழியம் செய்பவன்.[அத்தியாயம் 8, ஸ்லோகம் 415]
அவனுக்கும் வேதம் சொல்லித்தர கூடாது, யாரையேனும் பெயர் சொல்லி அழைத்தால் அவன் வாயில் காய்ந்த இரும்பு கம்பியை விட வேண்டும், வேதத்தை படித்தாலோ அல்லது கேட்டாலோ அவனது காதில் ஈயத்தை காச்சி ஊற்றவேண்டும்.
சூத்திரன் இப்படி எல்லாம் இழிநிலை அடைந்ததற்கு காரணம் அவன் பார்ப்பானை எதிர்த்தது மட்டும் தான். இந்நூலில் புரட்சியாளரின் ஆதாரங்களின் படி சூத்திரன் ஒரு ஆரிய இனத்தை சேர்ந்தவன், அப்போது இருந்தது மூன்று வர்ணங்கள் தான் அதில் இரண்டாம் வர்ணமான சத்ரிய வனத்தின் கிளை வர்ணம் தான் சுதா என்ற சூத்திர வர்ணம். அவர்கள் பார்ப்பனர்களை எதிர்த்து போரிட்ட மற்றும் வேதங்கள் இயற்றிய வரலாற்று ஆதாரங்கள் இந்நூலில் அடங்கும்.
இப்படி ஆரிய இனத்தை சேர்ந்த சூத்திரர்கள் தங்களை எதிர்ந்தார்கள் என்ற ஒரே காரணத்திற்காக அவர்களை வேசி மகன் என்றும், வேதம் படிக்கக்கூடாது என்றும், பூநூல் அணிய கூடாது என்றும் அடிமை படுத்திய வரலாறு வன்மமும் சித்திரவதைகளும் நிறைந்தது.
வேதத்தில் கூறப்படும் சூத்திரர்களும் தற்போது இந்து மதத்தில் உள்ள சூத்திரர்களும் வேறு என்றும் அனால் இவர்களும் அதையே வகையில் நடத்தப்பட்டனர் என்பதும் தான் முரண்பாடுகளின் உச்சக்கட்டம்.
தங்களை இந்து என்று சொல்லிகொள்ளுபவர்கள் பாபாசாஹேபின் 1. Philoshopy od hinduism 2. Riddles of hinduism 3. Who were the sudhras 4. The untouchables ஆகிய நூல்களை வாசித்தல் இந்து மதத்தின் உண்மை முகம் புரியும். தங்களை இந்து என்று அடையாளப்படுத்தும் அணைத்து சூத்திரர்களும் அவசியம் வாசிக்கவும். நான் குறிப்பிட்டதை விட பல ஆதாரபூர்வ அதிர்ச்சி தகவல்கள் இந்நூலில் அடங்கும்.
வாசிக்கும் போது கோவம் வந்தால் அதற்கு நாள் பொறுப்பல்ல.
Book:Who Were the Shudras?
Author :Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
February 5, 2019
Researched, detailed mixed with anger and venegance
A lot of research been done from the caste division to the aryan race theory , comparisons from other countries hierarchy structure . A must read
A lot of research been done from the caste division to the aryan race theory , comparisons from other countries hierarchy structure . A must read
June 21, 2020
The book is in the form of a thesis being proposed. The author has included long translations of vedic texts which run into pages and this becomes somewhat cumbersome. However, overall, the book is a good read and clears a lot of myths.
March 19, 2025
This thesis exposes the deliberate degradation of Shudras to a fourth-class status through abuse of power for vengeance. The author's revolutionary perspective and the hard work gone into the research in the times without internet are truly commendable and respect worthy.
Want to read
December 13, 2013a good book
September 4, 2019
Dr.BhimRao Ambedkar, born in a Dalit family, considered as the architect of Indian Constitution, an eminent jurist and well known politician has made his mark in the multi cultural country like India with his very high intellectual insights into many social problems of the country much before anyone else could foresee. He fought for the rights of the socially backward classes (dalits) and received Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award from Indian Government in 1990. Unfortunately he succumbed to diabetes in 1956 at Delhi at the age of 75.
This book, one among the many, written by Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, is one of his most criticized books by the highest of the Indian Chaturvanya or the four classed society, the Brahmins. Throughout the book, the author lashes out at the Brahminical theory of origin, of this unreasonable caste system that according to him has been forced upon Indian society by the so-called learned and the pure blood. Various examples have been cited wherein he proves the fact that this system was not existent at the time of Vedas but only later incorporated into them, in order for the Brahmins to protect their identity and supremacy in the society. It was through this ideology that the author brought in, the some of the fundamental rights like Right to Education, Right to Freedom, Right to Property etc, jotted down in the most elaborate written Constitution of the World’s largest democracy. The author has gone to the extent of studying Vedas, Puranas, and Shastras of ancient Indian history in order to dig the origin and application of the Chaturvanya sytem, wherein Shudras or the Untouchables were placed in the lowest category of this unscrupulous caste system and denied all basic rights when compared to the other three castes - the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas and the Vysyas. He goes to the extent of even studying and comparing the same kind of system existing in the Roman (Caput and Existimatio) and Greek ancient cultures but with a complete different motive and results. He also proves how the different manuscripts of Hindu religion differ about the same Chaturvanya, none considering Shudras as an inferior caste compared to the other three. The author opposes the Brahminical tyranny in denying the rights of a Shudra even to utter Vedas, enter temples, perform Pujas, own property or even to marry an upper caste man/woman. Finally, the author goes on to highlight the assumption that the Shudras were actually Kshatriyas (rulers or kings) but only later divided into two and pushed to the fourth class, because of the oppressions and indignities subjected by Shudra kings on Brahmins. The author finally infers the vengeance of Brahmins against Shudras, right from the age old rivalry between the Vasishta (Brahmin sage)and Vishwamitra (Shudra sage)during the Vedic ages. Accordingly, the Brahmins successfully pushed Shudras to the Untouchable or inferior position by imposing the denial of Right to Upanayana (study Vedas) on the latter, with which the Right to Education and the Right to Own Property automatically stands cancelled. Thus, making the Shudras the least powerful and at the mercy of the other three upper castes.
Pros : This book must be read by every Indian in order to know how the social fabric of this country has evolved over a period of time. It is an honest attempt of the author to bring to light the hard facts of favouritism brought by some on their likes and tyranny brought about on the others based on colour of the skin, physical appearance, nature of work they do for their living etc. The reader would appreciate the efforts of the author in comparing the different contexts of various ancient Hindu manuscripts to prove that the so called Shudras or Untouchables of the country were actually once the Rulers of the country. A must read book by every history, politics, sociology and anthropology students.
Cons: The author sometimes seemed to be totally biased while writing this book, maybe due to his personal experiences during his childhood and professional life. His hatred towards Brahmins flows like lava out of an active volcano when it comes to his views on suppression of his birth class but ignores the good effects that the same caste system has, in binding this multi cultural country, into a single harmonious social fabric over millennia. If the author was right about the Brahmins, I still doubt how Lord Krishna, a Shudra by birth, became one of the most revered Gods of Hindu religion.
My rating is 4.25 out of 5
This book, one among the many, written by Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, is one of his most criticized books by the highest of the Indian Chaturvanya or the four classed society, the Brahmins. Throughout the book, the author lashes out at the Brahminical theory of origin, of this unreasonable caste system that according to him has been forced upon Indian society by the so-called learned and the pure blood. Various examples have been cited wherein he proves the fact that this system was not existent at the time of Vedas but only later incorporated into them, in order for the Brahmins to protect their identity and supremacy in the society. It was through this ideology that the author brought in, the some of the fundamental rights like Right to Education, Right to Freedom, Right to Property etc, jotted down in the most elaborate written Constitution of the World’s largest democracy. The author has gone to the extent of studying Vedas, Puranas, and Shastras of ancient Indian history in order to dig the origin and application of the Chaturvanya sytem, wherein Shudras or the Untouchables were placed in the lowest category of this unscrupulous caste system and denied all basic rights when compared to the other three castes - the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas and the Vysyas. He goes to the extent of even studying and comparing the same kind of system existing in the Roman (Caput and Existimatio) and Greek ancient cultures but with a complete different motive and results. He also proves how the different manuscripts of Hindu religion differ about the same Chaturvanya, none considering Shudras as an inferior caste compared to the other three. The author opposes the Brahminical tyranny in denying the rights of a Shudra even to utter Vedas, enter temples, perform Pujas, own property or even to marry an upper caste man/woman. Finally, the author goes on to highlight the assumption that the Shudras were actually Kshatriyas (rulers or kings) but only later divided into two and pushed to the fourth class, because of the oppressions and indignities subjected by Shudra kings on Brahmins. The author finally infers the vengeance of Brahmins against Shudras, right from the age old rivalry between the Vasishta (Brahmin sage)and Vishwamitra (Shudra sage)during the Vedic ages. Accordingly, the Brahmins successfully pushed Shudras to the Untouchable or inferior position by imposing the denial of Right to Upanayana (study Vedas) on the latter, with which the Right to Education and the Right to Own Property automatically stands cancelled. Thus, making the Shudras the least powerful and at the mercy of the other three upper castes.
Pros : This book must be read by every Indian in order to know how the social fabric of this country has evolved over a period of time. It is an honest attempt of the author to bring to light the hard facts of favouritism brought by some on their likes and tyranny brought about on the others based on colour of the skin, physical appearance, nature of work they do for their living etc. The reader would appreciate the efforts of the author in comparing the different contexts of various ancient Hindu manuscripts to prove that the so called Shudras or Untouchables of the country were actually once the Rulers of the country. A must read book by every history, politics, sociology and anthropology students.
Cons: The author sometimes seemed to be totally biased while writing this book, maybe due to his personal experiences during his childhood and professional life. His hatred towards Brahmins flows like lava out of an active volcano when it comes to his views on suppression of his birth class but ignores the good effects that the same caste system has, in binding this multi cultural country, into a single harmonious social fabric over millennia. If the author was right about the Brahmins, I still doubt how Lord Krishna, a Shudra by birth, became one of the most revered Gods of Hindu religion.
My rating is 4.25 out of 5
February 1, 2021
India’s caste system has been around for several thousand years. I am Indian. There is one thing that I have learned, and that is that you cannot escape the caste system. You may like it or abhor it, but there is no escape. Within the caste system, who were the Shudras? How did they emerge? They are the lowest of the four main castes.
There are those who are at the top of the food chain – the Brahmins. The Brahmins claim to be the voice of God. They believe that they are superior to the others, even if they are poor and uneducated. They have arrogated all sorts of privileges unto themselves. At the bottom of the pile lie the Shudras. Below them, are the Dalits. They make up the bulk of the population. Even an educated, respected, and influential person like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar could not escape his Dalit heritage. At the end of his life, he converted to Buddhism.
Who were the Shudras, and how did they come to lie at the bottom of the heap? This is a complex story and is the subject that Dr. Ambedkar deals within this book.
Most of the laws, or ‘smriti’s’ were written by Brahmins. The most famous, or infamous, of these, is the Manu Smriti. The Manu Smriti derived much of its authority from the Vedas, and indeed one hymn, the ‘Purusha Sukta’. In this hymns, the four castes were compared to the four major sections of the body: head, arms, thighs and feet. The Brahmins were the head and deemed to represent the voice of God. The Shudras were the feet, so the lowest of the four original castes.
Dr. Ambedkar has quoted this hymn at length, and several others. When I read the translation of the hymn in his book, I could not find a statement that the Brahmins were superior to the other castes. It merely identified the parts of the ‘Divine Body’ with the various castes. I am surprised Dr Ambedkar missed this.
The book is not easy reading. Dr. Ambedkar writes with force, directly and follows a precise flow of logic. He pulls no punches.
Dr Ambedkar started by analyzing most of the ancient texts. He has a lawyer’s mind and has listed the number of times each caste is referenced in the Vedas, or other texts.
The Vedas were first transmitted verbally, and only later committed to paper. Dr. Ambedkar compared the styles of the two major Vedas with those of the two minor Vedas, and infers there were two classes, or types, of Aryans.
He further states that the Shudras were upper caste Aryans - indeed that they were kings and rulers. He postulates that they oppressed the Brahmins cruelly. The Brahmins revolted and denied them the ‘sacred thread’ ceremony. Consequently, the Shudras became ‘once born’ instead of being ‘twice born’ and fell to the bottom of the heap.
We lay readers are not experts on the ancient texts. Books like ‘Aryans, Jews, Brahmins’, prove that many Western and Indian ‘experts’ also misinterpreted these ancient texts. Books like The Manu Smriti influenced people like Nietzsche. He, in turn, influenced Nazi philosophy and the philosophy of Aryan supremacy.
Dr. Ambedkar’s logic is impeccable. We must rely on his logic. I say, ‘why not?’. His intellectual pedigree is impeccable. His analysis is outstanding, and he has quoted judiciously. Brahmins have written most interpretations of the ancient texts. It is time we had more Dalit interpretations. There is merit in what he has written, and the book deserves a wide audience.
It is not a transformative book. This is unfortunate. ‘Who were the Shudras?’ is too intellectual. People are moved by emotions and stories. This book has neither. It will appeal to a small audience.
Dr. Ambedkar’s life story is inspiring. This should motivate Dalits and Shudras to lift themselves and claim their rightful place in Hindu society
There are those who are at the top of the food chain – the Brahmins. The Brahmins claim to be the voice of God. They believe that they are superior to the others, even if they are poor and uneducated. They have arrogated all sorts of privileges unto themselves. At the bottom of the pile lie the Shudras. Below them, are the Dalits. They make up the bulk of the population. Even an educated, respected, and influential person like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar could not escape his Dalit heritage. At the end of his life, he converted to Buddhism.
Who were the Shudras, and how did they come to lie at the bottom of the heap? This is a complex story and is the subject that Dr. Ambedkar deals within this book.
Most of the laws, or ‘smriti’s’ were written by Brahmins. The most famous, or infamous, of these, is the Manu Smriti. The Manu Smriti derived much of its authority from the Vedas, and indeed one hymn, the ‘Purusha Sukta’. In this hymns, the four castes were compared to the four major sections of the body: head, arms, thighs and feet. The Brahmins were the head and deemed to represent the voice of God. The Shudras were the feet, so the lowest of the four original castes.
Dr. Ambedkar has quoted this hymn at length, and several others. When I read the translation of the hymn in his book, I could not find a statement that the Brahmins were superior to the other castes. It merely identified the parts of the ‘Divine Body’ with the various castes. I am surprised Dr Ambedkar missed this.
The book is not easy reading. Dr. Ambedkar writes with force, directly and follows a precise flow of logic. He pulls no punches.
Dr Ambedkar started by analyzing most of the ancient texts. He has a lawyer’s mind and has listed the number of times each caste is referenced in the Vedas, or other texts.
The Vedas were first transmitted verbally, and only later committed to paper. Dr. Ambedkar compared the styles of the two major Vedas with those of the two minor Vedas, and infers there were two classes, or types, of Aryans.
He further states that the Shudras were upper caste Aryans - indeed that they were kings and rulers. He postulates that they oppressed the Brahmins cruelly. The Brahmins revolted and denied them the ‘sacred thread’ ceremony. Consequently, the Shudras became ‘once born’ instead of being ‘twice born’ and fell to the bottom of the heap.
We lay readers are not experts on the ancient texts. Books like ‘Aryans, Jews, Brahmins’, prove that many Western and Indian ‘experts’ also misinterpreted these ancient texts. Books like The Manu Smriti influenced people like Nietzsche. He, in turn, influenced Nazi philosophy and the philosophy of Aryan supremacy.
Dr. Ambedkar’s logic is impeccable. We must rely on his logic. I say, ‘why not?’. His intellectual pedigree is impeccable. His analysis is outstanding, and he has quoted judiciously. Brahmins have written most interpretations of the ancient texts. It is time we had more Dalit interpretations. There is merit in what he has written, and the book deserves a wide audience.
It is not a transformative book. This is unfortunate. ‘Who were the Shudras?’ is too intellectual. People are moved by emotions and stories. This book has neither. It will appeal to a small audience.
Dr. Ambedkar’s life story is inspiring. This should motivate Dalits and Shudras to lift themselves and claim their rightful place in Hindu society
December 14, 2022
🖤RELIGION 🖤 CASTEISM 🖤 HINDUISM 🖤 ARYANS 🖤 HISTORY 🖤 DOMINANCE 🖤 SHUDRAS/DALITS 🖤
I read this book in order to learn how Ambedkar challenged Hinduism without using any profanity, but sadly, there were not as many criticisms as there were historical details. The content of this contentious book was entertaining to read, and there were many unknown facts presented that neither our parents nor society had ever taught us. This is because we had never touched the scriptures and had only heard about Hinduism from the old. Well fuck the old people. If Ambedkar were still alive today, I believe he would be berating our historical education initiatives. It's a darn hard book to evaluate anything in; there were several pages when I couldn't even grasp the texts he was citing. When I tried to search it, not even GOOGLE knew about it, and that, my friends, is how our history is.
I've annotated a lot of pages for my second manuscript since I find comedy amusing.
"The Shudras were one of the Aryan communities of the solar race"
There was a time when the Aryan society recognized only three Varnas, namely. Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas.
The Shudras did not form a separate Varna. They ranked as part of the Kshatriya Varna in the Indo-Aryan society.
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 negligence towards the Shudras generated by their tyrannies and oppressions, the Brahmins refused to perform the Upanayana of the Shudras.
Owing to the denial of Upanayana, the Shudras who were Kshatriyas became socially degraded, fell below the rank of the Vaishyas, and thus came to form the fourth Varna."
- B.R. Ambedkar
The enslavement of the large number of Shudras by the minority tribes is really intriguing. It's all about power, control, and mind games to degrade specific individuals. specifically Brahmins. But why should we place the blame just on Brahmins? Maybe we can. However, other groups also benefited from controlling the Shudras.
Well, if Ambedkar himself could write all of this in 1946, why are people today even afraid to bring it up? Is the emergence of casteism well known to everyone? The younger generations as well as our own?
The sad fact is that Indians nowadays accuse this country for blatant annoyance, crime, corruption, casteism and sexism and flee to other nations to live in peace while wearing their fake Indian pride on their chests. Because we were concerned that someone may hurt us or our cherished family, no one tried to change, and everyone was afraid to express their opinions. We display emotions while wearing foolish Pride. What if, however, Ambedkar, Gandhi, Subash Chandra Bose, Mangal Pandey, Tilak, and others had left the nation without giving a damn about these pointless, stupid, dogshit people?
I read this book in order to learn how Ambedkar challenged Hinduism without using any profanity, but sadly, there were not as many criticisms as there were historical details. The content of this contentious book was entertaining to read, and there were many unknown facts presented that neither our parents nor society had ever taught us. This is because we had never touched the scriptures and had only heard about Hinduism from the old. Well fuck the old people. If Ambedkar were still alive today, I believe he would be berating our historical education initiatives. It's a darn hard book to evaluate anything in; there were several pages when I couldn't even grasp the texts he was citing. When I tried to search it, not even GOOGLE knew about it, and that, my friends, is how our history is.
I've annotated a lot of pages for my second manuscript since I find comedy amusing.
"The Shudras were one of the Aryan communities of the solar race"
There was a time when the Aryan society recognized only three Varnas, namely. Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas.
The Shudras did not form a separate Varna. They ranked as part of the Kshatriya Varna in the Indo-Aryan society.
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 negligence towards the Shudras generated by their tyrannies and oppressions, the Brahmins refused to perform the Upanayana of the Shudras.
Owing to the denial of Upanayana, the Shudras who were Kshatriyas became socially degraded, fell below the rank of the Vaishyas, and thus came to form the fourth Varna."
- B.R. Ambedkar
The enslavement of the large number of Shudras by the minority tribes is really intriguing. It's all about power, control, and mind games to degrade specific individuals. specifically Brahmins. But why should we place the blame just on Brahmins? Maybe we can. However, other groups also benefited from controlling the Shudras.
Well, if Ambedkar himself could write all of this in 1946, why are people today even afraid to bring it up? Is the emergence of casteism well known to everyone? The younger generations as well as our own?
The sad fact is that Indians nowadays accuse this country for blatant annoyance, crime, corruption, casteism and sexism and flee to other nations to live in peace while wearing their fake Indian pride on their chests. Because we were concerned that someone may hurt us or our cherished family, no one tried to change, and everyone was afraid to express their opinions. We display emotions while wearing foolish Pride. What if, however, Ambedkar, Gandhi, Subash Chandra Bose, Mangal Pandey, Tilak, and others had left the nation without giving a damn about these pointless, stupid, dogshit people?
November 22, 2020
I was looking to discover the origin and meaning of Shudra. This is what Dr. Ambedkar says about the purpose of the book "The book is written for the ignorant and the uninformed Shudras, who do not know how they came to be what they are". Shudras are the majority population of India, this much I knew before reading the book. Dr. Ambedkar's book is a treasure of information he provides a comprehensive view of the Varna system. He goes to the root Rig Veda and discovers there were only three varnas (not four as normally understood). That is the key to his investigation on finding an answer to the question of "who is Shudra? "
Dr. Ambedkar is highly critical of Purusha Sukta. "The equation of the different classes to different parts of the body is not a matter of accident. It is deliberate. The idea behind this plan seems to be to discover a formula that will solve two problems, one of fixing the functions of the four classes and the other of fixing the gradation of the four classes after a preconceived plan. The principle underlying the Purush Sukta is, therefore, criminal in intent and anti-social in its results."
The author poses the puzzles and starts solving a puzzle one piece at a time, he makes the reader part of that puzzle-solving process, for example, a puzzle "The disabilities of the Shudra have no relation to his personal conduct. It is not the result of infamy. The Shudra is punished just because he was a Shudra. Why?"
Read the book to be enlightened about the source of India's social stigmas highly recommended for all Indian audience, I am happy to talk about the book when you finish reading it. Mind you it is a work of many years of research and hence you might find it hard to follow the first few chapters.
Dr. Ambedkar is highly critical of Purusha Sukta. "The equation of the different classes to different parts of the body is not a matter of accident. It is deliberate. The idea behind this plan seems to be to discover a formula that will solve two problems, one of fixing the functions of the four classes and the other of fixing the gradation of the four classes after a preconceived plan. The principle underlying the Purush Sukta is, therefore, criminal in intent and anti-social in its results."
The author poses the puzzles and starts solving a puzzle one piece at a time, he makes the reader part of that puzzle-solving process, for example, a puzzle "The disabilities of the Shudra have no relation to his personal conduct. It is not the result of infamy. The Shudra is punished just because he was a Shudra. Why?"
Read the book to be enlightened about the source of India's social stigmas highly recommended for all Indian audience, I am happy to talk about the book when you finish reading it. Mind you it is a work of many years of research and hence you might find it hard to follow the first few chapters.
August 21, 2020
Plain, powerful and painstakingly brilliant!
The thesis speaks for itself!
I'm sure most of us will agree when I say, it's quite an ordeal in itself, to actually sit through the whole thesis.. read it line by line and then put one's comprehension skill set to test. But what about the one who has actually written it? And how!
Can't even imagine the amount of extensive research, historic breakdown & all the analysis that has went into shaping this. Some serious debunking happening here page by page.
The thesis, kind of reiterates, my faith in these popular sayings.. 'Knowledge is power' and 'Power corrupts'.
And to summarise my whole reading experience, I have to borrow this quote from Prof. Thorndyke where he says: "that a man thinks is a biological fact what he thinks is a sociological fact."
The thesis speaks for itself!
I'm sure most of us will agree when I say, it's quite an ordeal in itself, to actually sit through the whole thesis.. read it line by line and then put one's comprehension skill set to test. But what about the one who has actually written it? And how!
Can't even imagine the amount of extensive research, historic breakdown & all the analysis that has went into shaping this. Some serious debunking happening here page by page.
The thesis, kind of reiterates, my faith in these popular sayings.. 'Knowledge is power' and 'Power corrupts'.
And to summarise my whole reading experience, I have to borrow this quote from Prof. Thorndyke where he says: "that a man thinks is a biological fact what he thinks is a sociological fact."
June 23, 2025
A difficult thesis to get through. Written about 75 years ago. Woe betides anyone who would argue with Ambedkar. He references the Vedas and law reviews to prove that the creation of the Shudra caste was not a sacred proposition. He maintains that Brahmins added verses to the Vedas and basically demoted Kshatriyas down from 2nd to a new 4th caste. A lot of names that serve no purpose to the reader and a fair amount of repitition which is pointless. Ambedkar without a doubt has studied the Vedas for years. He has cherry picked the exact verses that show Shudras did not exist when the Vedas were first written. The term Aryan also receives his deconstruction and he insists they were never a tribe but a type of language shared by a couple of tribes. Complicated book but taking it slow left me believing Ambedkar knew his Vedas and Indian history.
August 24, 2019
The book offers a detailed analysis of the origins of the caste system. It is, in fact, a thesis that is supported by sufficient evidence and strong logic. But I am pretty sure that modern genetics has disproved/corroborated this work to a great extent. In addition to this work, it would be wise to read the works of modern geneticists on the Aryan-invasion and the roots of the Indian populace. The book, by virtue of its weighty scriptural references, becomes quite tedious to read. I skimmed through the references to make things more comfortable. Despite its academic nature, it is a must-read for anyone who wishes to understand caste and its origins.
August 22, 2022
The question of the origin of the Shudras. Dr BR Ambedkar brings tools from sociology, anthropology, mythology, theology, economics, and history. Ambedkar shows no mercy on people who claim to have prove the theory of "purushasukta" and the people who preach about the "Aryan invasion theory". The evidence of shudras status collected from Rig veda, Yejur veda, Atharvana veda, Sama veda, Bhagavatha purana, Vishnu purana, Markhadeya purana, Dharmashastra, Manusmriti, Mahabharatha, Ramayana shows how voracious reader he is. AN HONEST ANALYSIS OF CHATURVARNA( four classes). The book is in the form of a thesis being proposed. The book clears a lot of myths. Must read for the students of humanities!.
February 24, 2020
I'm simply amazed with his thorough study on this sensitive subject. If you're familiar with the complex structure of Indian society, you'd appreciate his boldness on this topic.
He's gone through the depths of Vedic literature, parallel history and other cultures to find the answers of his questions.
He carefully presents his opinions, findings, raises questions on the existing theories and points out the inconsistencies.
Whether you like him or not but you can't just ignore the questions that he raises.
It's a pleasure to read one of the greatest scholars of our country.
He's gone through the depths of Vedic literature, parallel history and other cultures to find the answers of his questions.
He carefully presents his opinions, findings, raises questions on the existing theories and points out the inconsistencies.
Whether you like him or not but you can't just ignore the questions that he raises.
It's a pleasure to read one of the greatest scholars of our country.
December 26, 2024
Very insightful and a good example of argumentative theory-building in social science (methodologically speaking). He has selected several portions of translated text and sourced material for the theory building from multiple sources and often the material presented is long, boring and quite often disgustingly so (the deep prejudice against entire peoples or women for instance) and can feel tedious to read. But the portions written by Ambedkar himself shows a scholarly and measured approach to inferences drawn. Overall a good read and quite unlike many of his other works I am familiar with.
February 2, 2020
What an analysis, he demystifies a lot of myths revolving around the Dravidian vs Aryan theory.
As he quoted by himself his approach is qualitative rather than quantitative, he had a lot more guts to showcase who the actual sudras are and how they kicked away from the arayan.
Final Chapter, the theory of Crucible explains his position over Aryan Ideology and the Aryan and how the sudras who were the Aryans initially drowned to the fourth sect of the Varnunasara Dharma.
As he quoted by himself his approach is qualitative rather than quantitative, he had a lot more guts to showcase who the actual sudras are and how they kicked away from the arayan.
Final Chapter, the theory of Crucible explains his position over Aryan Ideology and the Aryan and how the sudras who were the Aryans initially drowned to the fourth sect of the Varnunasara Dharma.
May 26, 2020
books is all about how the shudras came forth vernas of in indo-aryan society. each and everyone who believes in huminity must read this books.excellent detail study of verna and drama of bhramins.B R Ambedkar did detail study from all the end for verna system given detail reference. thats incredible for me.he tries to wash strain on shudra, so called lower cast and trying to give them pride, live the life as normal human. but saddely after 75 years of independance....
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