INDIAN CLASSES. $y< 



kings, but is alfo the name of a mixed clafs, and of a 

 tribe of fabulous origin. 



Rudra-Ydmala $ antra : cc The origin of Rdjapu- 

 <f tras is from the Vaijya on the daughter of an Am- 

 <c bajhfha. Again, thoufands of others fprung from 

 " the foreheads of (tows kept to fupply oblations. " 



3. Nijhdda, or Parafava, whofe profeflion is 

 catching fiih, was born of a Sudra woman by a man 

 of a facerdotal clafs. The name is given to the ifFue 

 of a legal marriage between a Brdhmana and a woman 

 of the Sudra clafs. It mould feem that the iffue of 

 other legal marriages in different clalfes were des- 

 cribed by the names of mixed clafTes fpringing from 

 intercourfe between the feveral tribes. This, how- 

 ever, is liable to fome queftion ; and lince fuch mar- 

 riages are confidered as illegal in the prefent age, it is 

 not material to purfue the inquiry. 



According to the D'herma-purdna, from the fame 

 origin as the Nijhdda fprings the Varajiv'i, or aftrolo- 

 ger. In the Mantra, that origin is given to the Brdb- 

 me~fudra> whofe profeflion is to make chairs or ftools 

 ufed on fome religious occafions. Under the name of 

 Varajivi ( 1 ) is defcribed a clafs fpringing from the 

 Gopa and c Tantravdya> and employed in cultivating 

 beetle. The profeffion of aftrology, or, at lead:, that 

 of making almanacks, is afligned, in the tfantra, to 

 degraded Brdhmanas. 



a 



C« 



" Brdhmanas, falling from their tribe, became 

 kinfmenofthe twice-born clafs : to them is afligned 

 the profeflion of afcertaining the lunar and folar 

 days." 



4. Mdhijhya 



(1) Vulgarly, Baraiya, 



