1902.] S. C. Vidyabhusana — The Vratya and Sanikara theories of Gaste. 85 



Mahamaliopadliyaya Haraprasad Shastri exhibited the ima^^e of a 

 Buddha Chaturbhuja from Kanchaoanagar in Buidwan. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. The Vratya and Samkara theories of Caste.'^By Satis Chandra 

 Vidyabhusana, M.A. 



(Abstract.) 



In the Hindu 9astras castes have been classified as (1) Mula 

 (original), (2) Vratya (fallen) and (3) Samkara (mixed). The Mula or 

 original castes are Brahmana, Ksatiiya, Vai9ya and ^udra, that is, the 

 priest, warrior, trader and servant that are said to have sprung respect- 

 ively from the mouth, arms, thighs and legs of Brahma the Supreme 

 Being. Each of the four original castes had to observe certain religious 

 rites enjoined on it by ^astras. Those members of the first three castes 

 who did not observe these rites, specially those who failed to invest them- 

 selves with the sacred thread at the proper time had to be degraded 

 fiom their community. These negligent members were called Vratya 

 or fallen. Vratya is thus defined to be a Brahmana, Ksatriya or Vai9ya 

 who has lost caste through non-observance of ^astrik rites. This is the 

 generally accepted signification of the word Vratya. My own view about 

 the Vratya castes is, however, a little different. In the Vedic literature we 

 find that the word Vratya bears a wide signification. There we find 

 that all people whether natives of India or foreigners who were not within 

 the pale of Brahmanic civilization were also included among Vratyas. It 

 is in this latter sense that the word has been very extensively used in our 

 sacred literature. The Vedic religion did not spread over India in a 

 single day. It required hundreds of years to penetrate into the distant 

 corners of this vast continent. In the ancient literature we find minute 

 descriptions of the sacrifices on the Sarasvati and Drsadvati only. The 

 region lying between these two rivers was called Brahmavarta corre- 

 sponding to most parts of the Punjab. The Punjab was in fact the place 

 wherein Brahmanic civilization took root at a considerable antiquity. 

 Most other places in India and outside were then inhabited by people 

 who did not observe the Vedic rites. These people were called Vratyas. 

 In the Vedas it has been said that in the beginning all were Vratyas. 

 In the Tandya-pancaviih9a Brahmana of the Sama-Veda the Kau9itakis 

 have been specially denoted as Vratyas and Yajnavakirna (unfit to 

 sacrifice). No trace of the Kau9itaki people is now to be found in 

 India. In the Sadvim9a Brahmana and prauta-sutra of Latyayana the 

 Vratyas are described as living in large number in the west of India. 

 According to Dr. Weber these western Vratyas, who alone knew how to 

 perform the S'yena sacrifice, referred to the ancient Persians. In the 5th 



