1902.] S. C. Vidyabhu§ana —Vratya and Satnkara Theories of Caste. 167 
bow (without arrows), a chariot (with boards), a cloth (with black 
borders), two pieces of woollen garment, a silver coin, a pair of black 
slioes (with ears), thirty-three cows, etc. 
As soon as the sacrifice is performed he should give these things to 
his old brethren who still remain Vratyas or to a contemptuous Brah- 
mana of the province of Bihar (Brahma-bandhu Magadhadesiyaya). It 
is further stated that there should be at least thirty-three Vratyas for 
performing this sacrifice. When such a sacrifice was performed the 
Vratyas, having secured the rights and privileges of the twice-born 
castes, might afterwards learn the Vedas, perform sacrifices, receive 
presents and dine with Brahmanas without being required to submit to 
penance. This is a very brief account of the Vratya theory. It is, 
however, necessary to add here a few words about the “ contemptuous 
Brahmans” of Vihara (Magadha) who used to accept the gifts given by 
Vratyas. I suppose these Brahmanas are now-a-days called Agra- 
danis. 
Agradani Brahmana .—According to the Brahmavaivarta Purana 
the Agradanis are a class of degraded Brahmanas who receive presents 
or take things previously offered to the dead. In the present days the 
Agradani Brahmanas receive in the Preta fraddha or obsequious cere¬ 
mony such presents as sofas, wooden shoes, calves, gold pieces, sesamum 
seeds, &c. They also receive all gifts in the Prayascitta (or the ceremony 
for expiation of sins). How, this Prayscitta is nothing but a Vratya- 
stoma. I am therefore inclined to believe that the Agradani Brahmans 
of the present day are descendants of those Brahmans of Viliar (Brahma- 
bandhu Magadhadesiya) who used to accept gifts from the Vratyas in the 
days of composition of the Tandya-Mahabrahmana and Latyayana fkauta- 
Sutra. 
It is very difficult to say at what period the Vratya-stoma became 
stopped in India. Perhaps the real truth is that it was never stopped. 
It still continues in a modified shape under the name of Prayascitta. 
But thq rigidity of the Hindu society of modern times forms a strong 
contrast to the flexibility of that of the ancient days. Social exclu¬ 
siveness perhaps commenced in India with the Mahomedan invasion of 
the country in the 9th century A.D.; for, even as late as about the 7th 
century A.D. the Huns and other foreigners had been incorporated in 
the Hindu society and ranked as Ksatriyas. 
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