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	'''Shudra''' (]: ] and ]: शूद्र {{IAST\|''Śūdra''}}, normally now spelled '''Sudra''' or ''Súdra'' in English, which has produced a ]<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary'', ''s. v.'' "Sudra" '']''</ref>) is the fourth ] in the traditional four-section division in the ]. Their assigned and expected role in post-] India was that of servants and laborers. The four Varnas are ], ], ] and ].		'''Shudra''' (]: ] and ]: शूद्र {{IAST\|''Śūdra''}}, normally now spelled '''Sudra''' or ''Súdra'' in English, which has produced a ]<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary'', ''s. v.'' "Sudra" '']''</ref>) is the fourth ] in the traditional four-section division in the ]. Their assigned and expected role in post-] India was that of servants and laborers. The four Varnas are ], ], ] and ].The Shudras form about 75 to 80 per cent of the population of Hindus.<ref>http://www.scribd.com/doc/6237429/Who-Were-the-Shudras</ref>

	==Origins==		==Origins==
	Whilst the origins of the other varnas can be traced to ] words, the word ''varna'' is translated as the ] word for color. In the ], it is said that there was only one Varna—Brahmana—in the beginning. The other varnas were formed depending on the dominance of the three Gunas—Sattwa, Rajah and Tamah—in one's self. The varnas were mere socio-economical roles that people take in a society. It is also mentioned in the purusha-sukta of ] where ''shudras'' are said to have emanated from the feet of the Virat Purush{{which\|date=May 2011}} (पद्भ्याम् शूद्र् अजायत ''padbhyām śūdro ajāyata''){{Citation needed\|date=January 2010}}.		Whilst the origins of the other varnas can be traced to ] words, the word ''varna'' is translated as the ] word for color. In the ], it is said that there was only one Varna—Brahmana—in the beginning. The other varnas were formed depending on the dominance of the three Gunas—Sattwa, Rajah and Tamah—in one's self. The varnas were mere socio-economical roles that people take in a society. It is also mentioned in the purusha-sukta of ] where ''shudras'' are said to have emanated from the feet of the Virat Purush{{which\|date=May 2011}} (पद्भ्याम् शूद्र् अजायत ''padbhyām śūdro ajāyata''){{Citation needed\|date=January 2010}}.

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Shudra (IAST: Sanskrit and Hindi: शूद्र Śūdra, normally now spelled Sudra or Súdra in English, which has produced a spelling pronunciation) is the fourth Varna in the traditional four-section division in the caste system. Their assigned and expected role in post-Vedic India was that of servants and laborers. The four Varnas are Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra.The Shudras form about 75 to 80 per cent of the population of Hindus.

Origins

Whilst the origins of the other varnas can be traced to Vedic words, the word varna is translated as the Sanskrit word for color. In the Shanti Parva of Mahabharata, it is said that there was only one Varna—Brahmana—in the beginning. The other varnas were formed depending on the dominance of the three Gunas—Sattwa, Rajah and Tamah—in one's self. The varnas were mere socio-economical roles that people take in a society. It is also mentioned in the purusha-sukta of Rigveda where shudras are said to have emanated from the feet of the Virat Purush (पद्भ्याम् शूद्र् अजायत padbhyām śūdro ajāyata).

Jāti

Main article: Jāti

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The theoretical and the original varnas carried to its extreme in the ages following the vajj Indian period. Every Jāti claimed to belong to some varna. Local variations of Jāti sub-castes exist within the Shudra Varna.

Shudras and North Indian society

It is commonly believed that the caste division is more uniform in North India than in South India. Some prominent rulers of North India were believed to have originated from the Shudra caste, e.g., the Nandas. Another feature of North Indian society is the presence of castes or Jatis with conflicting Varna status.

Medieval royal dynasties

Inscriptions of Shudra dynasties declare that belonging to the fourth varna was a matter of pride. An inscription of Singaya-Nayaka (1368 CE) says:

The three castes, Brahmanas and the next , were produced from the face, the arms and the thighs of the Lord; and for their support was born the fourth caste from His feet. River Ganges, the purifier of the three worlds also sprang from Lord's feet. The members of this caste are eagerly attentive to their duties, not wicked, pure-minded, and are devoid of passion and other such blemishes; they ably bear all the burdens of the earth by helping those born in the other caste.

Another inscription relates how his relative Kapaya-Nayaka "rescued the Andhra country from the ravages of the Mohammedans".

Shudras outside India

Notes

"Who were the Shudras", B. R. Ambedkar
Shudras in Ancient India, R. Chandra and K.L. Chanchreek. New Delhi, Shree Pub., 2004, ISBN 81-88658-65-0.
Early Evidence for Caste in South India

Oxford English Dictionary, s. v. "Sudra" sic
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6237429/Who-Were-the-Shudras
Sastri, K. Rama (1982). "Akkalapundi grant of Singaya-Nayaka: Saka-Samvat 1290" Epigraphica Indica, vol. XIII. India: Archaeological Survey of India. pp. 259ff., v.5–7.
Sastri, K. Rama (1982). "Akkalapundi grant of Singaya-Nayaka: Saka-Samvat 1290" Epigraphica Indica, vol. XIII. India: Archaeological Survey of India. p. 261.

External links

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Revision as of 12:41, 30 May 2011 editTomeasy (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers8,024 edits Undid revision 431486642 by Hrihr (talk)dubious and crystal balling← Previous edit		Revision as of 09:28, 31 May 2011 edit undo125.21.182.12 (talk)No edit summaryNext edit →
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{Refimprove\|date=November 2009}}		{{Refimprove\|date=November 2009}}

	'''Shudra''' (]: ] and ]: शूद्र {{IAST\|''Śūdra''}}, normally now spelled '''Sudra''' or ''Súdra'' in English, which has produced a ]<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary'', ''s. v.'' "Sudra" '']''</ref>) is the fourth ] in the traditional four-section division in the ]. Their assigned and expected role in post-] India was that of servants and laborers. The four Varnas are ], ], ] and ].		'''Shudra''' (]: ] and ]: शूद्र {{IAST\|''Śūdra''}}, normally now spelled '''Sudra''' or ''Súdra'' in English, which has produced a ]<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary'', ''s. v.'' "Sudra" '']''</ref>) is the fourth ] in the traditional four-section division in the ]. Their assigned and expected role in post-] India was that of servants and laborers. The four Varnas are ], ], ] and ].The Shudras form about 75 to 80 per cent of the population of Hindus.<ref>http://www.scribd.com/doc/6237429/Who-Were-the-Shudras</ref>

	==Origins==		==Origins==
	Whilst the origins of the other varnas can be traced to ] words, the word ''varna'' is translated as the ] word for color. In the ], it is said that there was only one Varna—Brahmana—in the beginning. The other varnas were formed depending on the dominance of the three Gunas—Sattwa, Rajah and Tamah—in one's self. The varnas were mere socio-economical roles that people take in a society. It is also mentioned in the purusha-sukta of ] where ''shudras'' are said to have emanated from the feet of the Virat Purush{{which\|date=May 2011}} (पद्भ्याम् शूद्र् अजायत ''padbhyām śūdro ajāyata''){{Citation needed\|date=January 2010}}.		Whilst the origins of the other varnas can be traced to ] words, the word ''varna'' is translated as the ] word for color. In the ], it is said that there was only one Varna—Brahmana—in the beginning. The other varnas were formed depending on the dominance of the three Gunas—Sattwa, Rajah and Tamah—in one's self. The varnas were mere socio-economical roles that people take in a society. It is also mentioned in the purusha-sukta of ] where ''shudras'' are said to have emanated from the feet of the Virat Purush{{which\|date=May 2011}} (पद्भ्याम् शूद्र् अजायत ''padbhyām śūdro ajāyata''){{Citation needed\|date=January 2010}}.

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