women of the Ayogava caste (by fathers taken from different
castes). The caste called Kshudra springs from
the Vaidehaka. The caste called Andhra which
takes up its residence in the outskirts of towns and
cities, also springs up (from the Vaidehakas).
Then again the Charmakara, uniting himself with a
woman of Nishada caste, begets the class called Karavara.
From the Chandala again springs up the caste known
by the name of Pandusaupaka whose occupation consists
in making baskets and other things with cleft bamboos.
From the union of the Nishada with a woman of the
Vaidehi caste springs one who is called by the name
of Ahindaka. The Chandala begets upon a Saupaka
woman, a son that does not differ from the Chandala
in status or occupation. A Nishada woman, by union
with a Chandala, brings forth a son who lives in the
outskirts of villages and towns. Indeed, the
members of such a caste live in crematoria and are
regarded by the very lowest orders as incapable of
being numbered among them. Thus to these mixed
castes spring up from improper and sinful union of
fathers and mothers belonging to different castes.
Whether they live in concealment or openly, they should
be known by their occupations. The duties have
been laid down in the scriptures for only the four
principal orders. As regards the others the scriptures
are entirely silent. Among all the orders, the
members of those castes that have no duties assigned
to them by the scriptures, need have no fears as to
what they do (to earn their livelihood). Persons
unaccustomed to the performance or for whom sacrifices
have not been laid down, and who are deprived of the
company and the instructions of the righteous whether
numbered among the four principal orders or out of
their pale, by uniting themselves with women of other
castes, led not by considerations of righteousness
but by uncontrolled lust, cause numerous mixed castes
to come into existence whose occupations and abodes
depend on the circumstances connected with the irregular
unions to which they owe their origin. Having
recourse to spots where four roads meet, or crematoria,
or hills and mountains, or forests and trees, they
build their habitations there. The ornaments they
wear are made of iron. Living in such places openly,
they betake themselves to their own occupations to
earn their livelihood. They may be seen to live
in this way, adorning their persons with ornaments
and employed in the task of manufacturing diverse
kinds of domestic and other utensils. Without
doubt, by assisting kine and Brahmanas, and practising
the virtues of abstention from cruelty, compassion,
truthfulness of speech, and forgiveness, and, if need
be, by preserving others by laying down their very
lives, persons of the mixed castes may achieve success.
I have no doubt, O chief of men, that these virtues
become the causes of their success. He that is
possessed of intelligence, should, taking everything
into consideration, beget offspring according to the