VYA WASTEHA-DARPANA. I 168 not a slave, he must live by slavish work, and may also gain subsistence by catching. wild beasts in toils. A Koidéâa begets on her a sweet-voiced Moitreyaka, who, ringing a 醬 at the appearpance of dawn, continually praises great men. A Ni begets on her a Māryars, or Dieha, who subsists by his labor in boats, and is named Coiverta by those, who dwell in Aryaperta, or the land of the venerable. Those three of a base tribe are severally begotten on Ayogavi women, who wear the clothes of the deceased and eat reprehensible food. From a Nishála springs by a woman of the Woideha tribe, a Caravāra, who cuts leather, and from a Voideha spring, by women of the Cáránára and Nishida casts, an Andhra and a Māda, who must live without the town; From a Chandála, by a Woidehi woman, comes a Pándus , who works with canes and reeds, and from a Nishāda, an Ahindika, who acts as a jailor. From a Chandála, by a Pukkasi woman, is born a Sopáka, who lives by punishing criminals condemned by the king, a sinful wretch ever despised by the virtuous. A Wishādi woman by a Chandila produces a son called Antyanamái, employed in places for burning the dead, contemned even by the contemptible.—These, amoug various mixed classes, have been described by their several fathers and mothers : and, whether concealed or open, they may be known by their occupations—Mann, ch. X. v. 26–40. Castes ( of the Hindus) are also enumerated and described in the Brahma Poirarta Purána, and Parashurāma-Paddhati : almost all of which castes are the same as those mentioned in the Institutes of Manu, from which those appear to have been taken. Of the above mentioned mixed castes, many are not to be found in Bengal, and some are scarce even in the other countries The Brååmens of this country are divided into three principal classes —the Rárká, Bárehdra, and Poidika. The Voidika, again, is subdivided into Páshchásya and Dákkhinātya classes:–they whose common ancestor came from Drárira are of the Dákkhinálya class; and they whose sommon ancestor emigrated from the Marhatta country belong to the Páshchātya class. Besides, by acting as Purohits (priests) of, as well as by accepting or receiving religious donations from, low castes, many of the Brähments have been partially degraded and formed, according to their acts or faults, into several subordinate classes : they nevertheless belong to, or are included in, the great or general classes above mentioned. Special duties and professions were originally assigned to the primitive or pure classes. Thus Manu :—“ To Brååmens he assigned the duties of reading the Veda, of teaching it of sacrificing, of assisting others to sacrifice, of giving alms, ( if they be rich,) and (if indigent ) of receiving gifts. To defend ( protect), the people, to give alms, to sacrifice, to read the roda, to shun the allurements of sensual gratification, are in few words the duties of a Kshatriya. To keep herds of cattle, to bestow largesses, to sacrifice, to read the scripture, to carry on trade, to lend at interest, and to cultivate land, are P(# or permitted to a Poishya. One principal duty the Supreme ruler assigned to a Sátádra, namely, to serve the before mentioned classes, without depreciating their worth.” Ch. 1. v. 88–91. The duties and professions of some of the mixed classes also have been ordained, as is appa rent from the texts describing them. The profession or duty of the Voidya caste is to be physicians and prescribe and adminster medicines. * Although originally the Sidras were but of one caste, and had but, one principal duty or profession, yet the members of this caste have subsequently been. divided into many sub-castes or classes; and almost every one of such castes has a peculiar profession assigned. The Shadra castes common in Bengal, and their respective professions, are as follows:– - > Caste or Class. Profession. Caste or Class. Profession. Káyastha* Reading and writing. Gopa, Pallava Gopa, Pasturage and sale of Sad-gopa, or Chásá- Cultivating land, grow- or Gorcálá dairy produce. Goicálá ing and selling vege- Gandha Banika, , or Perfumery and gro tables, &c. Ghandha Beniy4 cery. See aate, page Il64. 120
