Riddle No. 18 Manu’s madness or the Brahmanic explanation of the origin of the mixed castes. - Page 233

z:\ ambedkar\vol 04\vol4 05.indd MK SJ DK YS 23 9 2013/YS 8 11 2013 222

222 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Smriti Father’s caste Mother’s caste

V MAGADHA

1. Manu Vaishya Kshatriya

2. Suta Vaishya Kshatriya

3. Baudhayana Shudra Vaishya

4. Yajnavalkya Vaishya Kshatriya

5. Brihad Vishnu Vaishya Kshatriya

6. Brihad Vishnu Shudra Kshatriya

7. Brihad Vishnu Vaishya Brahmana VI RATHAKAR

8. Aushanas Kshatriya Brahmana

9. Baudhayana Vaishya Shudra

10. Suta Kshatriya Brahmana VII VAIDEHAKA

11. Manu Shudra Vaishya

12. Manu Vaishya Brahmana

13. Yajnavalkya Vaishya Brahmana

If these different Smritikaras are dealing with facts about the origin and genesis of the mixed castes mentioned above how can such a wide difference of opinion exist among them? The conjugation of two castes can logically produce a third mixed caste. But how the conjugation of the same two castes produce a number of different castes ? But this is exactly what Manu and his followers seem to be asserting. Consider the following cases:

I. Conjugation of Kshatriya father and Vaishya mother.

1. Baudhyayana says that the caste of the progeny is Kshatriya.

2. Yajnavalkya says it is Mahishya.

3. Suta says it is Ambashta.

II. Conjugation of Shudra father and Kshatriya mother—

1. Manu says the Progeny is Ksattri.

2. Aushanas says it is Pullaksa.

3. Vashishta says it is Vaina.

III. Conjugation of Brahmana father and Vaishya mother.

1. Manu says that the progeny is called Ambashta.

2. Suta once says it is called Urdhava Napita but again says it is called Kumbhakar.

IV. Conjugation of Vaishya father and Kshatriya mother—

1. Manu says that the progeny is called Magadha.