4

As per Parashara smirti, Shudras were considered less pure to perform some auspicious activities.

Is there any vedic statement which supports this claim?

4
  • 'perform some auspicious activities' is different than what you ask in the title ('deny entry of Shudra in temple'), what's your actual question? Also, this looks like a duplicate of What was the traditional justification for why Chandalas were not allowed in temples? Commented Dec 3, 2019 at 19:03
  • Ban on entry of temples was applied over the untouchables, not Shudras. Besides the right to perform yajna isn't equivalent to right of being allowed to enter temples. Shudras can't become ritviks(priests who actually perform the rites) but they can become yajamanas(client of the ritviks i.e the person for whom the ritviks perform yajna rites).
    – অনু
    Commented Feb 18, 2021 at 7:09
  • 1
    There were no Temples in the Vedic era. The Vedas do not talk about temples. Texts on tantra like the Tantrasamuchaya discuss temple science and they do not discriminate against a samudāya in particular. Commented Aug 6, 2021 at 6:04

1 Answer 1

7

For the question in the title there can not be any answer because as far as I know, the Vedas don't talk about temples.

So, I am answering the following question:

As per Parashara smirti, Shudras were considered less pure to perform some auspicious activities.

Is there any vedic statement which supports this claim?

Yes, we have some statement of that sort which is found in the Krishna Yajurveda (KYV):

TasmAt-chudro yajnehanavaklapto na hi devatA anvasrijata ....

KYV KAnda 7, PrapAthaka 1, anuvAka 1.

The translation of the bold part is " Shudras are not thought of for (or as performers of) Yajnas" which can be interpreted as "Shudras are not fit for performing sacrifices".

However, this particular AnuvAka is talking about two specific sacrifices called Jyotishtoma and Agnishtoma which are both part of the larger SomayAg.

So, it can be that the Shudras are not considered fit for performing these particular sacrifices.

Because, in general, the Smritis (which elucidate the Vedic Dharma only), allow the Shudra to do Yajnas of smaller magnitudes like say PAka Yajnas, Loukika Homas.

6
  • 3
    Can't you read properly or what? The only ref I have given here is from Krishna yajurveda. There is no ref from any Smriti given. Read properly before downvoting. Not an answer for only you not for anyone else. @SwamiVishwananda
    – Rickross
    Commented Dec 3, 2019 at 10:04
  • 1
    @Rickross He might reject all anti-caste verses as being smriti (man-made), even if they are found in the Vedas.
    – Ikshvaku
    Commented Dec 3, 2019 at 13:06
  • 2
    @Ikshvaku I think he is too eager to downvote and in that he forgot to read my answer. I think he took the first blockquote as a reference from a Smriti but that was actually the question's body I copy pasted. :P I know he is too eager to downvote but at least read the whole answer properly before doing so. :P
    – Rickross
    Commented Dec 4, 2019 at 6:22
  • Very nice. @Rickross Ji! Commented Jan 19, 2021 at 9:45
  • @Rickross Can you please tell what are Laukika Homas which Sudras can perform ? Commented Jun 12, 2021 at 10:51

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .