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nikhil on V4s

Şūdrá-s were non-Ā́rya-s brought into Ā́rya society as the serf caste, whose business was being the servant of another (anyásya préṣya, ĀiB 5.29.4) and whose rôle in society was ritually enforced for example through washing an Ā́rya’s feet (PB 6.1.11, HGS 1.4.12.19) or being beaten by an Ā́rya in a wrestling match (ĀpŞS 21.19.9–12).

Note that we do have references to rich Şūdrá-s within the Vedic period itself, indicating that Şūdrá-s occupied a socially and religiously but not necessarily œconomically low status.