01711 a2200301 4500 11530 IN-BhIIT 20260804132734.0 260804b |||||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d 9789355711809 (paperback) IN-BhIIT eng 305.5122 AMB/W Ambedkar, B. R. author. 26460 Who were the Shudras? : how they came to be the fourth Varna in the Indo-Aryan society / B. R. Ambedkar. New Delhi : Prabhat Prakashan, 2025. xvi, 336 pages ; 22 cm. Originally published in 1946. Includes bibliographical references and index. Preface -- Introduction -- The origin of the Shudras -- The Aryan social order -- The theory of the four varnas -- Brahmins and Kshatriyas -- Historical evidence from Vedic literature -- The decline in the status of the Shudras -- The evolution of caste -- Conclusions. The book Who Were the Shudras? is one of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's most influential historical studies on the origin of the Shudras and the caste system in ancient India. Using evidence from Vedic texts and historical sources, Ambedkar argues that the Shudras were originally Kshatriyas whose social status declined due to conflicts with the Brahmins. The work offers a critical reinterpretation of Indian social history and remains an essential resource for the study of caste, Hindu society, and social justice. Śūdras. 28238 Caste India. 28156 Caste History. 28239 Social classes India. 28240 India Social conditions. 28192 GEN 15586 15586 0 0 ddc 0 0 GEN CLIITBBS CLIITBBS PR 2026-07-29 46 300.00 0 305.5122 AMB/W 11530 2026-07-29 00:00:00 400.00 2026-07-29 GEN