{| Doubts and Discussions about Mahabharata |} - Page 95

Originally posted by: bhas1066

I have a q but q&a here is so fascinating I got distracted...


my answers in blue with quotes from laws of manu ( in italics) :

Now the Q - If my daddy is brahmin and my mommy is a maid then what am i? In case you didn't guess am asking about Vidur's caste

the maid was of class vaishya. he is a Ambashtha. in KMG dhrit once addresses vidur as Kshattri who is a child born to sudra male and vaishya female.

From a Brahmana a with the daughter of a Vaisya is born (a son) called an Ambashtha, with the daughter of a sudra a Nishada, who is also called Parasava.
From a Sudra are born an Ayogava, a Kshattri, and a Kandala, the lowest of men, by Vaisya, Kshatriya, and Brahmana) females, (sons who owe their origin to) a confusion of the castes.

Next Q: If my daddy is a Kshatriya and my mommy is his wife's maid then what am I? This is for Yuyutsu.

Last Q: If my mommy is kshatriya and my daddy is Ved Vyas then what am i? for Pandu and Dhrit!

yuyutsu, pandu and dhrit are all considered of ksatriyas caste only but to mark them inferior from a pure-born son , they are named as Anantaras . meaning pandu and dhrit, being kshatriya are inferior to bhishma who is considered pure-born and yuyutsu is inferior to all other kauravas though even he is a kshatriya( that is why at end of war he serves as regent for parikshit but doesnt sit on the throne)

Sons, begotten by twice-born man on wives of the next lower castes, they declare to be similar (to their fathers, but) blamed on account of the fault (inherent) in their mothers.

Those sons of the twice-born, begotten on wives of the next lower castes, who have been enumerated in due order, they call by the name Anantaras (belonging to the next lower caste), on account of the blemish (inherent) in their mothers.

Such is the eternal law concerning (children) born of wives one degree lower (than their husbands); know (that) the following rule (is applicable) to those born of women two or three degrees lower.

twice-born refers to brahmins. kshatriyas and vaishyas. each of these castes is allowed marriage to woman one caste lower than them and the progeny will be considered of the father's caste. The caste differs when the wife is of two or more castes lower than husband or if her caste is above him.

Am curious what caste these characters are supposed to be. I read through Sukanya's classification a few pages back, but remain confused.

i hope your confusion is cleared.😊

Originally posted by: .Vrish.

Okay, here are my questions. How would the caste of grandchildren be tagged? I'm thinking here about Karna's sons

1. Once Kunti admitted to Yudisthir that Karna was actually her son, did that change Karna's status in any way?
2. Once that admission was made, how would Vrishaketu be regarded? Would be be recognized as the same caste as the Pandavas, or would he still be a suta?
3. If a Kshatrani princess married Vrishaketu and had sons from him, would they be considered pure Kshatriyas? I'm guessing the answer to this would derive from #2?

(Thus) a Sudra attains the rank of a Brahmana, and (in a similar manner) a Brahmana sinks to the level of a Sudra; but know that it is the same with the offspring of a Kshatriya or of a Vaisya.

savarna son - pure lineage / 0 degree son

anantara son - 1st degree son (born to one caste lower wife )

ekantara son - 2nd degree so (born to two castes lower wife)

dvyantara son - 3rd degree son ( only for brahmins i.e brahmin-sudra son)