irm in
Brahman, seeking for the highest Brahman they, carrying fuel in their
hands, approached the venerable Pippalada, thinking that he would teach
them all that.'--Thus the following passage also, 'He without having
made them undergo the upanayana (said) to them' (Ch. Up. V, 11, 7),
shows that the upanayana is a well-established ceremony[225].--With
reference to the /S/udras, on the other hand, the absence of ceremonies
is frequently mentioned; so, for instance, Manu X, 4, where they are
spoken of as 'once born' only ('the /S/udra is the fourth caste,
once-born'), and Manu X, 126, 'In the /S/udra there is not any sin, and
he is not fit for any ceremony.'

37. And on account of (Gautama) proceeding (to initiate Jabala) on the
ascertainment of (his) not being that (i.e. a /S/udra).

The /S/udras are not qualified for that reason also that Gautama, having
ascertained Jabala not to be a /S/udra from his speaking the truth,
proceeded to initiate and instruct him. 'None who is not a Brahma/n/a
would thus speak out. Go and fetch fuel, friend, I shall initiate you.
You have not swerved from the truth' (Ch. Up. IV, 4, 5); which
scriptural passage furnishes an inferential sign (of the /S/udras not
being capable of initiation).

38. And on account of the prohibition, in Sm/ri/ti, of (the /S/udras')
hearing and studying (the Veda) and (knowing and performing) (Vedic)
matters.

The /S/udras are not qualified for that reason also that Sm/ri/ti
prohibits their hearing the Veda, their studying the Veda, and their
understanding and performing Vedic matters. The prohibition of hearing
the Veda is conveyed by the following passages: 'The ears of him who
hears the Veda are to be filled with (molten) lead and lac,' and 'For a
/S/udra is (like) a cemetery, therefore (the Veda) is not to be read in
the vicinity of a /S/udra.' From this latter passage the prohibition of
studying the Veda results at once; for how should he study Scripture in
whose vicinity it is not even to be read? There is, moreover, an express
prohibition (of the /S/udras studying the Veda). 'His tongue is to be
slit if he pronounces it; his body is to be cut through if he preserves
it.' The prohibitions of hearing and studying the Veda already imply the
prohibition of the knowledge and performance of Vedic matters; there
are, however, express prohibitions also, such as 'he is not to impart
knowledge to the /S/udra,' and 'to the twice-born belong study,
sacrifice, and