parents from different varnas. This appears to have been done for legal purposes, since a person's varna status determined how the contemporary law treated them. For example: Multiple sources describe the Nishadas as the children of Brahmana men and their Shudra wives. These texts include Baudhayana Dharmasutra, Arthashastra, Vashistha Dharmasutra, Manusmriti, Yajnavalkya Smriti, and the Anushasana Parva (48.5) of Mahabharata. Gautama, according to his commentators Maskarin and Haradatta, describes the Nishadas as the progeny of a Brahmana father and a Vaishya mother. The Anushasana Parva (48.12) and the Naradasmriti describe the Nishadas as of mixed Kshatriya and Shudra parentage. Gradually, the Nishadas were relegated to the status of untouchables in the Indo-Aryan society. Description in Ramayana The main profession of Nishaadas was fishing and hunting. When a Nishaada had killed one bird from a pair, the other bird was remorseful of its loss and was in pangs of pain, observing this deep pain inspired the sage Valmiki to write the life history of king Rama of Ayodhya and his dutiful wife queen Sita, who lived in separation due to her capture by deceit by the egoistic demon-like king Ravana. This poetic mythology is revered in India as a guide to highest ideals of human-life, is known as the Ramayana, or the record of king Rama's life. In Ramayana, the king of Nishaadas, named Guha, was a very close friend of Rama. He helps Rama and Sita to cross Ganges river near Shringverpur. References in Mahabharata The Mahabharata speaks of Nishaada as forest hunters and fishermen. Nishadas were mentioned as tribes that have the hills and the forests for their abode and fishing as their chief occupation. They ruled over the hills, plains, land and dominated over the water. They were linked with a king called Vena (see Saraswata Kingdom) (12,58). Nishadas lived in hamlets (12,328). Aushmikas, and Nishadas, and Romakas were mentioned as bringing tribute to king Yudhishthira during his Rajasuya sacrifice (2,50). Nishada Kingdom of Ekalavya Ekalavya was the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas (1,134). He came to Hastinapura to join the military school of Drona. Ekalavya's kingdom was the most famous Nishada kingdom during the time of the Pandavas. This kingdom was visited by Sahadeva during his military campaign to the south, to collect tribute for Yudhishthira's Rajasuya sacrifice;- Sahadeva, the Kuru warrior, conquered the country of the Nishadas and also the high hill called Gosringa,