The Varna System or Caste System

2539 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Caste system in indian civilization

Varna system or Vedic caste system which later deteriorated into the modern caste system due to colonialism and misinterpretation, was natural and necessary for the proper functioning of the society. In this article we see how it is very much different from the modern caste system and how it is very natural and we will also see some evidences from the scriptures which supports this. The Original Caste System or Vedic Caste System: Currently the caste system is all about some people feeling themselves superior and some others as inferior based on birth which is not the case with the original caste or Vedic caste system or Varna system. The Varna system is fully based on cooperation, trust and tolerance amongst the different classes of the people in the society who are supposed to perform different functions just like the different parts of the body has to function for the good of the whole body. Unlike the modern caste system there is no competition between the different classes or varnas in the Vedic caste system. The unfortunate and undesired effects of bringing inequality and spirit of exclusiveness is not the central motive of Vedic caste system. Different people have different inclinations and interests irrespective of their birth although the upbringing may have little influence on their inclinations. Based on the inclinations of the people and their qualities there was varna division not by birth which was the modern scenario. For example: A person becomes nice engineer when he has that inclination and he gets educated in that direction. It is not that simply by being born to engineer a person becomes a engineer and it is not necessary that he should have that inclination to become a engineer although it may have some i... ... middle of paper ... ...anced society definitely needs warriors, merchants, teachers and laborers. Hence, instead of one’s unrestrained rights, one’s duties are given more importance. Conclusion Varna system is one of the most debatable phenomena of India and is tarred with many controversies. However, on a deeper analysis one finds that the basic need for this system was simply to ensure a healthy and flexible society unlike the one which has been rigidified due to the colonial misinterpretation and mistreatment of varnas, resulting in the castes as we find them in the present day India . The original varna system was quite flexible in which one’s varna could be changed based on one’s skill and was not fixed as is often understood. Indeed, it was the colonization of India by the British in the 18th and 19th centuries which changed the varna system into the present rigid system of castes.

Show More
Related

  • Krishna/Hinduism Worldview

    1311 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are four main castes and one in which they consider to be the outcastes. The four main castes are the Brahmin, the next is the Kshatriya, the third is the Vaishya, and the fourth is the Shudra. The outcastes are in the group called Dalits. Each caste has a purpose in life, the Brahmin are considered to be the priestly caste in which they are teach the Veda, and are to “sacrifice for others and receive alms” (Institutes of Vishnu 5-10, pg. 44). The Kshatriya is considered the warriors or the ruler caste, they have constant practice in battles, and they are to protect the world from harm. The Vaishya are to be the merchants and the farmers, they tend to the cattle, they, “engage in farming, keeps cows, trades, lends money at interest, and grows seeds” (Institutes of Vishnu 5-10, pg. 44). The Shudra are the manual laborers who according to the Institutes of Vishnu under the Four Castes, are to serve the twice born men who are to sacrifice and to study the Veda, the Shudra also engage in all the different duties of craftsmanship (5-10, pg.44). In case of a crisis, each caste is allowed to follow the occupation of the caste that is below them in rank. The duties in which all four of these castes, whatever gender or stage of life, are to follow and hav...

    Read More

  • A Comparison of the Values of Classical India, China, and Persia

    1649 Words  | 4 Pages

    In India, the religion of Hinduism in particular, provides two sources of support in regards to the social structure of the era. These sources are the Vedas and the Upanishads. According to The Rig Veda when Purusha’s body was divided “his mouth became the brāhman; his two arms were made into the rajanya; his two thighs the vaishyas; from his two feet the shūdra was born (Reilly, 92).” By splitting up the body in this way, there was a justification for the creation of the varna or caste system. The highest class or Brahmin’s were the priest class, who were also known as the most pure. In this role, they were the connecting figures between Purusha and his people, which is reflective of them being his mouth. The next upper division class was the Ksatriya or warrior/leader class. In the class, the role was to do the fighting which was reflective of them being Purusha’s arms. The artisan/farmer or middle class was known as the vaisyas. In this class, members represented the role of the thighs of Purusha, who were responsible for doing the brunt or tougher jobs in society. The nethermost social class was the sudra, who were serfs and servants. They represented the feet of Pursha, which is reflective of their status as the lowest class. Along with the Vedas, the Upanishads served as a written guideline for the varna. These works urged the concept of doin...

    Read More

  • Indian Caste System Dbq

    895 Words  | 2 Pages

    Thousands of years ago, Indian society developed into a complex system based on different classes. This system is known as the Caste System. It separated Indians into different castes based on what class they were born into. As thousands of years went by, this system grew larger and became further complex (Wadley 189). This system caused frustration for the Indian citizens because they were receiving inequality.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast India And Caste System

    1085 Words  | 3 Pages

    North American and Indian culture beliefs may not have many things in common, but they do have similarities in how their societies are separated. The caste system in India and the social class or class system in North America is how these societies or cultures divide their population. These two structures are similar but they also have their differences.

    Read More

  • Comparing Reactions to Industrialism in Frankenstein and The Communist Manifesto

    1115 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...r a classless, productive, industrial society that was beneficial to all, the mere recognition of strength in numbers and class solidarity were fundamentally effective and paved the way not only for future governments but for future laborers.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Hindu Caste System

    679 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Hindu caste system had four major classes which they gave different names based on their creators’ body parts, the Bantu people only had one ruling class, while the medieval Europeans had three classes which they called estates. Hindu tradition relates that the system of castes to different body parts of the creator god Brahma. On the top is Brahmin, or priests, then warriors (of the Kshatriya class), traders (of the Vaishya class) and laborers (of the Sudra class). The early Bantu social structure is simply based on kinship due to the low population, usually the higher status will bring higher power to the family, the man of the most prominent family would become the chief. As the population grows more complex political system was formed and the idea hierarchy was

    Read More

  • The Caste System and Reincarnation’s Effect on Ancient Hinduism

    672 Words  | 2 Pages

    The caste system had a very huge impact on ancient Hinduism, as well as the belief of rebirth and karma. Without those convictions, Hinduism would not have been what it was. The caste system told the people what responsibility they had based on the caste they were born into. The idea of good karma leading to reincarnation or rebirth into a better caste was used to keep people in line while also telling them how to live.

    Read More

  • Representations of Nature in King Lear

    856 Words  | 2 Pages

    We are lucky, today, that the majority of the world’s nations are democracies. This has only been the case in very recent times. For the greater part of human history, society has subscribed to the belief that birth is the most important determinant of one’s future. In Elizabethan England, this was especially true. Those born into the nobility enjoyed a lifetime of privilege, while those born outside of their ranks mainly existed to serve them. A century later, the British encountered an even stricter form of this belief when they conquered India. The Hindu caste system, which dictated one’s future based on birth just as British society did, was deemed even by the English to be excessively restrictive. After gaining control of the Subcontinent, the conquerors attempted to supplant the caste system with the semblance of a meritocracy. The new subjects of the Empire, instead of embracing this imposition of a foreign culture’s values, responded with general unrest and discontent, showing that no society, no matter how unfair or prejudiced, tolerates interference well. Shakespeare’s King Lear demonstrates the same concept: that any violation of society’s conception of the natural order brings chaos, and that the only way to restore harmony is to conform to the expectations of that society.

    Read More

  • The Laws Of Manu

    847 Words  | 2 Pages

    In The Laws of Manu the caste system is described in great detail. It explains everything one must do to be a part of their caste. In Hinduism each social class (varna) has its own dharma, or social law. The concept of dharma regulates all parts of life for Hindu’s and outlines their duties. However, there are different levels of dharma for people in the twice-born varnas, which includes the Brahmin, Ksatriya, and Vaisya. The different levels of dharma are based on the stage of life that an individual is at. The four stages an individual can be at are a student, a householder, a forest-dweller, or a sannyasin. A sannyasin is the lowest stage one can be in and one reaches that stage when they have cut all of their ties to society. In the text from The Laws of Manu it is stated that a householder may “never, for the sake of subsistence, follow the ways of the world: let him live the pure straightforward, honest life of a Brahmin” (Smart & Hecht 214). The Hindus believed in living a very simple life and being very honorable. The Laws of Manu states that no Brahmin should “attach himself to any sensual pleasures” (214) and also to “avoid all (means of acquiring) wealth which impede the study of the Veda” (214). In The Laws of Manu the idea of final liberation is brought up very frequently. Final liberation is the goal of all Brahmins. A Brahmin lives his whole life striving to reach final liberation and he does so by following dharma. He does not challenge dharma at all and believes that if he follows it, he will reach final liberation.

    Read More

  • Social Stratification And Social Class

    1029 Words  | 3 Pages

    Caste System is a social system based on ascribed statuses, which are traits or characteristics of people at birth. The ascribed status includes race, gender, nationality, body type and age. The caste system ranks people so rigidly. A person cannot just change his caste any time he wants.

    Read More

  • Hinduism, Tolerance, and Individuality

    1686 Words  | 4 Pages

    The four main stages of life in Hinduism also take the caste system into account. The first stage is that of a student, being led by a teacher. T...

    Read More

  • The Criticism Of Intersectionality

    732 Words  | 2 Pages

    Owing to India’s diversity, these identities are determined by caste, ancestry, socioeconomic class, religion, sexual orientation and geographic location, and play an important role in determining the social position of an individual (Anne, Callahan & Kang, 2011). Within this diversity, certain identities are privileged over others, due to social hierarchies and inequalities, whose roots are more than a thousand years old. These inequalities have marginalized groups and communities which is evident from their meagre participation in politics, access to health and education services and

    Read More

  • The Dividing Force of Religion

    675 Words  | 2 Pages

    Divided into four major social categories, the caste system categorizes Hindus, who act accordingly to their caste, into Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Sudra. Another class, the “untouchables,” is considered outside of the system. These five different classes of society define each person greatly. Castes are unchangeable and rarely intermarry. This social division is yet another example of how religion disbands organizations of people.

    Read More

  • Impact Of British Colonialism on the Indian Caste System

    2707 Words  | 6 Pages

    The caste system in India is elaborately structured to have an Indian touch to it, clearly distinguishing it from social structures worldwide. Caste is a word often used to describe a cluster of people who have a specific rank in the society. Each caste system is elaborately crafted to suit the needs of the society and they vary from group to group; each has its own rules and customs. Different chaste systems are planned in a hierarchical manner to become part of any of the four basic colors; varnas (a Sanskrit word for color). These include; the varna of Brahmans, identified with the learned class and priests; varna of Kshatriyas, which is encompasses warriors, rulers and property owners, the varna of Vaishyas, which attracts traders ; and lastly the varna of Shudras, who are servile laborers (Bayly, 1999).

    Read More

  • Caste System in India

    1481 Words  | 3 Pages

    In each society, there are different types of rules and ideologies that are used in order to help govern its people. Within these communities, these rules create a social hierarchy developed through a ranked system based on either economic value or religious beliefs. A type of ranked system that most people are familiar with is the Caste System in India, which is a system of classification in a society based on birth. This complex social structure is most prevalent in India, where social hierarchy is in affiliation with Hinduism. It recognizes two concepts known as Varna and Jati. Varna is a word in Sanskrit meaning color and includes four main groups: the Brahmans, Kshtriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. The fifth group, the most segregated caste in the system, is the Untouchables. Within each Varna contains an array of sub-caste called Jatis, which are also based on birth. The rules of the cases are governed through religious ideas of purity and pollution. These two socially constructed ideologies determine whether or not you were respected in the community. Caste assignments in India are predestined at birth rather than a personal choice. Individuals act and dress like those of their own caste in public, due to strict caste laws. Pressures of these rules tend to brainwash people into conforming into what society considers pure, as we’ll see in Kakar & Kakar’s reading. As human nature takes precedent, caste rules become less relevant. Indulging in one’s own desires or needs, especially during times of hardship, outweighs any types of rules that we’ll see in Freeman’s reading and the movie Distant Thunder. Though the caste system is such an intrinsic part of life, when faced with needs to survive, it becomes nothing more than just a...

    Read More

More about The Varna System or Caste System

Open Document