VarnaDharma 0

Varna Dharma – The Caste System
‘Varna Dharma’ are Sanskrit terms. Translated into English, they read caste
system. In Vedic times, the seers and sages, in their wisdom, classified society
in four groups according to the different aptitudes, capacities or qualities of the
people. This classification was based on what is written in the Yajur Ved. The
mantra states,
Brahmano’sya mukhamāsīd bāhū rājanyah krita.

Ūrūtadasya yadvaishyah padbhyām shūdro ajāyata. 31/11
The ‘Brāhmana’ – the intellectual -- is like the mouth in the body, the
‘Kshatriya’ – administrator -- is like the two arms, the ‘Vaishya’ – producer of
wealth – is like the thighs and the ‘Shūdra’ – Labourer -- is like the feet in the
body.
The sages had probed deep into the characteristics of human nature and had
reached the conclusion that everyone was not equally fit to perform work of all
kinds. As such, they deemed it fit to allocate different kinds of duties to
different categories of people according to their temperament and behaviour.
This division of labour was referred to as ‘Varna Dharma’. Society was divided
into ‘Brāhmana’, ‘Kshatriya’, ‘Vaishya’ and ‘Shudra’. This classification was
effected on the worth of the individual not his birth.
The ‘Brāhmanas’ were responsible for spiritual and intellectual matters.

Political administration and defence were entrusted to the ‘Kshatriyas’. The
‘Vaishyas’ were to supply food to the nation and administer its economic
welfare. The ‘Shudras’, for their part, did menial work.
The Vedas teach that the ‘Brāhmana’ is the brain of society. He is an

intellectual who can think, observe, analyze, invent and teach.
Hence, all the four ‘Varnas’ function in harmony according to their ability to
cater for the welfare, progress and prosperity of society at large.
The ‘Varna Dharma’ or soi-disant caste system is flawless but, today due to
ignorance, jealousy and selfishness, people have wrongly interpreted the
philosophy behind this classification.
The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter Four, Verse Thirteen) mentions, “The four
divisions of human society are created by the Lord according to the three modes
of material nature – Satoguna – the mode of goodness, Rajoguna – the mode of
passion and Tamoguna – the mode of material nature”.
Commenting on this verse, Swami Prabhupada, Founder of the International
Society for Krishna Consciousness writes, “The Lord is the creator of
everything. Everything is born of Him, everything is sustained by Him and
everything, after annihilation, rests in Him. He is therefore the creator of the
four divisions of the social order, beginning with the intelligent class of men,
technically called ‘Brāhmanas’ due to their being situated in the mode of
goodness. Next is the administrative class, technically called the ‘Kshatriyas’
due to their being situated in the mode of passion. The mercantile men, called
the ‘Vaishyas’, are situated in the mode of passion and the ‘Shudras’ or labourer
class are situated in the mode of material nature.
The ‘Varna Dharma’ has been the subject of much misinterpretation before
Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati, founder of the Arya Samaj, started delivering
his message about the unity of the human race. He shed light on this system
while offering explanations as to its existence. In his magnum opus -- the
Satyarthaprakash -- he writes, “Classes of all persons should be determined
according to their qualifications, accomplishments and character……”
Quoting Manu, the law-giver of ancient India, Maharshi Dayanand states the
duties of the four Varnas, thus, “Studying and teaching, performing Yajna and
assisting others in doing it, giving alms and receiving gifts – these are duties of
a ‘Brāhman’.
To protect people by the administration of perfect justice without fear or favour,

i.e, by showing due respect to the good and punishing the wicked, to spend
money in furthering the cause of truth and justice and in advancing knowledge
and serving the deserving, to perform Yajnas, to study the Veda and other
‘Shastras’, to shun the allurements of sensual gratification by perfect control of
the senses and thereby constantly augment the powers of the body and the soul
are the duties and qualifications of the ‘Kshatriya’.
To keep herds of cattle, breed, improve and multiply them, to spend money
among other things, in the advancement of knowledge and truth, to perform
Yajnas, to study the Veda and other ‘Shastras’, to lend money on interest, to
cultivate land are the duties of a ‘Vaishya’.
On the other side, Swami Chinmayananda states, “On the basis of

temperamental distinctions, mankind as a whole has been, for the purpose of
spiritual study, classified into four ‘Castes’ or ‘Varnas’ as just as in a
metropolis, on the basis of trade or profession, we divide the people as doctors,
advocates, professors, traders, politicians etc…….. For the perfectly healthy life
of a society, all ‘castes’ should not be competitive but co-operative units, each
being complementary to the others, never competing among themselves.
Thus, the caste system takes its origin from Vedic times. It was set up for a
particular purpose not as it is being mistakenly practised today. The Caste
system was meant to provide the manpower and labour which would ultimately
contribute to the welfare of society and not to divide human beings into
watertight compartments. The light that emanates from the Vedas and the Gita
clearly illustrates that over the years people have on purpose misinterpreted the
Caste System for their own selfish ends.

VarnaDharma 0

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

VarnaDharma 0

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

VarnaDharma 0

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Varna Dharma – The Caste System

Brahmano’sya mukhamāsīd bāhū rājanyah krita.

The ‘Brāhmanas’ were responsible for spiritual and intellectual matters.

The Vedas teach that the ‘Brāhmana’ is the brain of society. He is an

To protect people by the administration of perfect justice without fear or favour,

On the other side, Swami Chinmayananda states, “On the basis of

You might also like