[Thread]

The Ancient Varna System is often misinterpreted by Academics as the source of modern day Caste System or perhaps it's initial phase

But what is the truth?

Is Varna based on birth or worth? Let's see-

First let's see the meaning of the word Varna:

वर्ण is made from root वॄञ् वरणे and अच् प्रत्यय as per अदर्शआदिभ्योऽच् sutra of Ashtadhyayi

(वरण essentially means CHOICE)

So depending upon context, Varna can have several meanings like color, QUALITY, gold, group, NATURE, etc.

Nirukta II-३ says the word वर्ण (Varna) is derived from the root verb वृ (Vrī), which means ‘to choose', 'to appoint’, 'to elect', etc.

Hence, Varna means ‘that to which one is appointed or elected with due regard to his attributes and worth’

No question of birth here!

Now let's proceed to what Hindu scriptures say about Varna,

The most often quoted verse with regard to Chāturvarnyam is the Purusa Sukta hymn from RigVeda which says—

The Brahmana became its mouth, Kshatriya the arms, Vaishya its thighs and the Shudra its feet (10.90.12)

The general connotation is that the feet is lower than the head and hence the Shudra is inferior to the Brahmana (pic 1)

But this interpretation is incorrect since the Purusa has always been envisaged as lying down (pic 2)

Hence all four classes are *fundamentally* equal

Other Vedic Scholars like Swami Dayananda Saraswati point out that since Vedas nowhere depicts God as having hands or any other human organs hence such rendering is misleading.

They argue that wherever such verses occur, the common object is not God, but man or society!

Now the question that arises in everyone's mind is, does the varna depend on one's birth or on one's deeds?

In Gita, Krishna states —

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः ।

The fourfold system of varna, was created by me in accordance to one's qualities and actions (4.13)

In Ajgarparva of Mahabharata, Yuddhistir explicitly declares —

शूद्रे चैतद्भवेल्लक्ष्यं द्विजे तच्च न विद्यते ।
न वै शूद्रो भवेच्छूद्रो ब्राह्मणो न च ब्राह्मणः ॥ २० ॥

A Shudra is not Shudra by birth; nor is a Brahmin, Brahmin by birth (3.177.20)

In first adhyaya of Shukraniti, Shukracharya says —

नजात्याब्राह्मणश्वात्रश्रत्रियोवैश्यएवन ।
नशूद्रोनचवम्लेंच्छीभेदितागुणकर्मभिः ॥ ३८ ॥

Not by birth is he a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya or Shudra but by his qualities and actions is he so (1.38)

In Shrimad Bhagvatam, Narada says —

यस्य यल्लक्षणं प्रोक्तं पुंसो वर्णाभिव्यञ्जकम् ।
यदन्यत्रापि द‍ृश्येत तत्तेनैव विनिर्दिशेत् ॥ ३५ ॥

If one shows the qualities of a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya or Sudra then he must be accepted as a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya or Sudra (7.11.35)

Further, Manu Samhita X-LXV states —

शूद्रो ब्राह्मणताम् एति ब्राह्मणश् च एति शूद्रताम् ।
क्षत्रियाज् जातम् एवं तु विद्याद् वैश्यात् तथा एव च ॥ ६५ ॥

A Shudra can become a Brahmin and a Brahmin can become a Shudra; same goes for other classes also (10.65)

Apastamba Dharma Sutra says —

धर्मचर्य्यया जघन्यो वर्णः पूर्वं पूर्वं वर्णमापद्यते जातिपरिवृत्तौ ॥१०॥
अधर्मचर्य्यया पूर्वो वर्णो जघन्यं जघन्यं वर्णमापद्यते जातिपरिवृत्तौ ॥११॥

Doing dharma will raise him to higher varna; Doing adharma will sink him to lower varna (2.5.11.10-11)

One might ask, what is 'higher' & 'lower' varna here. Didn't I just say all are equal?

THIS is where dogma comes in —

EVERYBODY IS EQUAL since everyone possesses the same divine self; but at the same time EVERYBODY IS NOT SAME nor does everyone deserve the same respect

Some denounce everything to work selflessly for the society

Some go for fighting wars and sacrifice their lives for the country

Some are hard-wired to step out and start business ventures

While most are simply content with earning a bread of someone else's name

In today's world, the common man going to office, following orders of his Boss and doing some unintellectual job, is a Shudra or servant .

He is EQUAL to the Brahmana or today's scientist but he doesn't deserve the SAME respect and honour as that given to a scientist or a saint

As for the 'deprived Shudra' theory, the Skanda Purana declares—

जन्मना जायते शूद्रः संस्कारात् द्विज उच्यते ।

By birth, everyone is a Shudra (6.239.31)

It is only after second birth and receiving education that a person becomes dvija i.e. a Brahmana, Kshatriya or a Vaishya

As per Shashtras —

• The first birth happens from womb, the second happens from education, and the third from sanyasa (Manu 2.168)

• A man takes real birth only after he receives complete education. Without it his existence is no better than an animal's (Manu 2.147-2.148)

• One doesn't become a learned man by merely being born out of the womb (Hitopadesha 1.36)

• Brahmana, Kshatriya and Vaisya, being educated, are called twice-born. But those who couldn't complete their education (i.e. Shudras) have only one birth. (Manu 10.4)

And even after education, if he fails to perform the duties of his chosen varna, he again becomes a Shudra

In this regard, Manu says —

• If he doesn't do his duties, he will again become a Shudra (8.16)

• The Dwija again becomes Shudra if he doesn't follow his dharma (2.168)

Manu Smriti says —

न तिष्ठति तु यः पूर्वा न उपास्ते यश् च पश्चिमाम् ।
स शूद्रवद् बहिष्कार्यः सर्वस्माद् द्विजकर्मणः ॥ १०३ ॥

He who doesn't do yoga/meditation twice a day should be regarded by the wise as a Shudra (2.103)

By this definition, I am sure most of us are Shudras

Manu further says —

• The one who doth not perform Shradhha is called Shudra (4.223)

• He who has not been initiated with teaching of the Vedas is called a Sudra (2.172)

• He who doesn't utilize his education for fulfilment of his duties is a Shudra (2.168)

And,

• The Brahmana without manners is as the Shudra is (2.26)

• The Brahmana who indulges in trade or usury should be regarded as Shudra (8.102)

• In company of bad people, the Brahmana becomes Shudra (4.245)

• By eating or selling flesh a Brahmana becomes pariah (10.92)

• The greedy Brahmana is no better than an animal (4.196)

• The Brahmana devoid of learning is a fraud imposter (2.157)

• The Brahmana who invokes his lineage while begging is a foul feeder (3.109)

• The Brahmana who knows not the Rikas is a useless idiot (2.158)

• The learned shouldn't offer even water to the Brahmana who knows not the Vedas (4.192)

• The Brahmana even if hungry shouldn't accept alms if he doesn't deserve them (4.187)

• The Brahmana who accepts undeserving gifts, sinks to hell along with his donor (4.190)

And also this —

• The Sudra pure of heart is a Brahmana in disguise (9.335)

• If a Sudra comes as a guest, the family should feed him with due respect (3.112)

• The aged Shudra is worthy of respect (2.137;155)

• Do not insult the Shudras cause of their illiteracy (4.141)

Now, to prove that Brahmana is not Brahmin by birth I present the reader a shloka from Manu Smriti—

स्वाध्यायेन जपैर्होमैस्त्रैविद्येनेज्यया सुतैः ।
महायज्ञैश्च यज्ञैश्च ब्राह्मीयं त्रिफ़यते तनुः ॥ २८ ॥

[Translation provided in the next tweet while u figure out what it means]

The body is made Brahmin by studying & teaching, by thinking and putting others in the way of thinking, by making oblations to fire, by raising kids righteously, and by performing the five-fold duties (2.28)

So the body is 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 Brahmin & not 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 Brahmin as per Shashtras

In Araneya Parva of Mahabharata, Yudhisthira explains to the Yaksha, that it is is neither birth nor study nor learning which is the cause of Brahmanhood.

It is only by right conduct and behaviour, that a person becomes a Brahmana.

Similar views we find in the Dhammapada also

In Prastavika of Hitopadesha, we find a very beautiful verse —

यस्य कस्य प्रसूतोऽपि गुणवान्पूज्यते नरः ।
धनुर्वेशविशुद्धोपि निर्गुणः किं करिष्यति ॥२३॥

A man of merits born of whatever parents is honoured in the society; for what's the use of a golden bow without string? (1.23)

If we see itihasa and puranas also, then we see constant interaction and intermingling of the four varnas —

• Matanga muni was born Chandala

• Vishwamitra, Agniveshya, Rathotar, Shaunak, & Haarit were originally Kshatriyas

• Sons of Shaunak Rishi belonged to all four Varnas

• Vidur, Sanjaya were also originally Shudras but became Brahmins after second birth

• Kavash Ailush was son of Dasi who became Brahmin after meditating

• Satyakam Jabal was son of Ganika who became Brahmin

• Aitareya, Valmiki, Vatsayana, Vyasa, Valluvar, etc

[contd.]

• Similarly in Bhagvat there's a story of a Brahmin Ajamil who became outcaste after he went to a prostitute

• Ravana whose father was a Brahmin became an Asura after he started eating human flesh

• Pravridha, a Raghuwanshi, became outcaste because of his misdeeds

• Trishanku, originally a king became a Chandal

• Daksha's son Prashadh became a Shudra, but attained salvation by doing penance as an atonement

• Many of Vishwamitra's sons became Shudras because of negligence towards education

And of course, these are just SOME examples!

In more recent times, we have —

• Ravidas, who was a Chamar by birth

• Balak Das, who was a Mahar

• Haridas, and Kabirdas born to Muslim family

• Tukaram was born to Shudra family, so was Potuluri

• Bhansaheb, Trikamsaheb, Daasi Jeevan all were from deprived backgrounds

So in conclusion, Varna is not based on birth but on a person's worth and his qualities.

A highly-educated person is called Brahmin and an illiterate or semi-literate is called Shuda (based on merit)

Even Ambedkar accepted that Varna is based on worth not birth!

Ambekdar argued that in ancient times Varna was fixed by Gurukuls. Those who passed with flying colours became scientists, governors, businessmen, etc. But those who failed became servants and worked for other classes.

(Source : Dr. BRA Writings & Speeches, Volume 3, p. 287-288)

But after Muslim invasion followed by Christo-Colonial aggression, the Gurukul system was uprooted and the traditional education system completely destroyed.

The immediate repercussion was that no independent body determined one's Varna and it all started to be based on birth

Since Children could no longer go to Gurukuls they picked up the trade of their families and occupations soon became hereditary in absence of Gurukul system.

This was also about the time that some Vammargis interpolated the Dharmashashtras (Manu Smriti, etc) as per their liking.

It's worth noting that despite the several INTERPOLATED verses of Manu Smriti and other Dharmashashtras, NO ANCIENT INSCRIPTION has anything against Shudras or the outcastes.

Hence the modern day caste system is relatively new and a factor of CTA and British Census NOT Varna!

Today's modern day caste system is merely a factor of that census, the criminal tribes act added with some medieval influence.

The biggest proof of this is that caste system exists in Christo-Muslim societies also demonstrating that it's more of a social issue than religious

In other words the 4000s of castes have NOTHING to do with the 4 varnas which finds mention in Jain and Buddhist literature also!

Hence we must stop associating this birth-based and Christo-Islamist-imposed/influenced caste system with the ancient non-hereditary Varna system

Jinasena said that there is only one jaati in this world which is Manusya jati. We are all descendants of Manu (i.e. Manusya), and the sons and daughters of Bharata.

We are already divided. Let us not hate one another and divide ourselves further

I know some Ambedkarites will spread venom against Brahmins at the end of the thread. To them let me tell you that the Brahmin Varna was created by Lord Rishabnath for service of Bharatvarsha and Lord Buddha (Dr. BRA's God) also talked about generosity to Brahmins.

So in conclusion, let us insult neither Brahmins nor Dalits. Let us judge people by their karma and see divinity in everyone (सम दर्शन) as Lord Krishna taught us in श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता

Jai Jinendra