#Thread on varna vyavastha and caste system

What is varna?

Literally ‘Varna’ (वर्ण) originates from the world ‘वृ’ which means ‘to choose’ and the word Varna means that which is chosen. Thus an occupation that was chosen was called Varna.

In ancient India there was a concept of Varnashrama (वर्णाश्रम) wherein there were 4 Varna based on the classification of various occupations.

Why varna?

In veda and in manusmriti it is mentioned that society was divided into 4 varna for the betterment of human race.

1. Brahmins- those who practised Dharma.
2. Kshatriyas- those who were into warfare and protection of the nation
3. Vaishyas- indulged in commerce & Finance
4. Shudras- to serve

Attached pictures describe the duties of every varna, as per bhagavad gita chapter 18.

In the first place, I’ve mentioned that varna is not decided as per the birth. It is based on choice of one’s occupation. (I’ll provide reference later in this thread).

A person could therefore be the son of a Brahmin but choose his Varna as an accountant.

The gotra would be the same but his Father’s Varna would be a Brahmin, but his Varna would be a Vaishya.
This was the ancient prescription of our scriptures.

Bhagavad gita 4:13-

चातुवर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुण कर्मविभागशः |
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ||

Meaning- The four categories of occupations were created by me according to people’s qualities (गुण) and activities. Although I am the creator of this system, know me to be the non-doer and eternal.

What are the qualities (गुण), its talking about?

It is described in Brhat-Parasara-Hora-Sastra:
1. A person affected primarily by sattva guna is apt to be a good brahmana (teacher, scientist, priest.)
2. A person affected primarily by rajo guna is apt to be a good kshatriya (leader, officer, governor...)

3. A person affected primarily by tamo guna is apt to be a good shudra (worker, artisan, performer...)
4. A person without a dominating influence from the mix of three gunas is apt to be a good vaishya (merchant, landowner, industrialis.)

Is varna is decided by birth? Can it be switched?

7.11.35 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa):

यस्य यल्लक्षणं प्रोक्तं पुंसो वर्णाभिव्यञ्जकम्।
यदन्यत्रापि दृश्येत तत्तेनैव विनिर्दिशेत् ॥

Meaning- If one shows the symptoms of being a brahmin, kshtriya, vasya or sudra, as

described above, even if he has appeared [born] in a different class, he should be accepted according to those symptoms of classification.

Even in mahabharat Vana Parva: Markandeya-Samasya Parva 211, it is mentioned that:

A man, may be born in the Sudra caste, but if he is possessed of good qualities, he may attain the state of Vaisya and similarly that of a Kshatriya, and if he is steadfast in rectitude, he may even become a Brahmana. And vice-versa is mentioned in further shlokas.

Apart from it, you can read my following thread on manusmriti which says that more punishment were given to a brahmin than a sudra for committing same mistake. https://twitter.com/hathyogi31/status/1258000747804807169

What is jaati/caste?

Jaati is linked to birth. It stems from the Sanskrit root जन् that is ‘to be born’. The word was used initially in the sense of a race or creatures having similar characteristics and genetic similarities like- Manushya-Jaati (मनुष्यजाति), Vaanara-Jaati

(वानरजाति) or Asura-Jaati (असुरजाति) etc. It is used as a piece identity in british era and cannot be changed. The caste-system as we see today, was artificially created and then systematically enforced by the British to dominate Hindus or India.

Today even the the meaning of varna is misquoted and misinterpreted as varna= colour and associated with fake aryan invasion theory and dravidian theory. They misinterpret it as white skinned were upper caste and black skinned as lower caste.

Now the question should be do this caste system or varn vyavastha should exist in today’s world.

In my opinion, in today’s word, there is no such requirement of any kind of caste system or a rigid varna vyavastha.

We have to agree on that fact In any period, Hindus never read the scriptures to understood the truth of this system, so even then there is no guarantee. In every era, politics has been done on the basis of this system and society has been broken.

The person who believes this system is opposed by society. While carefully observed, this system exists in every form in every religion. There is a priest, soldier, businessman and servant etc. in all religions or society.

How to end?

Inter-caste marriage is the best solution.