Vivekananda School of Law and Legal Studies

VIVEKANANDA INSTITUTE OF
PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
VIVEKANANDA SCHOOL OF LAW AND LEGAL

STUDIES
SUBMITTED BY:- SHAILJA SINGH

1-C
10416
SOCIAL
DIFFERENTIATIO
N
THE VARNA SYSTEM
WHAT IS ‘VARNA’?
Ancient India in the Vedic Period (c. 1500-1000 BCE) did not have social stratification based on socio-economic
indicators; rather, citizens were classified according to their Varna or castes. Varna is from the root ‘vri’ which means
choice according to inherent traits. 'Varna' defines the hereditary roots of a newborn, it indicates the color, type, order or
class of people. Each person belonging to a varna required to follow the customs, rules, conduct, and beliefs fundamental
to their respective varnas. Four principal categories are defined: Brahmins (priests, gurus, etc.), Kshatriyas (warriors,
kings, administrators, etc.), Vaishyas (agriculturalists, traders, etc., also called Vysyas), and Shudras (labourers).
PURPOSE OF THE VARNA
The division of the varna is to distribute the responsibilities among various people and to maintain the purity of caste and
establish eternal order.
This system is believed to avoid conflicts within business and encroachment on respective duties.
Varnashrama Dharma
 According to Hindu texts, Varnashrama-dharma is not a man-made system but refers to natural
classifications that appear to various degrees in all human societies. It implies that dharma is not
same for all. It has a unique system of social obligations.
 It implies that there is also a dharma appropriate to each class and to each stage in the life of the
individual.
 Varnashrama Dharma follows the concept that each individual is a part of one stupendous whole
but at the same time, each is different from the other in the nature of the contribution.
 It basically defines the duties performed by people according to the system of the four varnas
(social division). Each varna has its own specified dharma. What may be desirable for one section
of society may be degrading for another. For example, absolute non-violence, which includes
refraining from animal sacrifice, is essential for the priestly class but considered wholly unworthy
of a kshatriya (warrior).
There are also general moral codes called sadharana-dharma, which is common to all despite the varna to which they
belong to. It is the moral order binding man to man in common fellowship and binding them all to the rest of the
universe, both animate and inanimate.
Division of duties according to Varnashrama Dharma

TWO VIEWS ON THE VARNA SYSTEM
WESTERN BRAHMANICAL
VIEW
VIEW
WESTERN VIEW
 According to this theory, the varna originated with the arrival of
Aryans in India around 1500 BC.
 The dasyus, who are regarded as the original inhabitants of India are
said to be the ancestors of the Sudras. They were foiled and subjected
by Vedic gods.
 When the Aryans conquered India, they suppressed and enslaved the
dasyus who were dark in colour (varna meaning colour).
 The people who believed in this view, saw Indian Varna system as the
split between the fair-skinned Aryans and the dark skinned dasyus.
 This view was untenable because if colour was the determining
factor, then there would have been two divisions and not four.
 The Aryans organized among themselves into three groups, namely, Rajayana (later
changed to Kshatriyas), Brahmins and the Vaishyas.
 Rajayana were the people who protected the society against external attacks and
maintained internal order.
 People who preached spiritual teachings to the society and lived spiritual lives were
called Brahmins.
 Businessman, traders and farmers came under the category of Vaishyas. The idea was
basically to divide the labour.
 As the Aryans conquers expanded, they suppressed and enslaved the local people to
serve the three classes and these local people came to be known as the helpers or the
Shudras.
 The Shudras were dark skinned and the Aryans were fair skinned. In the caste
hierarchy, the dark skinned were outcasts. The skin color was an important factor in the
caste system as the word varna itself refers to color.
BRAHMANICAL VIEW
o The Brahminical theory gives divine sanction to the varna system. The reference
to a division into four social classes appears in the late Rigvedic Purusha Sukta.
o Purusha Sukta is a hymn of the Rigveda, dedicated to the Purusha, the “Cosmic
Being”. The purusha who is identified with the primeval giant or the ideal ‘Man’
or world spirit.
o The Purusha is said to have produced the brahmana from his mouth, the
Kshatriya from his arms and vaishya from his thighs. The shudra is said to have
sprung from his feet.
o The Varna hierarchy was hence, determined by the descending order of the
different organs from which the Varnas were created. This theory was
interpreted in lieu with the Manu and was given religious sanctions which in fact
was similar to legal sanction of those times.
o Manu states that the Brahma devoted separate duties to those who sprang
respectively from his mouth, his arms, his thighs and his feet.
THE PURUSHA
 According to the ancient text of Bhagavad Gita, the varna system was
not considered to be hereditary and was assigned on the basis
of karma.
 Krishna thus says in the Gita: “The four-fold order was created by me
on the basis of quality (guna) and action (karma). However, this
statement basically suggests that there is a functional differentiation
based on quality and action.
 he philosophical justification of the Varna system is agreed upon in the
Upanishads. According to the Chandogya Upanishad, a man’s Varna is
part of a retributive justice of one’s sins’ in the previous life.
 The Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata also holds the view that an
individual can attain a superior Varna by performing righteous acts,
i.e., by adhering to the three ideals of Varna, Ashram and Moksh .
Varna in contemporary Hindu society
 The social order of varna or caste (varna krama) is still a very sensitive subject in
Hinduism and Hindu community. Certain castes still enjoy better social and
political privileges in practice, while in theory the constitution guarantees equal
treatment.
 There must still be many places in India where low caste people are subject to
discrimination and social injustice, as the continuation of the ancient Varna system
despite the fact that it has outlived its purpose.
 Until it is swept away by the currents of modernity and the egalitarian values of
equality and fraternity or universal brotherhood, Hinduism will remain vulnerable
to the problem of conversions and desertions by the lower castes.
THANK
YOU

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VIVEKANANDA INSTITUTE OF

VIVEKANANDA SCHOOL OF LAW AND LEGAL

SUBMITTED BY:- SHAILJA SINGH

PURPOSE OF THE VARNA

Division of duties according to Varnashrama Dharma

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