Varna System in India

Varna System
Varna is from the root vri which means choice according to inherent traits. Varna seems to have
been the division of the society in the Rig Vedic times when there were four classes. These
classes were Brahmin. Kshatriya, Vaishya and Sudra. It is found from the Vedic literature that
Varna meant the color of the skin according to which society was divided into four classes. These
classes were based on the distinction and differences between the white or the Aryans and the
black or the Dravidians.

Another view point means to acceptor to profess. In this senses Varna represents the occupational
groups into which Hindu society was divided. So we can have at least two interpretations of the
concept of Varna: First Varna has been used as colour of the skin and it been means the
classification of society on the racial differences: second, Varna means the division of society on
the occupational differences. The functional of each Varna were specially laid down.

Varna in Classical Literature:

There are passages in Vedic literature regarding the Varnas. There is a hymn in Purusha Sukta
of Rig Veda which says that the Brahaman Varna represents the mouth of the Purusha or the
universal man, Kshatriya Varna forms his arms, the Vaishya forms his thighs and the Sudra, his
feet. The division into four Varnas is related to the duties assigned to each Varna. Accordingly,
each Varna had to pursue a particular vocation. It appears that the original part of the Vedas did
not know about the caste system and the caste system came latter on. In Rig Vedic society there
was no restriction on an individual regarding a particular occupation. Persons belonging to a
particular Varna could accept and practise any profession they liked. A Brahmin could take the
profession of a physician. Similarly, there was no restriction regarding food, drinking or diet

among Varnas. Besides, there were no restrictions on inter-marriage between the different classes
of the Aryan race. Hence, the Varnas were open classes. The classes were not watertight
compartments. These classes were based on individual traits and not on birth.

Views of Sociologists on Varna:

We shall discuss the views of some sociologists regarding the concept of Varna.
View of J. H. Hutton:
Hutton says that the concept of Varna is often confused with the concept of caste or Jati although
caste and Varna have different meanings. The Varna seems to have been originally the four
classes. In Vedic times, the line of demarcation between the various classes was not considered
essential. A Kshatriya could become a Brahmana. At the time of Vedic invasion, the four Varnas
represented a division of society into four classes, namely the Brahmanas who acted as priests,
the Kshatriyas who were rulers, the Vaishyas who acted as priests, the Kshatriyas who were the
servant class. Certain colours are associated with the four Varnas. The Brahmanas have white
colour, the Kshatriyas red, the Vaishyas yellow and Sudras black.

View of G. S. Ghurye:
Varna means distinction. In the beginning we find that there are two classes in Hindu society, the
Aryas and the Dasas. Ghurye has written, In the Rig Veda, the word Varna is never applied to
any one of the classes (Brahmana, Kshatriya etc.). It is only the Arya Varna or the Aryan people
that is contrasted with Dasa Varna. The Satapatha Brahmana, on the other hand, describes the
four classes as four Varnas. Varna means colour and it is in this sense that the word seems to
have been employed in contrasting the Arya and the Dasa, referring to their fair and dark colour
respectively. He is of the opinion that the distinction between the Arya and Dasa was latter
responsible for the distinction between Arya and Sudra.

In the Vedic age we find the division of society into three classes, namely Brahmana, Kshatriya
and Vaishya. Only in the later Vedic period, a mention has been made about the fourth Varna of
Sudras. In the Vidic age, there were only four Varnas and untouchables had no place in the Varna
system.
In brief, the three classes of the early portion of the Rig Veda were latter solidified into four
groups, more or less compact, with three or four other groups separately mentioned.
According to Ghurye, the term Varna has been used to denote the colour scheme of the different
sections of the society. Since the Aryans came from outside India and conquered the indigenous
population in India, they occupied a higher social status and the people who were defeated got
the lowest position in the society. In this way, Ghurye has adopted the racial theory of the origin
of the Varna system.
View of ML N. Srinivas:
Prof. Srinivas is of the opinion that the caste system is a very complex organization and it should
not be identified with the Varna system. There are only four Varnas but there are above three
thousand castes. The distinction between the caste and Varna system is that the caste is a local
group, whereas the Varna system has an all India basis. Similarly, there is no mobility in the caste
system, whereas the Varna system is mobile. According to him, the Varna system conceals the
diversity between the caste system of one region and that of an other.
Different Varnas:
Although the different Varnas were open classes and were based on the individual traits, there
were distinctions between various Varnas on different grounds. The distinctions between the four
Varnas can be shown on many grounds. The four Varnas were addressed in different ways and
different degrees of politeness. For example, whenwelcoming a person, different terms were
used, namely. Agachehha, Adrava etc. Similarly, the Gayatri mantra was to be recited by the
three Varnas in different ways. The Brahmin started the mantra with Bhuh, the Kshatriya with
Bhubah and the Vaishya with Swah.

We also find distinction between Varnas on the basis of type of wood for sprinkling purposes as a
sacrifice. The Kshatriya us Nyagrodha wood and the Vaishya uses Aswattha wood. In this
manner, the distinction between the different Varnas in terms of different rites and privileges can
be seen in the Rig Vedic literature to Brahminic literature, that is to say, transition of society from
the Vedic age to the Samhitas, from the Brahminic to the Upanishadic age.
As far as the Sudras were concerned, they still held the position of the menial labour or slave
because they were still non-Aryans. In the late period, the four Varnas have been mentioned.
Although the Sudra was accepted as belonging to the fourth Varna, he was not quite free from
disability because he could not perform a sacrifice which the higher Varnas did.
The Origin of the Varnas:
There are different theories regarding the origin of Varna. We shall mention some of them.
The Theory of Parasara:
According to Parasara, the vVhole of mankind has emerged from the Brahmana. It is the law of
nature that the children share the common nature of their parents and therefore all the men have
been of the same Varna when they were created. The question arises as to why there is distinction
between the various Varnas. Parasara replies. It is true that the offspring begotton by one is none
else than the begetter himself, but if the soil and the seed are inferior, the offspring born of these
will be inferior. Parasara says that mankind has originated from the great Brahmana himself but
all sections of society did not emerge from the same parts of the body. The Brahmana have
emerged from the mouth, the Kshatriya from arms, the Vaishya from thighs, and the Sudra from
the feet. Originally, the four Varnas were created and the other classes were the result of inter
mixture. Parasara has given a list of fourteen subclasses.
Theory of Mahabharata:
In the Mahabharata, the origin of the Varna has been described from the various parts of the body
of the creator. The Brahmana originated from the mouth of the Brahma or the creater, the
Kshatriya from his arms, the Sudra-from his feeUhe Brahmana was created to preserve the
Vedas, the Kshatriya to rule the world and to protect it, the Vaishyas to support the other two
Varnas and himself by agriculture, and the Sudras to serve the other three Varnas.

Theory of Manu:
According to Manu Smiriti, the four Varnas have been created from the limbs of the creator. To
protect the universe, different duties and occupations were assigned to the different Varnas.
Brahmana Varna has been regarded as the supreme creation of God. Manu has asserted that the
Brahmana, the Kshatriya, the Vaishya and the Sudra are the only Varnas in existence and there is
no Pancham Varna.