Questions tagged [varna]
Use this tag for questions about the role, history, and scriptural references in Hinduism around varna (caste, or social class).
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What was the name of the first Vaishya?
Bhragu, Vashishta etc. seems to be the first Brahmins.
Priyavrata and Uttānapāda seems to be the first Kshatriyas.
Is there any mention about the first Vaisya either in guna based or birth based ...
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Did demons also have a Varna system?
Is there any reference of a demon or rakshasa having a varna? Was the Varna system followed by Rakshasas?
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Which mantras (in metres other than Gayatri) are prescribed for the Sandhya of Non-Brahmins?
It is said that one must follow the mantra in Gayatri metre of the Upasya (generally main Gayatri), granted by the Guru. There’s a whole list of them in the Taittiriya shakha. There also seems to be a ...
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What are the duties of Dvija-Bandhus?
According to the book "Hindu Dharma" by Sri Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati:
If the Gayatri has not been chanted for three generations in the
family of a Brahmin, its members lose caste (they ...
user9969
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What is Śuka's birth-based varṇa? Is his biological mother literally a parrot or a human named Ghṛtācī or he had no mother at all?
The birth of Vyāsa's son, Śuka, is narrated in the Mahābhārata as follows.
Bhishma said. 'The son of Satyavati having obtained this high boon from the great God, was one day employed in rubbing his ...
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Vedic verses connecting Gunas and Varnas
Are there any verses in the Vedas, CLEARLY connecting Gunas with Varnas?
Let me clarify what I am looking for. I am looking for verses that define;
A particular Guna or a combination of particular ...
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What are the varnas (castes) of Lord Hanuman and Jambavan?
Hanuman was the child of Añjanā and Kesari. Both Anjana and Kesari belonged to the Vanara clan.
Is the Varna System mentioned in our scriptures applicable only to human beings or is it applicable to ...
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Is the practice of Gayatri Parivar allowing everyone to undergo Upanayana (Janaeu) ceremony adharmika?
It's a well-known fact about the Gayatri Parivar's stance on allowing everyone (including married women, non-Hindus, and Śhūdras, etc.) to undergo the sacred thread ceremony (Upanayana or Yagnopavita ...
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How is the ritual of Vratyastoma performed?
Vratyastoma, is a ritual performed by Vratyas (people who have failed to perform Upanayana in time) to readmit themselves to the fold of Varnashrama Dharma. Many Westerners who convert into Hinduism ...
user9969
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Which scripture is the source of the verse "Janmanā jāyatē jantuḥ karmaṇā jāyatē dvijaḥ" (everyone is born worm)?
Complete verse is as follows.
Janmanā jāyatē jantuḥ karmaṇā jāyatē dvijaḥ |
vēdādhyayanatō vipraḥ brahmavid brāhmaṇa smr̥taḥ ||
In Devanagari script:
जन्मना जायते जन्तु: कर्मणा जायते द्विज:।
वेदा...
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What was the Varna of the so many soldiers of the various kingdoms mentioned in the stories of Puranas and Vedas?
There are so many kingdoms and wars mentioned in the stories in Puranas and Vedas. In all stories King used to be Kshatriya.
I never read and heard about Varna of soldiers who were in huge number in ...
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Sanskrit references for the usage of the word varna for a given sense
The word Varna has been used by scriptures in different senses/meanings based on the context. This question is restricted to the usage of Varna in Humans only.
I know at least five senses:
Varna ...
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Lord Shiva’s Curse and the Origin of Chandalas
An answer to what are the duties of children born from an intermixing of castes?, beautifully describes that a chandala is one born of the pratiloma union of a Sudra man and a Brahmin woman and their ...
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who can a Mleccha marry?
Who can a Mleccha marry? A mleccha is outside the varna system,i.e they are neither brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, or even Shudras. can a mleccha only marry a mleccha? I'm talking about a convert ...
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What are the varnas of Vashishta and Arundhati?
Arundhati. is the wife of the sage Vashistha, one of the seven sages (Saptarshi).
To which varna does Vashishta belong to?
To which varna does Arundhati belong to?
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What Varna did Parashara's mother belong to?
I want to know about the mother of sage Parashara and story of her birth. Which varna, background did she belong ?
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Remedy for Varna Sankar वर्ण संकर?
Gita (1.40 - 1.42) talks about varna shankar, can not perform shraddha/tarpan, hence his ptiris fall to hell along with him.
सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च |
पतन्ति पितरो ह्येषां लुप्तपिण्डोदकक्रि...
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What is the correct way to recognize varna by astrology?
Most northern Indian astrologers define varna by the sign of the zodiac occupied by the Moon.
Most South Indian astrologers define varna by the nakshatra occupied by the Moon.
And what is the ...
user28071
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If a kshatriya does work of brahmin or say sudra will that be called karma yoga?
Is it compulsory to do kartavya karma to constitute as a karmayoga?
If a kshatriya does karma of brahmin will still it be called karma yoga?
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Varna of Nandagopa and Maa Yashoda?
Gopala bhatta goswami in his sat kriya sandarba mentions the 11 jatis of shudra varna (pic below)
While Swami karpatri had said that they're Vaishyas (like other gowala-s)
So were Nandagopa, Maa ...
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Proportion of gunas in four varnas obtained by birth
I read the following lines by Ramanujacharya from this answer
The nature of Brahmanas, Ksatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras are due to
their respective inherent dispositions. The meaning is that their past
...
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Under which varna do bureaucrats come?
Do modern day bureaucrats come under the kshatriya varna? Any example related to this from shastras?
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Is there a specific Sandhyavandanam for Vaishya varna i.e different from what is usually prescribed for Brahmins?
Brahmins usually have Sandhyavandanam rituals as per the Veda associated with their family. For example, Yajurveda (there are some sub-branches as well) or Samveda. Is there a Sandhyavandanam ritual ...
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Is there any reference where dvija means enlightened person?
Came across a post recently by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, where he says that dvija means an enlightened person:
“Enlightened ones have always been referred to as dwijas or ‘twice born.’ May you ...
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Exploring sadhanas for transformation: Overcoming the impact of birth on nature
In a fascinating discourse between Yudhishthira and Bhishma found in the Anusasanika Parva of the Mahabharata, Bhishma discusses the interplay between a person's birth and their conduct. He ...
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When does the Mahabharata indicate the onset of widespread Varna Sankarya (i.e., inter-caste marriages) in society?
In a discussion with Nahusha, Yudhisthira states
'In human society, O mighty and highly intelligent serpent, it is
difficult to ascertain one's caste, because of promiscuous
intercourse among the ...
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Which caste is "software developer"?
Advocates of the varnashrama dharma claim that we should follow the varna professions listed in the dharma shastras. For example:
10.47 - For Sūtas, the management of horses and chariots; for ...
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If kshatriyas and vaishyas don't exist, who can take up arms and do farming?
For example, the shastra says only people born as kshatriyas and who have done upanayanam can be military or police:
Manu 10.79 - For the Kṣatriya, carrying of arms and weapons. For the
Vaiśya, ...
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How did Dayanand Saraswati deal with the fact that the Krishna Yajurveda forbids Shudras from performing yajna?
Dayanand Saraswati was a religious leader in the 19th century who believed people of all castes should be allowed to study the Vedas. He created the Arya Samaj for this purpose and in the the centres ...
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Who has the right to sport a Shikha?
Can Shudras, non-initiated Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas etc. sport a Shikha?
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Did Rukmini ever worry about polygyny of Krishna?
Consider the following lines in THE RIDDLE OF RAMA AND KRISHNA by Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar regarding the marital relation of Rukmini with Krishna
Krishna was now, for the first time, married. He ...
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What are the consequences of having a Varnashankar child?
One verse from Gita says that Varnashankar causes ancestors of a person to fall from heaven to hell for eternity.
Bhagavad Gita 1.42 (Arjun Says)
Hybrid castes ensure that the family line and those ...
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Aren't these Manusmṛti verses pertaining to marriage contradictory?
Manusmṛti 3.23 describes the form of marriages that are permitted for each Varṇa:
षडानुपूर्व्या विप्रस्य क्षत्रस्य चतुरोऽवरान् ।
विश्।शूद्रयोस्तु तानेव विद्याद् धर्म्यानराक्षसान् ॥ २३ ॥
ṣaḍānupūrvyā ...
user23111
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Do the Vedas mention mixed-castes (Varṇa Saṅkara-s)?
The famous Purūṣa Sukta doesn't mention Varṇa Saṅkara-s. Kṛiṣṇa also didn't talk about Varṇa Saṅkara-s despite of concerned raised by Arjuna,
adharmābhibhavāt kṛiṣhṇa praduṣhyanti kula-striyaḥ
...
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Is it obligatory for a mleccha householder to marry?
There are two options to most Hindus, householder or ascetic. Householders must get married. Is this law obligatory on foreigners as well? And what type of marriage would foreigners engage in? One of ...
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Do Varnas have subcategories?
Present Caste System is a modified Varna Dharma by Britishers.
There are many subcategories even for a single Caste. (more than 7 in some cases)
I didn't see any scriptures mentioning subcategories ...
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vrAtyastOma on fallen dwijAs in Kali Yuga
In a previous question, we established the lack of kshatriyas and vaishyas in today's day and age. Basically, the only dwijAs to exist today are the sath BramhanAs. For reference, one can gloss over ...
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Apart from Brahmarishi Vishwamitra any people from Kshatriyas became rishis?
Vishwamitra was originally a rajanya and then achieved enlightenment. I take it that he achieved Brahmin Varna.
Are there any more examples with references?
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Was Dronacharya Brahmin or Kshatriya? or both? or neither?
Many people these days scream that varna is determined ONLY by guna & karma, not ONLY by janma.
Dronacharya was a teacher, a brahmin by varna who followed his svadharma.
Later in Kurukshetra war, ...
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How can fault created in varnashankar be corrected?
Can someone explain in detail how fault created in varnashankar child be corrected ?
Suppose a brahmin man marries a shudra woman , the child will be Parsarva.
Now can this Parsava man marry a Brahmin ...
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Is working for wage sin for twice-born castes?
Is working for wage sin for twice born castes (Brahmin , Kshatriya and Vaishayas) ? Does it lead them to hell ?
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What is my my pravara and gotra if belong to tulasi gotra?
I have asked many people about tulasi gotra but i couldn't find my pravara and what Varna i belong to.
Please tell me if someone knows
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Can a NON-BRAHMIN be a teacher?
Were there any instances in itihasa shastra where non-brahmin were teacher?
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Why is the penance for killing a Shudra relatively small?
Mahabharat Book 12 Section CLXV Line says
Having slain a Vaisya one should perform such a sacrifice for two years and make a present of a hundred kine with one bull. Having slain a Sudra, one should ...
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What are the new duties of the 4 varnas as per Saunaka & Bhargabhūmi?
In the Puranas, Manu and his wife had many children and future generations who changed their caste (varna) totally freely. For example, in Brahma Purana Chapter 5 it is given:
Vaivasvata Manu (...
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Can someone translate this from Sudrakamalakar?
Can someone translate this from Sudrakamalakar, its on varna position of Kayasthas.
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Are there any possible senses(meanings) for the word Varna wrt humans other than the ones given?
I recently asked a question requesting Sanskrit verses containing the word Varna in different contexts.
I provided the five senses:
Varna assigned by Krishna for each individual based on guna and ...
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Are the first/early members of each varna mentioned in the scriptures?
Verse 1.31 from the Manu Smriti
But for the sake of the prosperity of the worlds he caused the Brahmana, the Kshatriya, the Vaisya, and the Sudra to proceed from his mouth, his arms, his thighs, and ...
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I'm a Bhumihar Brahmin(18),my father a Kaushik and mother a Bharadwaj by Gotra(Read the body)
I'm 18, as far as I know the Upanayana has to be done when the child is 8, I'm 18, is it too late for me to go through one?
I'm a medical student as of now, and I come from an upper middle class ...
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Does Shankaracharya of Puri consider that Varna is based on birth? Is this consistent with teachings of Adi Shankara?
I found this YouTube video (with English subtitles) of Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, the current Shankaracharya of Puri, but don't quite understand what he's trying to convey.
Can someone summarize ...