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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Is it permissible to deny the authority of Manusmriti?
Is it permissible to deny the authority of Manusmriti considering that all the four major schools of Hinduism(Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism and Smarta tradition) only consider Vedas and Upanishads ...
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Any references where varna/caste is determined independent of birth/parentage?
Is there any incidence or statement in the scriptures which shows that varna/caste was not deduced from birth/parentage, and was deduced only from "qualities independent of parentage"(without ...
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What are the order & duties of the children born from intermixing/hybridisation of 4 classes?
There are 4 classes in descending order:
BrAhmaNa
Kshatriya
Vaishya
Shudra
If a man of class X mates with a woman of class X, then definitely the child will inherit the class X.
How the ...
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Do Sruti texts mention either or both of birth-based varna and guna-based varna?
Do Sruti texts mention birth-based or guna-based varna?[1].
To elaborate (further), are there any instances in Śruti scriptures which explicitly support either or both of birth-based varna and guna-...
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Examples of Varna migration in Hindu mythology?
Is migration between Varna really allowed in Hinduism? If yes, please give examples along with reference.
user9788
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Why can't sudras read vedas according to smritis?
It is a common belief that sudras can"t learn vedas from Hindu scriptures but according to vedas itself a shudra can learn vedas-
Sukla Yajurveda (XXVI. 2).
यथेमां वाचं कल्याणीमावदानि जनेभ्यः...
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What do the Vedas say about caste?
What do the Vedas say about caste? For the purpose of this question you can take a broad approach of the definition of caste.
Like if it is called varna in vedas, then I want to know what the vedas ...
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Which scripture is the source of the verse "janmana jayate shudrah.. " (everyone is born a shudra)?
Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārad bhaved dvijaḥ
This is the verse in question which means:
Everyone is born a shudra and by samskara one upgrades to dvija status.
Is it the Bhagavata Purana that ...
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Are Varna and Caste same or different?
Varnas are mentioned in Vedas.
There are four varnas. On the other hand, there are many castes and sub-castes.
Many posts on this forum use varna and caste as interchangeable word. Many resources on ...
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Who was the first śūdra to be born or appear on Earth?
Who was the first śūdra (or the śūdra-couple) to be born?
Likewise, who was the first brāhmaṇa, the first kṣatriya and vaiśya to be born?
Some might argue, the first śūdra could not have been ...
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Is the Rig Veda Purusha Suktam hymn an interpolation?
Is the Rig Veda Purusha Suktam hymn an interpolation?
Western scholars and Indologists think so, especially the part about caste. Here's what wikipedia says on Varna:
This Purusha Sukta varna ...
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What were the set of rights, permissions, duties or rules prescribed for Kshatriya caste?
We have 4 major caste in Hinduism, ie Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. Is there any rulebook present in Hinduism (and I am sure there must be) which lays down the rights, permissions, rules and ...
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Do any scriptures say that Varna is determined by Rashi?
Many people say that Varna is determined by birth, and others say Varna is determined by qualities. But I've seen some websites which claim that Varna is based on Rashi(our birth constellation/star). ...
user9969
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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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Which Śruti texts explicitly state that varna is based on birth? [duplicate]
Are there any instances in Śruti scriptures which explicitly support birth-based varna?
Edit:
I'm not looking for interpretations, please only cite those references which exactly say that Varna is ...
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On what grounds did RAmAnuja wished to accept KAnchipurNa as a guru?
It is known that Kanchipurna was one of the gurus of Ramanuja.
Kanchipurna was a non brahmin and Ramnuja was from a brahmin family.
At another instance, Kanchi Purna refused to accept Ramanuja ...
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Is mleccha entirely different from Hindu classification?
According to the varna system, there are four varnas of human
1) Brahman
2) Kshetriya
3) Vaisya
4) Sudra
A person if does not fall under any one of the four is Candala
Then is mleccha ...
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Which varnas do they belong to?
People who follow Hinduism are classified based on varnas. If someone didn't follow Hinduism, how are their varnas determined ? If not, do they belong to any new category?
Consider a white man, what ...
user16873
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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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How does Swami Vivekananda's psychological theory of Varna interpret Gita verses 4.13, 18.41-47?
Gita verses 4.13 and 18.41-47 have been traditionally interpreted in terms of birth into endogamous groups called castes. Swami Vivekananda has provided us with an alternative interpretation many ...
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Is there any explicit writing by Swami Vivekananda on his psychological theory of Varna?
Swami Vivekananda has written extensively about his ideas of caste in his Complete Works.
But has he written anything explicitly on the psychological theory of Varna?
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What are the counter-arguments within Hinduism(scriptures) against the Birth based Varna and Caste system?
Even if earlier Varna was not birth based, and later it degenerated into birth base Varna and even later into birth based caste system.
But whether there are counter arguments within Hinduism(esp. ...
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Can a Kshatriya man marry Vaishya woman?
I have heard from my friend that Kshatriya man can marry Vaishya woman. Is it true? What do our scriptures say on this?
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How have traditional Vedic commentators interpreted Shukla Yajurveda 26.2?
Shukla Yajurveda 26.2 states:
That I to all the people may address this salutary speech,
To priest and nobleman, Sûdra and Arya, to one of our own
kin and to the stranger.
Dear may I be to ...
user9969
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What are the etymologies and literal meanings of the words (kṣatriya, śūdra, etc.) used to indicate one's varṇa?
For brāhmaṇa, there is already a question here: What is the etymology of brahman/brahmin?
For śūdra, Monier Williams says "of doubtful derivation". Apte says:
शूद्रः [शुच्-रक् पृषो˚ चस्य दः दी...
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Is untouchability discussed in the Vedas?
Untouchability can be of a couple of forms:
one which arises out of temporary impurity (aśauca) e.g., not touching a menstruating woman
a person is untouchable due to the nature of his work e.g., a ...
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What are the roots of the Caste System in India?
As per what I have read and learnt,
In the Purusha Suktam of the Yajur Veda
the following lines appear:
brAhmano asya mukhamAseet |
bAhoo rAjanya: krta: |
ooru tadasya yad vaishya |
padbhyAm shoodro ...
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Can the lower borns enter varna system?
Ambaṣṭha, Niṣāda, Pārośora, Ugra, Sūta, Māgadha, Vaideha, Āyogava, Kṣattṛ, Caṇḍāla, Āvṛta, Ābhīra, Dhigvaṇa, Pukkasa, Kukkaṭaka, Śvapāka, Veṇa
Manusmriti (10.5) onwards gives names of mixed varna ...
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What was the traditional justification for why Chandalas were not allowed in temples?
Traditionally, Chandalas and I believe even Sudras were not allowed in temples.
What was the justification for this and is it based on scriptures?
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Is hiding one's caste a punishable offense?
From this article:
Although the first Maratha ruler, Shivaji, freely recruited Mahars in his army, two centuries later, by the time of the Peshwas, the status of Mahars was lower than ever. The ...
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When did untouchability start?
Kalavai Venkat's "Caste: a HAF-baked Lamentation" tells that
"untouchability started in 12th century"
Can somebody provide any reference from any book/scripture/history etc for the statement that "...
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Are there finer classifications than the 4-varna/guna classification in scripture?
Priests, Warriors, Traders, Labourers is fine and dandy but where do scientists, journalists and artists, to name a few temperaments/occupations, fit into this?
I remember reading that a Soviet ...
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If a Brahmin doesn't perform duties as per his varna, is he still called as brahmin?
Normal duties of Brahmana varna are waking up early morning, learning and chanting Vedas, etc, But if a Brahmin doesn't perform these duties, is he still respected like other brahmins who perform ...
user9554
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What are duties and goals of a Brahmin and how should he behave?
Can anyone say the duties of a Brahmin and how he should behave? What should be his goals?
As said in Bhagavat Gita, One should follow his own duties to attain liberation and so. If with any ...
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Can a Sudra attain higher caste according to Manusmriti?
Manusmriti Verse 9.335 says:
शुचिरुत्कृष्टशुश्रूषुर्मृदुवागनहङ्कृतः ।
ब्राह्मणाद्याश्रयो नित्यमुत्कृष्टां जातिमश्नुते ॥ ३३५ ॥
śucirutkṛṣṭaśuśrūṣurmṛduvāganahaṅkṛtaḥ |
...
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What is the meaning of the term "Svadharma"?
What does the term "Svadharma" mean? What do the scriptures say about the term? Is Varna exclusive of "Svadharma"?
user9969
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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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According to guṇa-based varṇa system, can a Christian or Muslim be also a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, etc?
According to proponents of guṇa-based varṇa system (i.e., those that do not believe you are born into one specific Hindu varṇa), can a Christian or Muslim be also a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, etc., based ...
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According to guṇa-based varṇa system, at what age can one be certified a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, etc?
According to proponents of guṇa-based varṇa system (i.e., those that do not believe you are born into one specific Hindu varṇa), at what age can a person be certified as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, etc?
...
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Do the Vedas allow Shudras to do undergo Upanayanam or perform Yajnas?
Can Shudras do Upanayanam or perform Yajnas as per Vedas?
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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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Is the Varna told by Krishna is same as astrological Varna?
Following statement of Krishna related to Varna
According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four Varnas of human society were created by Me. And, although I am ...
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The Varna system and capitalism
I usually tend to accept most of the teachings of Gita pretty easily. However, I can not easily digest the verse 18.47:
It is better to engage in one's own occupation, even though one may perform ...
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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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Krishna visiting Sudra's home or touching a Sudra
In Mahabharata, Pandavas used to visit Sudra's homes. It can be clarified from the following passage
Vaisampayana said, 'Then all the citizens (of Varanavata) on hearing
that the son of Pandu had ...
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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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How to find your varna from your caste?
I have two questions on this:
How can one find out his/her varna? For example, my caste is Kasar - what varna do I belong to?
Is there actually any strong link between caste and varna at birth i.e. a ...
user19925
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Does Manusmriti go against Vedas?
Doesn't barring Sudras(who form feet of Purusha) from studying Vedas and making them non-Vedic handicap the Purusha?
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What does scriptures say about doctors/Vaidya?
I think Vaidya or Chikitsa Karmi is attributed to caste born from Brahman father and Vaishya mother, which is not considered as a good type of marriage ( as wife is two varna lower than the father) .
...
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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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