The Hindu Caste

System

Hinduism

Hinduism is derived from the Persian word “Hind” for “inhabitant of India”. It is different than Christianity and other religions because it does not have a single founder like Abraham or Jesus Christ. It grew over a period of 4,000 years.

Hinduism

Hinduism is composed of many different groups and has no well-defined organization. Its two most general features are the caste system and acceptance of the Vedas as the sacred scriptures.

Hinduism

Many outsiders influenced the development of Hinduism, especially the Aryans, who came to India in 1500 and brought with them their religion of Vedism and the Vedas, their sacred scriptures. These beliefs became mixed with the Indian beliefs to form the Hindu religion.

The VedasThe Vedas are some of the oldest written text on our planet. They date back to the beginning of Indian civilization and are the earliest literary records of the Aryan race. They were written between 4-6,000 years ago in an ancient language called Sanskrit.

The Vedas are divided into four groups, Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda and are full of hymn, rituals, religious practices and poems.

Sanskrit

The VedasThe Rig Veda tells the story of Prajapati, the first god who created the world. Prajapati was sacrificed to himself by the younger gods Indra, Agni, and Varuna, and out of his body parts the whole universe was made. The Rig Veda says that the Prajapati’s body parts turned into different groups of people, so that Indian people thought of themselves as belonging to one of four castes, or groups. This idea of caste is an Aryan idea.

Hinduism

The Caste System

So, the Caste System began in India after the Aryans invaded and established their own rules for governing the society.  The Aryans did not permit marriages between their own people and people of the cultures they conquered. This was very different from the Romans, who encouraged the people they conquered and the soldiers to marry.

The Caste System

A caste is a division of society based on occupation and family ancestry. The caste system was based on birth. People inherited caste from their parents and passed it on to their children.

Each caste had its own specific place in society.  They socialized, ate, married, worked, and worshipped within their own caste.  They would never consider marrying or working outside their caste.

The Caste System

The caste system, then, was based upon idea that people are different, so they should have different roles.

From 1000 to 500 BC, four classes of people emerged in India.  Really there are 5 groups, however the untouchables are considered so low that they aren’t even counted.

The castes

upper class

BRAHMANThey are the priestly class, who are entitled to study the Vedas, which are the sacred scriptures, and perform rites rituals for themselves and for others. They are the men between the gods and the people. They are expected to show excellent behavior and spend their lives in the pursuit of divine knowledge and preservation the traditions of Hinduism.

KSHATRIYAS

They are the warrior class, who are commanded to protect the people,  give gifts to the Brahmins, offer sacrifices to gods and ancestors, study the Vedas, and dispense justice. It was their responsibility to protect the caste system and the social order and lavish the priests with generous gifts at every opportunity. 

The castes

middle class

VAISYAS

They are the merchant and peasant classes, who are expected to tend cattle, offer sacrifices, study the Vedas, trade, lend money and farm the land. They had the right to perform and participate in certain Vedic rituals but they were not allowed to marry women of higher castes. 

The castes

lowest classes

SUDRAS

The are the laboring class, whose only duty is to serve the other three castes. They were not required to observe any Vedic rituals. They were not allowed to study the Vedas or even hear the sacred chants. They were not allowed to eat food in the company of higher castes or marry their women. 

The lowest of the sudras were called harijan or the untouchables. They were outside of the caste system because of their religious practices, rites and unclean habits. In ancient times they were not allowed to enter a village or city during day time or walk in the same street where men of other castes walked.

HARIJAN also called Untouchables

SUDRAS

Even their shadow was considered impure and seeing an untouchable was considered bad luck. So they lived mostly on the edges of society, unknown and uncared for, and working in graveyards or as hunters, butchers and professional cleaners of human waste.

HARIJAN also called Untouchables

SUDRAS

Varna

ShudrasShudras

VaishyasVaishyas

Kshatriyas Kshatriyas

Outcasts [Harijan] Untouchables

BrahminsBrahmins Social Hierarc

hy

The mouth?

The arms?

The legs?

The feet?

WHO IS…BrahminsBrahmins

KshatriyasKshatriyas

VaishyasVaishyas

ShudrasShudras

Varna

• http://www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/spring98/india.htm

• Final Task: Go to the above website and complete the backside of the Category Chart.