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October 17, 2016

An Inside Look at the Brahmin Varna

The caste system separates many individuals of the Hindu religion into social classes known as varnas. This system, though traditional and thousands of years old, is considered “detrimental to the emergence of a modern society” and “leaves no scope for moral freedom,” as it divides people of the Hindu religion into four separate classes.1 These varna are known as the Shudra, Vaishya, Kshatriya, and the Brahmin. However, below these four social classes are the Dalit, who are also known as the untouchables.  They are made up of mostly those who deal with things that would lead to ritual contamination, like dealing with dead bodies and the slaughtering of animals, and are the lowest of the people in the Indian class structure. The Shudra are the peasant and working classes; however, they are still among the lowest of the four social classes. The Vaishya are the merchants, traders, and cultivators of the land, the second lowest class of the caste system. Above the Vaishya are the Kshatriya or the warriors and aristocrats. Finally, the highest of the four varnas are the Brahmin, the class of Hindu priests.2

Members of the Brahmin caste studying the Vedas
Members of the Brahmin Varna looking over their readings and worships | Courtesy of www.Brahmins.com

The caste system’s roots are found in the Rig Veda, which, originally, was not written down. It began as an oral tradition of the Indo-European peoples known as Aryans. However, after the Aryan migrations to India sometime between 2000 BCE and 1500 BCE, the caste system was not as highly structured as it eventually became in Indian society. But the superiority of the Brahmin caste was already well established, even in its earliest periods. Priests and families who were a part of the Brahmin varna were well distinguished from members of other varnas inferior to them.3

Through data from a major temple in South India in the year 1956, information was gathered regarding a few key features of Hinduism such as the gods and the priests. In Hinduism, the gods are extremely important beings and their existence is not something to be doubted. Therefore, the duty of their worship is placed with the Brahmins, or members of the highest varna. The responsibility of worship is crucial to the Hindu people, especially public worship. This particular type of worship is meant to satisfy the gods so that their sakti or power may be used to keep the world preserved and safe and the good of all people be ensured. The success of public worship is said to depend not only on the attendance of devotees, but mainly on the regular and correct performance of the worship by the Brahmin or priest leading the worship.4 In addition, Brahmins study information of the Vedas through oral traditions so it may be memorized.5 The Vedas are the four sacred texts of the Hindu religion and consist of religious knowledge, tradition, and thought. They include the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, and the Atharvaveda.6

In order to perform the worship vital to the Hindu religion and work in a temple, proper initiation must occur. There are three levels of this initiation which must be passed: Samaya Diksa, Visesa Diksa, and Nirvana Diksa. Only after the individual has gone through the third level, Nirvana Diksa, will they have been fully initiated and able to lead worship services.7

It is clear that the jobs and responsibilities of the Brahmin varna is vital to the worship of the gods in the Hindu religion and vital to the protection of the well-being of human life. 

  1.  Anustup Basu, “The ‘Indian’ Monotheism,” boundary 2 39 no. 2 (2012): 113.
  2.  Jerry H Bentley, Herbert F Ziegler, and Heather E Streets-Salter, Traditions and Encounters, Fourth Edition, vol. 1 (New York: McGraw- Hill, 2016), 72.
  3.  Ibrahim Shah, “A Review of Hinduism and Its Historical Development,” Putaj Humanities & Social Sciences 20 (2013): 341.
  4.  C. J. Fuller, “Gods, Priests and Purity: On the Relation Between Hinduism and the Caste System,” Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, vol. 14, no. 3 (1979): 462.
  5.  Dorothy M Figueria, Aryans, Jews, Brahmins: Theorizing Authority Through Myths of Identity (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2002), 101.
  6.  Salem Press Encyclopedia, January 2015, s.v. “Vedas,” by Thomas F Barry.
  7.  C. J. Fuller, “Gods, Priests and Purity: On the Relation Between Hinduism and the Caste System,” Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, vol. 14, no. 3 (1979): 462.

Tags from the story

Brahmin

Hinduism

Indian caste

Recent Comments

Mehmet Samuk

Well written article !! I was always interested in the caste system in India. You gave a detailed information about the structure and its importance to the Indian society. It was also easy to remember after reading it.

reply

17/10/2016

12:00 pm

Priscilla Reyes

The Hindu caste system is very unique. It is always crazy to think that this is dominant over Indian society and is predominantly based on matters of wealth and honor. The untouchables for example are not recognized besides doing much of the dirty work for the upper classes. Another thing that I find interesting is the fact that priests are responsible for keeping the gods happy. This is a huge responsibility and as you stated in the article, a proper process must be initiated in order to achieve this stage and complete the divine duty. Also, it is interesting how the people do not do things for the gods and how there is not a one-to-one relationship.

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17/10/2016

12:00 pm

R Cantu

Wonderful article!

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17/10/2016

12:00 pm

Yesenia Cardenas

Very informative and an easy read. I have always be intrigued by the caste system in India. It is definitely one of a kind. I could not imagine the United States classifying the social classes in this manner.

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18/10/2016

12:00 pm

Andres Palacios

Incredible how long the caste system has been around in India. Even today the Indian society is similarly shaped based on this 4 classes which are determined by your wealth and honor. Very good article overall and very well written.

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21/11/2016

12:00 pm

Maalik Stansbury

Huh. I never really heard about teh Hindu caste system. I was intrigued of what it was. The perception of the Hindu/India was pretty interesting. I love how well-described you wrote about teh system. As well as the explanation of the system. It was well supported from the resources you choose.

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06/12/2016

12:00 pm

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