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Why Varna is Not Caste
September 9, 2016 by admin

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The Four Varna system reflects a deep ecological and yogic

vision of social and universal unity very different from the
divisive idea of caste by birth.
The following article by Dr David Frawley was first published by IndiaFacts:

The Four Varna system of ancient India was originally based upon the idea of an organic social order that
remains relevant today. What is called caste today should not be confused with it.

The Vedas arose five thousand years ago, when human society was rooted in nature. The Vedic Rishis
deeply contemplated the processes of nature and the universal consciousness behind it. Out of this basis,
they devised Yoga, Vedanta, Ayurveda and the foundations of Indian or Bharatiya civilization.

This Vedic view of life required developing a model of society in harmony with nature, in which humanitys
cultural and spiritual potentials could both unfold. Like other Vedic disciplines, the Vedic approach to the
social order was many-sided and multileveled, yet rooted in an underlying unity. It did not propose one
artificial rule or formula for everyone, but aimed to reflect the intricacy, harmony and abundance of all life.
It did not seek to impose social unity from above via authority, dogma or institution, but sought to
develop it in an organic manner, according to our natural cooperative ventures with one another.

Basis of the Four Varnas

Out of this Vedic contemplation of nature, the Vedic idea of a social order arose as the Four Varna system.
The term Varna refers to qualities and inclinations called gunas in later thought. The Four Varna system is
first clearly explained in the famous Purusha Sukta of the Rigveda X.90.12, perhaps humanitys oldest book.
The hymn describes the entire universe in the form of a human being, a Cosmic Person called the
Purusha. The human social order is based upon it:

Brahman or intellectual/spiritual class deriving from the head of the Cosmic Purusha
Kshatriya or warrior/princely class from his arms
Vaishya or merchant class from his thighs
Shudras or service class from his feet

These four Varnas represent the qualities of energy that all people naturally possess. They are not separate
or conflicting occupations, but part of the same unitary social fabric.

There is in this original Vedic model no outcaste, Dalit or untouchable. Each Varna
constitutes a necessary part of the whole and all are mutually interdependent. Each is a
manifestation of the same Divine consciousness working in humanity.

In the Vedic view, human society should follow the same organic order as the human body, which mirrors
the greater organic order of the universe. Like the human body, human society should be one in nature,
but diversified in function. Just as the human body is one organism with different limbs and organs with
specialized activities necessary for the health and survival of the whole; so too, human society should have
a similar differentiation, with various professions working together for the good of all.

This original Vedic concept of Varna Dharma reflects an ecological model of society that is universal.
Those who look at Varna in terms of caste oppression have not examined its origins, but only look at later
distortions, in which the true Vedic spirit was compromised.

The Vedic social order was meant to instill an intrinsic feeling of unity in each individual with the greater
society, and human society with the greater universe. T h e V a r n a s y s t e m w a s b a s e d u p o n a
transcendent ideal of human unity in the Divine, not an effort to give power and
domination to one section of society.

Varna as our Human Capacity

This Vedic model tells us that each human being has the capacities of all four Varnas or
human types; just as we all share the same type of human body and its different limbs. Each
person is potentially a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. We all perform these four roles to some
degree. Each person functions as a guide to some people, a protector of others, a provider for others, and
does service for yet others. But some degree of specialization also occurs, with individuals often assuming a
preponderance of one of these roles for most of their adult lives.

This organic concept of the social order is not one of superiority, much less domination, but reflects a deep
appreciation of the interdependence and mutual interaction out of which life operates.

It is not possible to have a society in which each individual can perform all necessary social roles, any more
than it is possible to have a body in which each limb can perform all bodily functions. Evolution in society
depends upon the differentiation of roles and professions that arise out of the four basic Varnas. Stability
in society depends upon recognizing a common human potential behind all social roles and interactions.

To some extent, all human societies reflect this fourfold order. Every society has its head in the form of
intellectual and religious leaders. It has its arms or police and military classes. It has its legs or merchant
class. It has its feet or those in service occupations. Older societies worldwide, including Europe up through
the nineteenth century, had similar social orders of priests, aristocracy, merchants and common people,
remnants of which can be found in many countries today.

The Hindu Varna Systems Unique Spiritual

and Yogic Orientation
Yet the Vedic view looks beyond all outer social concerns in its examination of human life. The Purusha
Sukta begins and ends with a lauding of the Cosmic Person, with the human social order as a secondary
topic. It states: The Purusha is the entire universe, what has been and what will be. (Purusha evedam
sarvam yad bhutam yaccha bhavyam, Rigveda X.90.2). All beings constitute only one-quarter of the
Purusha, with three-quarters remaining immortal in the realm of light beyond (Rigveda X.90.3). All human
beings are manifestations of the same Cosmic Being, which is present in every person, regardless of status
of birth. This is the Upanishadic recognition of the Universal Self, Atman or Purusha the Pure
Consciousness that both pervades the entire universe and dwells in the hearts of every creature.

The Hindu Varna system has a unique yogic orientation beyond outward class divisions. The
Vedic goal of life is the realization of Cosmic Consciousness within the individual, for which the practice of
Yoga and meditation is prescribed which includes detachment from the outer goals of life. Varna is meant
to aid in the individual process of Self-realization and not become an end-in-itself. To reach that Universal
Self one must give up identification with any social group.

The goal of a Vedic life, achieved through the practice of Yoga and meditation, requires going beyond
worldly desires to a state of inner freedom (Moksha) and union with the Cosmic Person or Purusha. This
Hindu social goal of Moksha is very different from western social orders that exist for the fulfillment of
worldly desires, emphasizing social, political and material gains. It is also different from the ordinary
religious goal of going to heaven, which is based upon a continuity of the ego and human identity, not a
realization of the Universal Self within us.

The capitalist model that dominates the world today is such a desire-based materialistic social order that is
ignorant of our deeper consciousness. While capitalism provides outer freedom, it follows an external view
of reality that blinds us to our inner nature, and gets us caught in the pursuit of enjoyment that inevitably
ends in sorrow and death.

Determining Varna
The biggest problem for all social orders is determining the place and aptitude of each
individual within it. For the Vedic Varna system, there is the additional complication of
determining the spiritual or yogic aptitude, not just outer skills.

The bane of the social order all over the world is that social status has been usually determined by birth to
the neglect of all other factors. This has resulted in oppression of individuals and groups simply because of
their family of birth, regardless of their actual capacities or merits. This status by birth gained prominence
in India long ago, distorting the original Varna system, and causing people to forget its organic and spiritual
basis. Our birth family indicates the important karmic foundation of our lives, but it is a place that we start
from, not necessarily where we should end up.

Ones family of birth can be an important factor for determining the profession a person naturally belongs
to. Obviously, it is more likely that a good musician will arise from a family of musicians, where he can be
trained from early childhood, rather than from a non-musical family. Yet many exceptions to this rule exist
and birth is often misleading, and by itself not sufficient to determine individual capacity. The child of a
great musician may not be good at music at all.

How then do we recognize an individuals true place in the social order? This requires a proper policy of
education and testing, and providing the necessary learning space for each individual to flower, with a
degree of healthy competition. Creating a society that honors the aptitude of each individual, but also
follows a higher rule of Dharma and the development of consciousness above material impulses, entails a
great deal of effort, attention and dedication. It necessitates recognizing great gurus and yogic teachings
that can guide our lives beyond mere social, economic and political concerns.

Limitations of Caste in India Today and the

Way Forward
Those who belong to the four Varnas in India today may not practice their traditional Varna Dharma. Like
everywhere in the world, the business class predominates and social status is largely based upon wealth.

We should not look at Indias current caste makeup as representing the original four Varna system, or its
current caste problems as caused by the ancient Varna order. The problems of Indias caste system are the
same as those of social inequality everywhere in the world, rooted in ego, money and power, not in the
yogic values and dharmic practices.

Indias caste system today consists of various clans and extended families (Jatis), whose members may
follow diverse occupations. There are untouchables and outcastes, who still suffer a great deal of
oppressive caste discrimination. Caste conflicts today are not limited between Brahmins and lower castes,
but occur among many different classes and clans vying for prominence. While the social support that
extended family groups provide can be helpful, it becomes harmful, when it stereotypes individuals by
family affiliations and creates rigid clan or regional identities that undermine national unity.

To go forward as a country, India should respect the ecological and yogic core of the Varna
system, but reject its later distortions, including caste by birth, with human unity and
Divine unity, not mere family status and distinction, acting as the foundation of the social
order.

We must remember that our consciousness is the same Self or Atman in all. It is only our outer functions
and activities that vary. We must learn to honor that Self in all the Varnas. Otherwise, we remain trapped in
ego-consciousness and do not understand the deeper teachings.

An enlightened reformulation of the Varna system will produce a new social order different from both what
we see in India and from the current western social model. The basis of this new dharmic society must be
Karma Yoga action based upon selfless service and a sense of the unity of all humanity and the entire
cosmos. It must allow the individual to flower in his or her true capacity and encourage entrepreneurship
at all levels, but with a sense of responsibility for the whole of life. Developing such a new dharmic social
order requires deep exploration, profound research, new thinking and innovative insight.

Disclaimer: The facts and opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of
the author. IndiaFacts does not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy,
completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article.

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