What are Varnas?

Answer 1

Varna in Sanskrit means color. Like colors, Varnas make Hindu life highly colorful or diverse. Colors help in identification of objects and Varnas enable a Hindu to know the nature of the person he is dealing with.

Varnas are mentioned in the Vedas and in the Bhagavadgita.

The four Hindu Varnas:

In Hinduism there are four Varnas.

They are,

1. Brahmana Varna:

1. In this Varna all the activities are linked together and thus there is just one activity called life. Thus, we would not have any freedom

2. We can use this Varna under ideal conditions only.

3. If used under difficult conditions, we have to hibernate in a dream world. Thus, we must have a huge volume of mythology

4. We can't tell lies, cheat. Any way, under ideal conditions, they are not needed.

2. Kshatriya Varna:

1. In this Varna our fortunes would fluctuate between an upper and a lower limit.

2. This Varna is an epitome of Varnas. From this Varna we can have a glimpse of all the four Varnas. Thus, even though Brahmana Varna is above this, this Varna is more suited for the ruling class

3. Vaishya Varna:

1. We use this Varna under tolerable conditions

2. We have to imitate either Brahmanas and/ or Kshatriyas

4. Shudra Varna:

1. We use it under chaotic conditions.

2. This Varna would give exaggerated freedom

3. In this Varna everything is transient. Thus, we can't have a permanent job or assets.

Varnas and Yugas:

It must be mentioned here that the nature of the people of the four Varnas would correspond precisely with the nature of the people in the four Yugas.

1. Brahmana Varna - Krita Yuga

2. Kshatriya Varna - Treta Yuga

3. Vaishya Varna - Dwapara Yuga

4. Shudra Varna - Kali Yuga.

Origin of Varnas:

1. Varnas evolved from modes. Changing of mode would transform ones entire life in a split second and this could be done many times a day. This would make both individual life and the society highly unstable. Thus, both for the benefit of the individual and the society, the modes were banned and replaced with Varnas. This means one Varna for prolonged periods.

2. Varnas are not unique to Hinduism. All human beings would be using the Varnas.

3. Since Varnas are invisible a Hindu had to select an occupation that best suits his Varna. Thus, Varnas occupations indirectly started determining Varnas.

Changing of Varnas:

It is often mentioned that one can change his Varna

1. Through good Karma.

2. By marrying a woman of a different Varna.

However, what is needed to increase ones Varna is the intention to lose freedom. This is because Shudra Varna has maximum freedom and Brahmana Varna has the least freedom.

Moksha is actually the freedom to change Varna. Since changing of Varnas is banned Karma, Moksha, Brahman, etc look mysterious to us.

Thus, Varnas are lifestyles that enable us to live under varying living conditions. They have nothing to do with occupations.

Varna in Sanskrit means color. Just like colors enable us to identify objects, Varnas enable a Hindu to identify people of four different types.

Contrary to popular belief, Varnas are not based on occupation but on efficiency of people.

RIGVEDA AND VARNAS:

According to Rigveda 1. 10. 90. 12, The Brahmana originated from the mouth of Purusha, Kshatriya from his arms, Vaishyas from his thighs and Shudras from his feet.

People who use reasoning, and not logic, to interpret this mantra come to the conclusion that Brahmanas artificially created Varnas to exploit people of lower Varnas.

The Four Varnas:

Shudra Varna: A Hindu uses this Varna under chaotic conditions. Therefore, a Shudra has no rules to follow. He would have a constantly and highly varying status and, therefore, no ability to think. Therefore, he has to depend on Hindus of higher Varnas.

As things become better he must have an upper limit for his activities.

Vaishya Varna: As things become tolerable the Shudra converts his upper limit into a lower limit and thus becomes a Vaishya. Thus, in contrast to a Shudra, a Vaishya must maintain minimum standards in life but can aim at anything higher.

Kshatriya Varna: As living conditions become normal, the Vaishya adds an upper limit to the lower limit he already has. Thus, a Kshatriya would have an upper limit and a lower limit for his activities. Therefore, he would be more disciplined than a Shudra or a Vaishya.

Brahmana Varna: As living conditions become ideal, the Kshatriya raises his lower limit to make it become one with his upper limit. This would convert him into a Brahmana. Thus, a Brahmana would have absolutely no freedom at all.

However, he needs no freedom as he would be living under ideal conditions.

We can use any Varna for any occupation. However,

1. Shudra Varna is best suited for odd jobs.

2. Vaishya Varna is best suited for business

3. Kshatriya Varna is best suited for ruling because it has features of all Varnas.

4. Brahmana Varna is best suited for priests because when life is chaotic they must use other means (rituals and mythology) to appear eternally comfortable.

Change of occupation would leave the Varna unaffected.

Karma is the variation in the facilitating/ retarding force of our life that leads to transformation (Reincarnation) of an activity every time it is re executed. For this reason, Karma is highest in Shudra Varna and least in Brahmana Varna. It is for this reason that we must keep having higher Varnas to attain Moksha.

Brahmana has authority and Shudra has freedom, both of which are equally desirable.

A Brahmana can claim that his living conditions are chaotic and start using freedom, without surrendering his authority. A Shudra can claim that his living conditions have become ideal and thus use authority without surrendering his freedom.

Since frequent changes of Varnas made both individual life and the Hindu society unstable, change of Varnas was banned and it was replaced with the more rigid castes.

Thus, Varnas are four different life styles of four different levels of efficiency.