Short essay on Caste System in Ancient India

The ancient Indian’ Society was based upon vernal and ashrams, a fourfold classification of the entire people into Varnas and a fourfold division of the life of each individuals into ashrams (stages).

The Indo-Aryans were originally divided into three classes, the Brahman and Rajanya and Vis. At a later stage these three classes assumed the names of Brahman, Kshatriya and Vaisya. The fourth class Sudras was added from amongst the aborigines with a view to serve the other three classes.

The Brahmans:

The Brahmans included persons who devoted themselves to the conservation of the ancient ideals, maintenance and development of ancient rituals, probe the mysteries of the universe, investigate the relation between the Supreme spirit and the individual soul etc.

This section of people naturally came to occupy an important position in a society which possessed spiritual idefuls. The Brahmans were patronized by the king or the chief and were provided with grants of tax-free land, cultivated by farmers who paid their taxes to the Brahman rather than the king. The Brahmans here generally forbidden by the law books to engage in agriculture. Similarly they were not permitted to carry on trade in certain commodities like cattle and animals, slaves, weapons and liquor.

The Rajanya or Kshatriya:

The Rajanya or kshatriya formed the second class. They were charged with the duty of protecting the people, defending them against foreign aggression. During the Vedic Age they also studied Vedas and performed various types of sacrifices. In the earlier period the kshatriyas claimed precedence over the Brahman.

Vaisya:

The third class consisting mainly of the mass of Aryan people was known as Vaisya. The general duties of the members of this class included agriculture, cattle-rearing and trade. The status of the Vaisya was quite inferior to that of the Brahmans and the kshatriyas. One of the passages in the Autarky Brahman described Vaisya as “paying tribute to another, to be live on by another, to be oppressed at will.” They had to pay charity to the Brahmans, taxes to the kshatriyas and salary to the Sutras. Almost the entire burden of the society fell on their shoulders.

Sutras:

The term Sutra was probably drawn from the name of the non-Aryan tribe which was subjugated by the Aryans and come to be applied to the community of the aborigines.

Subsequently even those people who failed to strictly observe the orthodox customs and practices were pushed into the ranks of the Sutras. Similarly persons born illegitimately even when of pure high-class blood were counted amongst Sutras. They did not enjoy even the basic amenities of life.

According to Autarky Brahman the Sutras “is to be the servant of another, to be expelled at will and to be slain at will.” The Sutra had no right of property against the Kshatriyas, especially the king. They did not receive education nor could they hear or learn Vedas. By the times of the Mauryas a large number of Sutras had become free peasants. Though the Vedas were not to be read by the Sutras, the Epics and Puranas were thrown upon to them. At the earlier stages the caste system was not rigid. The members of the upper classes could intermarry with the Sutras, though it was not favored.

Similarly there are numerous examples of scholarly kings (kshatriyas) teaching Brahmans. Inter-dining was also common.