Varna or Caste? A genuine comprehension.
Aim
This article seeks to raise questions on, the origin of caste, the forceful implementation of the Caste system, identify key issues related to it and provide solutions which would enable youth to share their knowledge, and thereby removing the ill practices of caste, developing a proper understanding of Varna, how is it different from caste and triggering the youth, to evolve from a long slumber, and unite for a strong and economically develop Hindu society.
Origin of the Word Caste
The English word “caste” derives from the Spanish and Portuguese casta , which, according to John Minsheu’s Spanish dictionary (1569), means “race, lineage, tribe or breed”.
Modern India’s caste system is based on the colonial superimposition of the Portuguese word “casta” on the four-fold theoretical classification called the Varna.
How the word caste became familiar in present-day India?
The caste system in India is a unique example of paradigmatic ethnography.
It has no origins in ancient Vedic India, but originated in medieval, early-modern, and modern India, especially in the Mughal Empire and British India.
The caste system as it exists today is the root cause of all major problem and tension, the entire politics revolve around it.
Herbert Hope Risely was a British ethnographer and colonial administrator, who conducted extensive studies on the varnashram system in India and redesigned it into Caste System.
He is notable for the formal application of the caste system to the entire Hindu population of British India in the 1901 census, of which he was in charge.
As an exponent of biological racism, he used the ratio of the width of a nose to its height to divide Indians into Aryan and Dravidian races, as well as seven castes.
The consequence of pushing the wrong idea
The forceful implementation of the caste system has resulted in reservations, in the educational institution, and in government jobs.
These measures have eventually deepened India’s caste politics and strengthen the caste system.
It has resulted in brain drain, the intellectuals of any country are some of the most expensive resources because of their training in terms of material cost and time, and most importantly, because of lost opportunity.
We find that the best professionals from India are doing excellent in multi-national companies, also great in government services outside India, whereas we are suffering, because of losing these talents, for our bad bargain in implementing caste-based reservation.
One may argue that, what about the, lower caste, the weaker and the marginalized society?
For them it is definitely sure that the reservation is not working if it would have worked, then after seven decades of independence, we would have seen a different picture, but to our surprise the situation remains as it is.
Thus it is high time, we must create new policies for the lower section of the society than to rely on the reservation.
Politics and Caste
The caste system traditionally had significant influence over people’s access to power. The underprivileged lower caste groups lose, but their leaders gain more by emotionally exploiting them on the name of lower caste and gain power, but completely neglect them once in power.
Moreover the pseudo-secular party’s gain substantially in name of social engineering, like supporting particular caste of the majority religion and the religious minorities in India who votes in blocks, thus results in policy that helps and supports the religious minorities and gala negligence of Hindu’s.
The dominant caste groups monopolized leadership positions in the government, thus more chances of disharmony, discrimination, and disturbance in society.
The present political parties utilize this opportunity to divide the Hindu’s into smaller groups of caste and exploit them, by breaking their consolidated vote, thus other religious minorities become vote bank in India, whereas the majority Hindu’s are looser.
What is Varna?
Varna, as mentioned in ancient Vedic scripture, describes society as divided into four categories: Brahmana (scholars and yajna priests), Kshatriyas (rulers and warriors), Vaishyas(farmers, merchants, and artisans) and Shudras(workmen/service providers). The texts do not mention any hierarchy or a separate, untouchable category in Varna classification. Scholars believe that the Varna concept was truly operational and it was morally and spiritually awakened society.
What does Vedic Scripture say about Varna?
Bhagwat Gita 4.13
chātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛiṣhṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśhaḥ
tasya kartāram api māṁ viddhyakartāram avyayam
The four categories of occupations were created by me according to people’s qualities and activities. Although I am the creator of this system, know me to be the non-doer and eternal.
The Vedas classify people into four categories of occupations, not according to their birth, but according to their natures. Such varieties of occupations exist in every society.
Even in communist nations where equality is the overriding principle, the diversity in human beings cannot be smothered.
There are the philosophers who are the communist party think-tanks, there are the military men who protect the country, there are the farmers who engage in agriculture, and there are the factory workers.
The Vedic philosophy explains this variety in a more scientific manner. It states that the material energy is constituted of three guṇas (modes): sattva guṇa (mode of goodness), rajo guṇa (mode of passion), and tamo guṇa (mode of ignorance).
The Brahmins are those who have a preponderance of the mode of goodness. They are predisposed toward teaching and worship.
The Kshatriyas are those who have a preponderance of the mode of passion mixed with a smaller amount of the mode of goodness. They are inclined toward administration and management.
The Vaishyas are those who possess the mode of passion mixed with some mode of ignorance. Accordingly, they form the business and agricultural class.
Then there are the Shudras, who are predominated by the mode of ignorance. They form the working class.
This classification was neither meant to be according to birth nor was it unchangeable. Shree Krishna explains in this verse that the classification of the Varṇāśhram system was according to people’s qualities and activities.
Although God is the creator of the scheme of the world, yet he is the non-doer. This is similar to rain. Just as rainwater falls equally on the forest, yet from some seeds, huge banyan trees sprout, from other seeds beautiful flowers bloom, and from some thorny bushes emerge.
The rain, which is impartial, is not answerable for this difference. In the same way, God provides the souls with the energy to act, but they are free in determining what they wish to do with it; God is not responsible for their actions.
Learning’s
People who have emigrated for several reasons are recoverable assets who can play a part in developing opportunities at home. However, recovery requires the opening of diverse and creative conduits.
When the government policies are not discriminatory and equal than people are likely to feel motivated to stay back in India. Thus abolishing caste-based census and reservation.
Professionals could be used to develop innovative opportunities for people belonging to lower caste.
Ultimately, involving individuals and social groups in creating opportunities at home favors both the retention and repatriation of national talent.
Building an enlightened leadership and an enabling patriotic community based on Vedic values, with the help of religious leaders, for the coherent development of complex society like in India will be mutually beneficial.
Acknowledgments
I am grateful to His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada for his treasures purport on Bhagwat Gita as it is.
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