The existence of a caste system. Creation of national elites

According to the constitution of 1950, every citizen of the Indian Republic has equal rights, regardless of caste origin, race or religion. It is a crime to inquire about the caste of a person entering an institute or public service, putting forward his candidacy in elections. There is no column on caste in the population censuses. The abolition of discrimination based on caste is one of the major social gains of independent India.

At the same time, the existence of some lower, formerly oppressed castes is recognized, because the law indicates that they need special protection. Favorable conditions for education and career advancement have been introduced for them. And to ensure these conditions, it was necessary to impose restrictions on members of other castes.

Caste still has a huge impact on the life of every Hindu, determining the place of his residence not only in the village, but also in the city (special streets or quarters), influencing the composition of employees in an enterprise or institution, on the nomination of candidates for elections, etc. P.

External manifestations of caste are now almost absent, especially in cities where caste badges on the forehead have gone out of fashion and European costume has become widespread. But as soon as people get to know each other better - they give their last name, determine the circle of acquaintances - they immediately learn about each other's caste. The fact is that the vast majority of surnames in India are former caste designations. Bhattacharya, Dixit, Gupta are necessarily members of the highest brahmin castes. A Singh is either a member of the Rajput military caste or a Sikh. Gandhi is a member of the trading caste from Gujarat. Reddy is a member of the agricultural caste from Andhra.

The main sign that any Indian unmistakably notes is the behavior of the interlocutor. If he is higher in caste, he will behave with emphasized dignity, if lower - with emphasized courtesy.

Between two scientists - a woman from Moscow and a young teacher at an Indian university - the following conversation took place:

“After all, it’s very difficult to fall in love with a girl of your own caste,” she said.

“What are you, madam,” answered the Indian. "It's much harder to love a girl of another caste!"

At the hearth, in the family, in relations between families, the caste still dominates almost undividedly. There is a system of punishments for violation of caste ethics. But the strength of the caste is not in these punishments. Caste, even in early youth, forms the sympathies and antipathies of a person; such a person can no longer help supporting “his own” against “them”, cannot fall in love with the “wrong” girl.

The bus to Ankleshwar is shamelessly late. I've been waiting for him for an hour, nestled in the shade of a bush. Terribly tickle in the throat; from time to time I unscrew the lid of the thermos and take a sip of boiled water. Traveling in India taught me to always carry a thermos with me. The Indians who are waiting for the same bus do not have thermoses, and every now and then someone rises from the ground and goes to a short man sitting on the side of the road under a tree. This is a water merchant. Clay pots lined up in a neat row in front of him. The man casts a quick appraising glance at the customer, picks up one of the pots, and scoops up water from the pitcher. Sometimes he gives each customer a separate pot, sometimes someone has to wait until the vessel is empty, although there are empty pots nearby. There is nothing surprising in this: even to my inexperienced eye, people from different castes are coming up. When I think about Indian castes I always remember this water merchant. It's not so much that each caste has its own vessel. The point is different. There is something here that I just can’t understand, and therefore I decide to ask directly at the water drawer:

What caste people can take water from you?

Any, sir.

“And brahmins can?”

“Of course, sir. After all, they do not take from me, but from the nearest very clean well. I just brought water.

But many people drink from one pot. Do they defile each other?

“Each caste has its own pot.

This area, I know well, is inhabited by people of at least a good hundred castes, and there are only a dozen pots in front of the merchant.

But to all further questions, the seller repeats:

- Each caste has its own pot.

It would seem that it is not difficult for Indian buyers to expose the seller of water. But no one does this: otherwise how to get drunk? And everyone, without saying a word, pretends that everything is in order, everyone silently supports the fiction.

I cite this case because it reflected all the illogicality and inconsistency caste system, a system built on fictions having real value, and on real life, bizarrely turned into a fiction.

It is possible to compile a multi-volume library of books about Indian castes, but it cannot be said that all of them are known to researchers. It is clear that all the diversity of castes constitutes a single system of human groups and their relationships. These relationships are governed by traditional rules. But what are these rules? And what is a caste anyway?

This name itself is not Indian, it comes from the Latin word for the purity of the breed. Indians use two words for caste: varna, which means color, and jati, which means origin.

Varnas - there are only four of them - were established at the very beginning of our era by the legislator Manu: brahmins - priests (1 In Russian, two spellings of this word are used: "brahmin" and "brahman." Closer to the Sanskrit pronunciation - "brahman." - Approx. ed.), kshatriyas - warriors, vaishyas - merchants, farmers, artisans, and shudras - servants. But the tradition did not limit the number of jati. Jatis may differ in profession, in the shade of religion, in household rules. But theoretically, all jati should fit into the system of four varis.

In order to understand the myths and fictions of the caste system, we need to recall - in the most cursory way - the laws of Manu: all people are divided into four varnas, you cannot enter a caste, you can only be born in it, the caste system remains always unchanged.

So, all people are divided into four varnas, and the system itself is like a chest of drawers, in which four large boxes are stacked all the jati. The vast majority of Hindu believers are convinced of this. At first glance, everything seems to be so. The brahmins remained brahmins, although they were divided into several dozen jati. The current Rajputs and Thakurs correspond to the Kshatriya varna. Now, however, only the castes of merchants and usurers are considered Vaishyas, while farmers and artisans are considered Shudras. But "pure shudras." Even the most orthodox Brahmins can communicate with them without harm. Below them are “impure shudras”, and at the very bottom are the untouchables, who do not belong to any of the varnas at all.

But detailed studies have shown that there are a lot of castes that do not fit into any box.

In the north-west of India there is a caste of Jats - an agricultural caste. Everyone knows that they are not brahmins, not ksatriyas and not vaisyas. Who are they then - Shudras? (Sociologists who have worked among the Jats advise no one to make such an assumption in the presence of the Jats. There is reason to believe that sociologists have learned from their own bitter experience.) No, the Jats are not Shudras, for they are higher than the Vaishyas and only slightly inferior to the Kshatriyas. Everyone knows about it, but the question "why?" answer that it has always been so.

Here is another example: the farmers - the Bhuinhars - are "almost" Brahmins. They seem to be brahmins, but not really, because they are engaged in agriculture. This is how the bhuinhars themselves and any of the brahmins will explain to you. True, there are brahmins who are engaged in agriculture, but they remain real brahmins. One has only to dig into history to understand what is the matter here. Even before the 18th century, the Bhuinhars were Shudras. But then a member of this caste became the prince of the city of Varanasi, the most sacred city of the Hindus. The ruler of Varanasi is a sudra?! It can't be! And the Varanasi Brahmins - the most respected and authoritative in India - took up "research" and soon proved that the prince, and consequently his entire caste, are, in essence, Brahmins. Well, maybe a little bit brahmins...

Around the same time, in the territory of the present state of Maharashtra, several principalities were formed, headed by rajas who came from a not very high Kunbi caste. The poets appointed by the state to the courts of the eastern lords immediately began to compose odes in which they compared the exploits of the rajas with the deeds of the ancient kshatriyas. The most experienced of them alluded to the fact that the family of Rajas originated from the Kshatriyas. Of course, such hints met with the warmest attitude from the rajas, and the following poets sang about this as an indisputable fact. Naturally, within the principalities, no one allowed himself to express the slightest doubt about the high origin of the Maratha rulers. In the 19th century, no one really doubted that the princes and their entire caste were the real kshatriyas. Moreover, the Kurmi agricultural caste living in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh began to claim Kshatriya dignity on the only - very, by the way, shaky - basis that it is related to the Kunbi caste from Maharashtra ...

Examples could be given innumerable, and they would all speak of one thing: the idea of ​​the eternity of the caste is nothing more than a myth. Caste memory is very short, most likely intentionally short. Everything that moves away at a distance of two or three generations, as it were, falls into "immemorial times." This feature gave the caste system the ability to adapt to new conditions and at the same time always remain "ancient" and "unchanging".

Even the rule that one cannot join a caste is not absolute. For example, some - the lowest - castes of Mysore: laundresses, barbers, itinerant merchants and untouchables - can accept people expelled from other, higher castes. This procedure is complex and takes a long time. Washerwomen, for example, furnish a reception in their caste like this.

Members of the caste gather from all over the area. A laundress candidate's head is shaved. He is bathed in the river, and then rinsed with water in which the statue of the goddess Ganga has just been washed. In the meantime, seven huts are being built on the shore, the enterer is led through them, and as soon as he leaves the hut, it is immediately burned. This symbolizes the seven births through which the soul of a person passes, after which he is completely reborn. External cleaning completed.

It's time to cleanse the inside. A person is given to eat turmeric - a citvar root - and a nut, which washerwomen use instead of soap. Turmeric - caustic, burning, bitter - should color the insides of the test subject in a pleasant yellow; as for the nut, its taste is also hardly pleasant. Both should be eaten without grimacing or grimacing.

It remains to make sacrifices to the gods and arrange a treat for all members of the caste. Now a person is considered accepted into the caste, but after that both he and his son will be the lowest of the laundresses, and only the grandson - perhaps! - will become a full member of the caste.

It is possible, knowing the position lower castes, to ask the question: why even join such a low society as washerwomen or untouchables? Why not stay out of the caste at all?

The fact is that any caste, even the untouchable, is the property of a person, it is his community, his club, his insurance company, so to speak. A person who does not have support in a group, does not enjoy the material and moral support of his close and distant caste comrades, will leave and be alone in society. Therefore, it is better to be a member of even the lowest caste than to remain outside of it.

And how, by the way, is it determined which caste is lower and which is higher? There are many ways to classify, they are often built on the basis of the relationship of a particular caste with the Brahmins.

Below all are those from whom the Brahmin cannot accept anything. Above are those who can offer food cooked in water to the Brahmin. Then come the "clean" - those who can offer the Brahmin water in a metal vessel, and, finally, the "cleanest", who can give the Brahmin water to drink from earthenware.

So the highest are brahmins? It would seem, yes, because their varna, according to the laws of Manu, is the highest. But...

The Indian sociologist De-Souza asked the inhabitants of two villages in Punjab which caste is the highest, which is next, and so on. In the first village, the brahmins were put in first place only by the brahmins themselves. All other residents, from the Jats to the untouchables, the filth cleaners, placed the Brahmins in second place. The landowners, the Jats, came first. And merchants - banyas, supported by oilers - tels, generally pushed the brahmins to third place. Second, they put themselves.

In another village (here the brahmins are very poor, and one of them is generally a landless laborer) even the brahmins themselves did not dare to award themselves the championship.

Jats came first. But if the whole village placed merchants in second place, and brahmins in third, then the opinion of the brahmins themselves was divided. Many of them claimed second place, while others recognized the merchants as superior to themselves.

So, even the supremacy of the Brahmins turns out to be a fiction. (At the same time, it should be recognized that no one dared to lower the Brahmins lower than the second or third place: there are still sacred books where the Brahmins are declared the incarnation of God on earth.)

You can look at the caste system from the other side. All craft castes are considered below the agricultural castes. Why? Because, the tradition answers, that the cultivation of the earth is more honorable than the work on wood, metal, and leather. But there are many castes whose members work precisely on the land, but which are much lower than artisans. The thing is that the members of these castes do not have their own land. This means that honor is given to those who own the land - it does not matter whether he cultivates it with his own or someone else's hands. Brahmins until the last agrarian reforms were mostly landowners. Members of low castes worked on their land. Artisans, on the other hand, have no land, and they work not for themselves, but for others.

Members of the low castes who work as farm laborers are not called cultivators. Their castes have completely different names: chamars - tanners, pasi - watchmen, parains - drummers European languages"pariah"). Their "low" occupations are prescribed to them by tradition, but they can work the land without prejudice to their prestige, because this occupation is "high". After all, low castes have their own hierarchy, and, say, a blacksmith to take up the processing of leather means to fall low. But no matter how low-caste people work in the field, this will not elevate them, for the field itself does not belong to them.

Another of the caste myths is the complex and petty ritual prescriptions that literally entangle every member of a high caste. The higher the caste, the more restrictions. I once had a conversation with a woman. Her mother, a very orthodox Brahmin, was caught in a flood, and her daughter was very worried about her. But the daughter was horrified not by the fact that her mother might die, but by the fact that, starving, she would be forced to eat "with anyone," perhaps with the untouchables. (The respectful daughter did not even dare to utter the word "untouchable," but, no doubt, she meant it.) Indeed, when you get acquainted with the rules that a "twice-born" Brahmin must observe, you begin to feel pity for him: the poor fellow cannot drink water on the street, must always take care of the purity of (naturally, ritual) food, cannot engage in most professions. Even on a bus, he couldn't ride without touching anyone he shouldn't... The more restrictions a caste imposes on its member, the higher it is. But it turns out that most of the prohibitions can be easily circumvented. The woman who was so worried about her mother was obviously more Hindu than Manu himself. For it is said in his "Laws":

“Whoever, being in danger of life, takes food from just anyone, is not stained with sin, like the sky with dirt ...” And Manu illustrates this thesis with examples from the life of rishis - ancient sages: rishis Bharadvaja and his son, tormented by hunger, ate meat sacred cow, and Rishi Vishwamitra accepted from the hands of the "lowest of people" Chandala - the outcast - the thigh of a dog.

The same applies to professions. A Brahman is not allowed to engage in "low" work, but if he has no other choice, then it is possible. In general, most restrictions do not apply to behavior, but to intentions. It's not that a high-caste person shouldn't associate with a low-caste person, he shouldn't want to associate.

Several decades ago, when light hand In the early 1800s, the British in India spread soda water with ice, a serious problem arose. Who exactly prepared the water and ice at the factory or at the handicraft enterprise is unknown. How to be? Learned pundits explained that soda water, and even more so ice, is not plain water and no defilement is transmitted through them.

In large cities, European costume has come into fashion, and caste signs are less commonly worn. But in the provinces, an experienced person will immediately determine with whom he is dealing: he recognizes a sadhu saint by the sign of the highest caste on his forehead, a woman of the us caste of weavers by a sari, and a brahmin by a “twice-born” cord over his shoulder. Each caste has its own costume, its own signs, its own demeanor.

Another thing is people of low castes. If the untouchable cannot enter the “clean” quarters, then it is better for him not to do this, because the consequences can be the most sad.

The ruling castes have never felt much desire to change anything in the traditional structure. But new ones have grown social groups: bourgeois intelligentsia, proletariat. For them, most of the foundations of the caste system are burdensome and unnecessary. The movement to overcome caste psychology - supported by the government - is growing in India and is now making great strides.

But the caste system, so immobile at first glance and so flexible in reality, has perfectly adapted to the new conditions: for example, capitalist associations are often built according to the caste principle. For example, the Tata concerns are the monopoly of the Parsis, all the companies of the Birla concern are headed by members of the Marwari caste.

The caste system also survives because—and this is its last paradox—that it is not only a form of social oppression of the lower, but also a way of their own self-affirmation. Shudras and untouchables are not allowed to read the holy books of the Brahmins? But even the lower castes have traditions into which they do not initiate Brahmins. Untouchables are forbidden to appear in neighborhoods inhabited by high-caste Hindus? But even a brahmin cannot come to the settlement of the untouchables. In some places, they can even beat him for it.

Abandon caste? For what? To become an equal member of society? But can equal rights—under the conditions so far existing—can give something more or better than what the caste already offers—the firm and unconditional support of the brethren?

Caste is an ancient and archaic institution, but alive and tenacious. It is very easy to "bury" it, revealing its many contradictions and illogicalities. But the caste is tenacious precisely because of its illogicality. If it were based on firm and immutable principles that do not allow deviations, it would have outlived its usefulness long ago. But the fact of the matter is that it is traditional and changeable, mythological and realistic at the same time. The waves of reality cannot break this strong and at the same time intangible myth. Until they can...

L. Alaev, candidate of historical sciences

None of the countries ancient east there was no such clearly defined social division as in ancient india. Social origin determined not only the range of rights and obligations of a person, but also his character. According to the Laws of Manu, the population of India was divided into castes, or varnas (that is, destinies predetermined by the gods). Castes - large groups people with certain rights and obligations, inherited. In today's lesson, we will consider the rights and obligations of representatives of various castes, get acquainted with the most ancient Indian religions.

background

The Indians believed in the transmigration of souls (see lesson) and the practice of karmic retribution for deeds (that the nature of a new birth and the characteristics of existence depend on deeds). According to the beliefs of the ancient Indians, the principle of karmic retribution (karma) determines not only who you will be born in future life(by a person or some animal), but also a place in the social hierarchy.

Events / Participants

There were four varnas (estates) in India:

• Brahmins (priests)
• kshatriyas (warriors and kings),
• Vaishyas (farmers)
• sudras (servants).

The Brahmins, according to the Indians, appeared from the mouth of Brahma, the Kshatriyas - from the hands of Brahma, the Vaishyas - from the thighs, and the Shudras - from the feet. Kshatriyas considered ancient kings and heroes to be their ancestors, for example, Rama, the hero Indian epic"Ramayana".

Three periods in the life of a Brahmin:

• discipleship,
• family creation,
• hermitage.

Conclusion

In India, there was a rigid hierarchical system, communication between representatives of different castes was limited by strict rules. New ideas appeared within the framework of a new religion - Buddhism. Despite the rootless caste system in India, the Buddha taught that a person's personal merit is more important than origin.

The position of man in Indian society had a religious explanation. in holy books ancient times(ve-dah) the division of people into castes was considered original and established from above. It was argued that the first Brahmins (Fig. 1) came out of the mouth of the supreme god Brahma, and only they can know his will and influence him in the direction necessary for people. Killing a brahmin was considered a greater crime than killing any other person.

Rice. 1. Brahmins ()

Kshatriyas (warriors and kings), in turn, arose from the hands of the god Brahma, so they are characterized by strength and strength. The kings of the Indian states belonged to this caste, while the kshatriyas were at the head government controlled, they controlled the army, they owned most of military booty. People from the warrior caste believed that their ancestors were ancient kings and heroes such as Rama.

Vaishyas (Fig. 2) were formed from the thighs of Brahma, therefore, they got benefits and wealth. It was the most numerous caste. The position of the Vaishya Indians was very different: the wealthy merchants and artisans, the entire urban elite, no doubt, belonged to the ruling strata of society. Some Vaishyas even took a place on public service. But the bulk of the vai-shiys were pushed aside from state affairs and were engaged in agriculture and handicrafts, turning into the main tax payers. In fact, the spiritual and secular nobility looked down on the people of this caste.

The Shudra caste was replenished from among the conquered foreigners, as well as from immigrants who had broken away from their own clan and tribe. They were considered people of a lower order, who had come out of the soles of Brahma's feet and were therefore doomed to grovel in the dust. Therefore, they are destined for service and obedience. They were not allowed into the communities, they were suspended from holding any positions. Even some religious ceremonies were not arranged for them. They were also forbidden to study the Vedas. The penalties for crimes against Shudras were generally lower than for the same acts committed against Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas. However, the Shudras still retained their position free people and were not slaves.

At the lowest rung of ancient Indian society were the untouchables (pariahs) and slaves. The pariahs were assigned to fishing, hunting, meat trading and killing animals, leather processing, etc. The untouchables were not even allowed to go to the wells, because they could supposedly desecrate clean water. They say that when two noble women went out into the street and accidentally saw the untouchables, they immediately returned back in order to cleanse their eyes of filth. However, the untouchables still formally remained free, while the slaves did not even have the right to their own identity.

The creators of these legal norms were Brahmins - priests. They were in a special position. In no country of the Ancient East did the priesthood achieve such a privileged position as in India. They were servants of the cult of the gods, headed by the supreme deity Brahma, and the state religion was called Brahmanism . The life of the Brahmins was divided into three periods: teaching, raising a family, hermitage. The priests needed to know with what words to address the gods, how to feed them and how to glorify them. Brahmins studied this diligently and for a long time. From the age of seven, the period of study began. When the boy was sixteen years old, the parents presented a cow as a gift to the teacher, and the son was looking for a bride. After the Brahmin had learned and started a family, he himself could take disciples into the house, make sacrifices to the gods for himself and for others. In old age, a Brahmin could become a hermit. He refused the blessings of life and communication with people in order to achieve peace of mind. They believed that torment and deprivation would help to gain liberation from the endless chain of rebirths.

Around 500 BC e. in the north-east of India in the valley of the Ganges, the kingdom of Shagadha arose. There lived the sage Siddhartha Gautama, nicknamed Buddha (the Awakened One) (Fig. 3). He taught that a person is related to all living beings, so you can’t harm any of them: “If you don’t kill even flies, then after death you will become a more perfect person, and whoever does otherwise becomes an animal after death.” A person's actions affect the circumstances under which he will be reborn in his next life. A worthy person, passing through a series of reincarnations, reaches perfection.

Rice. 3. Siddhartha Gautama ()

Many Indians believe that, having died, the Buddha became the main of the gods. His teaching (Buddhism) spread widely in India. This religion does not recognize inviolable boundaries between castes and believes that all people are brothers, even if they believe in different gods.

Bibliography

1. A.A. Vigasin, G.I. Goder, I.S. Sventsitskaya. Ancient world history. Grade 5 - M .: Education, 2006.
2. Nemirovsky A.I. History Reading Book ancient world. - M.: Enlightenment, 1991.

1. Religmir.narod.ru ()
2. Bharatiya.ru ()

Homework

1. What are the duties and rights of ancient Indian society brahmins?
2. What fate awaited a boy born in a Brahmin family?
3. Who are the pariahs, what caste did they belong to?
4. Representatives of what castes could achieve liberation from the endless chain of rebirths?
5. How did the origin of a person influence his destiny according to the teachings of the Buddha?

Castes and Varnas in India: Brahmins, Warriors, Merchants and Artisans of India. The division into castes. High and low caste in India

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The division of Indian society into classes, called castes, originated in ancient times, survived all the twists and turns of history and social upheavals, and exists to this day.

Since ancient times, the entire population of India has been divided into Brahmins - priests and scientists, warriors - Kshatriyas, merchants and artisans - Vaishyas and servants - Shudras. Each caste, in turn, is subdivided into numerous podcasts, mainly along territorial and professional lines. Brahmins - the Indian elite can always be distinguished - these people with mother's milk absorbed their mission: to receive knowledge and gifts and teach others.

It is said that all Indian programmers are Brahmins.

In addition to the four castes, there are separate groups of untouchables, people engaged in the most dirty work, including leather processing, washing, working with clay and garbage collection. Members of the untouchable castes (and this is almost 20% of the population of India) live in isolated ghettos of Indian cities and outside the outskirts of Indian villages. They cannot visit hospitals and shops, use public transport and enter government offices.

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Among the untouchables themselves, there is also a division into many groups. The top lines in the "table of ranks" of the outcasts are occupied by barbers and laundresses, at the bottom are the Sansi, who live by stealing animals.

Most mysterious group untouchables - hijra - bisexuals, eunuchs, transvestites and hermaphrodites wearing women's clothing and engaged in begging and prostitution. It would seem that this is strange? However, hijras are indispensable participants in many religious rituals, they are invited to weddings and births.

Worse than the fate of the untouchable in India can only be the fate of a pariah. The word pariah, which evokes the image of a romantic sufferer, actually means a person who does not belong to any caste, is practically excluded from all public relations. Pariahs were born from the union of people belonging to different castes, or from pariahs. By the way, earlier it was possible to become a pariah simply by touching him.

Castes in India - the reality of today

One of the most talked about and least understood aspects of traditional Indian society is the caste system, which influences politics, business and social relationships. This system has evolved over thousands of years as a powerful tool for organizing and managing vast masses of people. Even though caste-based discrimination is illegal today, caste division still affects jobs, privileges, and social circles.

Caste- a synonym for the word "estate". In Russia, there were estates: peasants, workers, nobles, royal family, scientists, etc.

There are strict restrictions on communication between castes in India. Caste is the self-consciousness of the Hindu. His whole way of life is formed depending on which caste he belongs to.

There are four main castes:Brahmins(officials) Kshatriyas(warriors) Vaishya(traders) and Shudra(peasants, workers, servants). The rest are "untouchables".

Brahmins The highest caste in India. Brahmins serve as spiritual mentors, work as accountants and accountants, officials, teachers, and take possession of the lands. They are not supposed to walk behind the plow or perform certain types work related to manual labor; women from their midst can serve in the house, and landowners can cultivate allotments, but only not plow.
Members of each Brahmin caste marry only within their circle, although it is possible to marry a bride from a family belonging to a similar sub-caste from a neighboring area.
In choosing food, a Brahmin observes many prohibitions. He is not entitled to eat food prepared outside his caste, but members of all other castes may eat food from the hands of the Brahmins. Some brahmin families cannot eat meat.

Kshatriyas- stand right behind the brahmins in ritual terms and their task is mainly to fight, to protect their homeland. To date, the occupations of kshatriyas are the work of managers in estates and service in various administrative positions, and in the army. Most kshatriyas eat meat and, although they allow marriage to a girl from a lower sub-caste, a woman cannot under any circumstances marry a man of a sub-caste lower than her own.

Vaishya- layers that are engaged in trade. Vaishyas are more strict about the rules regarding food, and are even more careful to avoid ritual pollution. Traditional occupation Vaishyas serve trade and banking, they tend to stay away from physical labor, but sometimes they are included in the management of the farms of landlords and village entrepreneurs, without directly participating in the cultivation of the land.

Shudra- peasant caste. They, due to their numbers and ownership of a significant part of local land, play an important role in solving social and political issues some areas. Shudras eat meat, marriage of widows and divorced women is allowed. The lower sudras are numerous podcasts whose profession is of a highly specialized nature. These are the castes of potters, blacksmiths, carpenters, joiners, weavers, buttermakers, distillers, masons, hairdressers, musicians, tanners (those who sew products from finished - dressed leather), butchers, scavengers and many others.

Untouchables- busy with the dirtiest work, often beggars or very poor people. They are outside the Hindu society. They are engaged in cleaning dead animals from the streets and fields, toilets, dressing skins, cleaning sewers, working as scavengers, laundresses, being hired for the most difficult work in mines, construction sites, etc.

Members of the "untouched" castes are forbidden to visit the houses of the "pure" castes and take water from their wells, they are even forbidden to step on the shadows of other castes. Until recently, most Hindu temples were closed to the untouchables, there was even a ban on approaching people from higher castes closer than the set number of steps.

The nature of caste barriers is such that it is believed that the "untouchables" continue to defile members of the "pure" castes, even if they have long abandoned their caste occupation and are engaged in ritually neutral activities, such as agriculture. Although in others social conditions and situations, such as being in an industrial city or on a train, an untouchable can have physical contact with members of higher castes and not defile them.

Hindus believe in reincarnation and believe that the one who observes the rules of his caste will rise to a higher caste by birth in a future life, while the one who violates these rules will not understand who he will become in his next life.

p.s. Does this system remind you of ours?

Hello dear readers my blog! In this article, I decided to talk about who these brahmins are, about the features of their life and duties, as well as about the castes and varnas of India. Hope it will give you a chance to plunge into a rich past and a wonderful future this country where I often visit and sometimes write my travel notes or reports. One of the latest - if you are interested in seeing India through my eyes, then watch the video in the specified publication.

are they brahmins?

Several words from stories

In ancient India, there was a division into classes of society . I previously wrote about this in an article -. Brahman served the temple, Kshatriya initiated throughout the life of the army and the military business and most often these were the rulers of the country, and the vaishya traded and was engaged in various crafts. On the last rung of this ladder was a sudra - a servant or hired worker, who served the upper classes of society, and they in turn took care of him.

Varna of the Brahmins

Varna - social status, was determined by the qualities of a person, but most often it was also determined by birth. The varna system has existed from the very beginning of creation and you can read about it in the Bhagavad Gita as it is:

Bg 4.13

catur-varnyam maya srstam

guna-karma-vibhagasah

tasya kartaram api mam

viddhy akartaram avyayam

Brahmin caste

At a later time, a specific system of dividing society into castes was born. Caste it is a reborn system of varnas. And she determined the occupation of a person, explained who each of its members was only based on birth and did not take into account the qualities of a person. Born in a certain caste, a person was forced to spend his whole life in this social environment.

Separately from all there were untouchables, they included tanners and dog-eaters (chandalas), who, even by their presence, could defile others.

Women were engaged exclusively in housekeeping and children. It is worth noting that the cow also occupied a special place in society, because she was the breadwinner of the family.

Gradual revolution of the concept

In the modern world, brahmins are called members of the highest varna of the Indian system of social segregation, something like our clergy, acting in churches and monasteries.

But originally brahmins were religious priests who were responsible for conducting rituals in temples. They knew Sanskrit, studied the Vedas by heart and passed on this invaluable knowledge from generation to generation completely unchanged. In ancient India, they were considered the personification of the highest spiritual power in human form.

What are the main duties of a brahmin

A high position in society required relevant behavior and following many rules. Brahmins or Brahmins, as they are sometimes called, it was necessary to strictly adhere to their mission and fulfill 6 duties, which we can determine from the scriptures, where it is precisely spelled out what these wise men did.

6 Duties of Brahmins

Sanskrit:

Pathana-pathana, yajana-yajna dana-pratigrah

1. The study of the Vedas is the basis of a Brahmin's employment and the first rule.
2. The next type of activity is the transfer of acquired and mastered knowledge to followers and to everyone who needed them.
3. Also, a brahmana must worship and perform yajnas (rituals) from myself personally to God.
4. To teach to worship and perform yajnas (sacrifice) God from others, since only he is trained in all the mysteries and subtleties of this ritual.
5. Moreover, another main occupation was that he needed to accept gifts from others.
6. And it's over to distribute donations to all those in need along with their blessings.

From the very early years, boys from brahmin families went to the school of the spiritual master, gurukula. There, under the guidance of a guru, they studied all the subtleties of Vedic philosophy and comprehended the spiritual science of serving God, Bhagavata dharma.

The unique term that best defines the meaning of the service of a brahmana is dharma. It implies the totality of all the rules that ensure life in the service of God.

Indian philosophy explains it as the only way to achieve supreme perfection. They strictly - strictly fulfilled their religious duty, supporting moral and spiritual foundations at a high level.

enviable rights and brahmin privileges

The authority of the Brahmins was unlimited and unquestioning. For example, in Vedic society for some types of serious crimes could appoint death penalty. But the death penalty was never imposed on the Brahmins, even if they committed such deeds.

They were expelled from society and the country, and for them it was the most severe punishment. Laws acted on them in a completely different way, in contrast to severe punishments, destined for other varnas. Members of this varna had many privileges specified in legislative acts.

The Brahmins had a direct influence on the ruler, as they had deep wisdom and impartiality.Under the king, a separate Brahmin court was going towho gave advice to the king, and the king followed them implicitly.

One of clear examples this is the brahmin Chanakya pandita. He was an adviser to the king and did not receive any salary. Arguing this by the fact that if he receives money from the king, he will become dependent on him and will not be able to give fair advice.

Invaluable knowledge proven for thousands of years

Indians are especially reverent about the Vedic scriptures, trying to follow their letter. Of course, at present, all this is gradually lost and forgotten.

The Vedas, especially the Upanishads, are the source from which the teachings of the Brahmins originate. It is from the Vedas that they draw knowledge about the spiritual essence of man, which is called jiva or atman.

Also known as Brahmanthe impersonal aspect of the Lord, the Absolute. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the source of this impersonal brahmana, the beginning of all things, eternal and unchanging, that was in the beginning and will remain forever. It is also the impersonal aspect of the absolute called nirguna, that is, not possessing any qualities . It should be understood that nirguna brahmana has no material qualities, not at all. Because the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Brahman, God, Krishna, and he is the source of all the qualities that are in him.

the onlyway to comprehend the Absolute Truth is shabda - the process of knowing, hearingfrom a reputable source.

By studying the Vedas throughout their lives and fulfilling all the prescriptions of these sacred books, the brahmins desire to achieve God, realize him and serve him. The impersonalists want impersonal liberation, moksha or nirvana.

Why is the highest varna so revered

The lower castes especially revered the priests for the wisdom they spread throughout the world. Since the brahmins, according to the texts of the shastras, were forbidden to earn a living by hired labor, people brought them everything they needed, fully providing them with food and clothing.

By definition, the Brahmins led a fairly simple and ascetic lifestyle. The main food for them is vegetarian food, grains, beans, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. The color of the Brahmin's clothes depended on what spiritual order they were in. Sanyasis, monks who renounced the world wore orange clothes (saffron), family ones - white.

All people visited temple to get darshan - the opportunity to turn to the deity, reverently contemplate him. But only brahmins could perform rituals in temples, this was their exclusive right.

Also ordinary people could learn about the texts of the Vedas and all the knowledge accumulated in them only from the brahmins. They talked about the spiritual and material world, were able to interpret the process of evolution, showed a person the path that would lead him to perfection.

Is it possible to become a brahmin Nowadays ?

In our period in India, the division into castes is prohibited by the constitution, but the system itself is so strongly established in the minds of the population that it cannot be eradicated. Now the significance of the varn distribution has changed a little, strict rules have disappeared, only traditions remain.

If initially a brahmin was determined by qualities, and anyone who matches them could become one, for example which for many years diligently adhered to the sacred precepts, meditated and practiced spiritual development, now these rules have changed somewhat.

The varna system degenerated into a caste system, and the Brahmins were determined only by birth, as I wrote above.

But nowadays it is also possible to get a brahminical title if one conforms to all the canons of the scriptures that prescribe the set of rules for a brahmin. Of course, in India, these prejudices about caste and birthright still reign fully. Such caste brahmins claim their exclusive superiority and they never recognize people from other classes as equals. But these are just prejudices that do not find a response in the scriptures.

Nothingdoes not mean birth, appearance, or wealth. The main thing is the spiritual dignity of a personand its qualities.

One of the great saints and reformers of Indian spirituality, Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura, fought very zealously and won in disputes with the so-called caste brahmins, shattering their arguments that they had the right to claim their position only by birth.

Dear readers! Hope this article slightly opened the veil of the amazing and my favorite culture of Vedic India and you can extract something valuable and interesting for yourself. Subscribe and don't forget