All posts in this series
- Caste by Birth
- Origin of Varna System
- Diversity in Creation
- Can Varna be Determined by Karma?
- Inherent Qualities and Exceptions
- Adhikara and Karma
- Varna in Horoscope
- Roles of Different Varnas
- Rights of Different Varnas
- Harms of The Reservation System
- Arya Samaj & Buddhist View
- Does Bhagavan Have a Varna?
- Balanced Population through Varnashrama System
In this series, the Shankaracharya of Puri, gives a detailed explanation on how caste (varna) is by birth according to the vedas and shastras.
In the beginning of creation, that occurs after dissolution (pralaya), Bhagavan takes the form of the Hiranyagarbha (cosmic egg) and Virat Purusha (cosmic being).
The Purusha-sukta (of the Vedas) describes the Virat Purusha, and Hiranyagarbha. All the varnas, ashramas, chandas and vedas were manifested from the body parts of the Virat Purusha.
ब्राह्मणोऽस्य मुखमासीद् बाहू राजन्यः कृतः।
ऊरू तदस्य यद्वैश्यः पद्भ्याँ शूद्रोऽअजायत ।।11।।
The above is the 11th shloka of the Pushusha-sukta. It describes the body of the Virat Purusha. Brahmanas were the mouth of the Virat Purusha, kshatriyas were his arms, vaishyas were his thighs, and shudras were his feet.
Varna vyavastha (varna system) is eternal in nature. For jivas (life forms) to be able to consume, creation shall continue eternally. Those who attain mukti or freedom from the cycle of life and death, would not be reborn.
In the Shrimad Bhagavatam, the second and the third canto give an elaborate explanation of the origin of the varnashrama system. In the Mahabharata, the Shantiparva and Anushasanaparva describe the body of the Virat Purusha, and what all was manifested from it. The Hindi translations published by Gita Press are recommended for further study.
Varnashrama system is vedic. The vedas and the varnashrama system, both, have manifested from Bhagavan Himself. Therefore, be it the vedas or varnashrama (which includes the karmas allocated by birth as per varna) – they are all eternal.
Are varna and jati same?
It is a falsehood that has been propagated that jati and varna, are two different things.
The word jati itself implies ‘by birth’. “Jati dharma, kula dharma” have been mentioned in the first chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, and have been called “shashvata” – meaning eternal. Brahmana is a jati, for example.
दोषैरेतै: कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकै: |
उत्साद्यन्ते जातिधर्मा: कुलधर्माश्च शाश्वता: || 1.43||
Meaning: Through these evils bringing intermixture (varnasankarta) of castes/varnas, the eternal caste and traditions and family (kula) customs of the killers of kinsmen get extinct.
The above verse from the Bhagavad Gita implies that the eternal traditions of jatis and families shall be destroyed and made extinct through the evil of inter-mixing of varnas/castes.
We must remove the misconception that we can support the varna system but not the jati system since they are the same. According to the Yogadarshana, jati, ayu (age), and bhoga (enjoyment) are described as the three fruits of our prarabdha (past karma which gives fruit at time of our birth). Therefore, these three are fixed at the time of our birth.