It says that caste system developed after arrival of Aryans in India in order to maintain their separate existence from Dravidians {dasa varna}. The Varna system prevalent during the Vedic period … Males of the first three varnas are “twice-born” (dvija): after undergoing the ceremony of spiritual rebirth (upanayana), they are initiated into manhood and are free to study the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of Hinduism. Many theories have been put forward regarding the origin of caste system but, so far, no solid proof has been collected in this regard. By George H. A. Cole, Michael M. Woolfson. Caste not merely a division of labour but a division of labourers: The most evil practice in Hindu religion is the practice of casteism and the categorisation of certain sections of people as Untouchables. as an adjective. Indo-Aryans used the term 'Varna' which means 'colour'. They specified a different set of obligations for each: the task of the Brahman is to study and advise, the baron to protect, the Vaishya to cultivate, and the serf to serve. Varna, Sanskrit varṇa, any one of the four traditional social classes of India. Varna, any one of the four traditional social classes of India: the Brahman (priestly class), the Kshatriya (noble class), the Vaishya (commoner class), and the Shudra (servant class). There are different theories about the establishment of the caste system. The word caste derives from the Spanish and Portuguese “casta”, means “race, lineage, or breed”. He believed that the Varna’s would maintain and preserve social harmony and peace in the society. Portuguese employed casta in the modern sense when they applied it to hereditary Indian social groups called as ‘jati’ in India. Thoeries of the Origin of Solar System 1. Hindu Social System Hindu Social System Varna Caste Rina Rebirth Ashrama Purushartha Karma Jajmani System Joint Family Guru Deva Pitru Athidhi Sanchita Prarabdha Agama Dharma Ardha Kama Moksha Brahmacharya Grihastha Vanaprastha Sanyasa. The idea or the concept of Hindu Varnas has a long history and tradition, dating back to Vedic times or perhaps even earlier to the Indus times, since according to some the caste system originated outside the Vedic fold. Purusha is believed to be the first being constituted by a combination of the four Varnas. Majumdar the origin of caste system may be traced to the ‘varna’ or complexion. Apart from the other theories, there are several other theories also. Updates? According to this theory, the varnaoriginated with the arrival of Aryans in India around 1500 BC. According to this theory, the caste system is of divine origin and it is extension of the varna system. Today, I will be resolving a few of the misconceptions about it with more in-depth information on it. Adding to these theories of origin, the famous Karl Marx believed religion was man's attempt to deal with the difficulties of social class. (i) Racial Theory: According to Dr. Mazumdar, the caste system took its birth after the arrival of Aryans in India. The caste system in ancient India had been executed and acknowledged during, and ever since, the Vedic period that thrived around 1500-1000 BCE. Therefore, it mean carrier selection / task selection / responsibility selection. Thus they spoke of … 1.Traditional Theory According to this theory, the caste system is of divine origin. Individual castes, in turn, have sought to raise their social rank by identifying with a particular varna and demanding its privileges of rank and honour. The has been a serious confusion and debate around the meaning of the word. But it can be decidedly said that the Varnashram Vyavastha did exist before Caste System. The theories explaining its origin and its various attributes too have been critically examined. There are many theories which talk about the origin of the caste system in India. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. The Dashuds may be considered as the ancestors of the Shudras who are the fourth caste in the varna system. The different facets of the caste system have been discussed in the light of the various studies done so far. The most accepted theory is the big band theory. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/varna-Hinduism, Indianetzone - Varna System in Ancient India. CEC 03: Social and Behavioral Sciences I managed by EMRC, JNVU Jodhpur. CEC 03: Social and Behavioral Sciences I managed by EMRC, JNVU Jodhpur. Corrections? Further, historians of ancient India have been more concerned with the study of the Varna system as a whole and with the problems of dominant groups such as brahmanas or Rajputs referring only skimpily to the existence of despised castes mentioned in the Buddhist sources and foreign accounts. When the Aryans conquered India, they suppressed and enslaved the dashuds who were dark in colour (varna meaning colour). One of the theories about the origin of the solar system is the nebular hypothesis. 4 0 obj The records of the Indo-Aryan culture contain the first mention and a continuous history of the factors that make up caste. However, the genesis of Varna system in Nepal can be traced more accurately from the reign of King Jayasthiti Malla in the contest of Kathmandu Valley and with the introduction of the Muluki Ain (Old Legal Code) of 1854 in the context of Nepal as a whole. The Varna system mingled with the four Ashramas of one’s life on the path of dharma becomes the Varnashrama Dharma. It is today the basis of affirmative action programmes in India. According to this theory, the Aryan invasion led to clashes between them and the original inhabitants of the subcontinent who were called the Dashuds. Purushasukta reveals that the fourfold division of the society came into being from four different parts of Brahma or the viratpursha or the Divine or the Supreme Being. The riddle of the origins of Indian caste system and its true nature remained unsolved because erroneously the scholars tried to find its source in Vedic system. But according to the Manusmriti, the caste system in India was, in the beginning, a system of prescribing codes of conduct for people to suit the requirements of their occupation. Indo-Aryans reached India about 2500 B.C. The Caste System took its birth after the arrival of Aryans in India. endobj THE ORIGINS OF CASTE SYSTEM Though there are several theories, opinions and beliefs in this regard, the exact origin of caste cannot be traced. Varna Brahmana Kshatriya Vaishya Sudra. Origin of Varna system . THEORIES OFTHEORIES OF ORIGIN OF THEORIGIN OF THE SOLAR SYSTEMSOLAR SYSTEM 2. 3 0 obj The caste stratification of the Indian society had its origin in the chaturvarna system. They are classified according to occupation and determine access to wealth, power, and privilege. Theories on the Origin of State Essay Contents: Essay on the Divine Origin Theory Essay on Patriarchal Theory as the Origin […] system. Racial theory (Varna) According to Mazumdar Caste system originated after the arrival of Aryans in India. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. It is today the basis of affirmative action programmes in India. Origin theories. The inclusion of the Shudra into the four-varna system bestowed on them a measure of dignity. Over the centuries, many theories have been put forward—and almost all of them have been challenged, discounted, and ridiculed. Different castes were born out of various body parts of Brahma. As the Varna system is of divine origin, its offshoot, caste system ipso facto assumes divine character. There are biological theories. A move to accommodate still others not so distinguished led to the rather unofficial acceptance of a fifth class, the pancama (Sanskrit: “fifth”), which include the “untouchable” classes and others, such as tribal groups, who are outside the system and, consequently, avarna (“classless”). According to this doctrine the Hindu society was divided into four main varnas – Brahmins, Kashtriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. There is no certain date when the caste system came into existence in India. They called it Dasa Varna — Dasa people. 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