Sanatan Dharma is Not about Caste Hierarchy
The caste system in India was divided into four categories and they were not based on an individual’s birth.
Let me begin the episode by asking you a few questions. What do we call people who get into law enforcement or are involved with protecting the country from foreign invaders? What do we call people involved with trade? What do we call people who are involved with research work of great scientific or philosophical value? Well, there are names for it. The military and the police are involved in protecting the country and maintenance of law and order. People involved with the trade are businessmen or industrialists. People who teach are teachers or professors and people involved with research work are research scholars. These are positions and not in any way caste divisions based on one’s birth.
Similarly, the caste system or Varnashrama Dharma was a position given to people doing work in relevant fields. The four major varnas were Brahmins, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra.
The classification was perfect for the time and society people lived in. Shudras were incapable of taking responsibility for the community. They could only look after themselves and their family and were involved with menial jobs. The government or the ruler took care of them. Shudras were also helped by other community members. Vaishyas were traders and businessmen who took care of themselves, their families, and the community to a large extent. They were taxpayers and were involved with trade. They were wealthy and helped the community through various forms of trade.
Khatriyas were the warrior class, similar to that of the military and police of today. They were responsible for protecting their nation from internal and external threats. The warriors and the spies reported directly to the general, who in turn, was in direct contact with the King.
The Brahmins were responsible for teaching various subjects to the students and were referred to as Acharyas. People who mastered a particular field of study were regarded as Gurus. Brahmins who followed the path of spirituality were also regarded as Gurus. The Sanyasi, or the one who gave up the society, did not belong to a Varna and were out to gain enlightenment.
The caste division was merely work positions for individuals who were involved with various works that would benefit the community. However, things changed as the ages passed, and the caste system turned into what it is today.
While it makes sense to do away with the caste system, it is also vital to understand what it stood for when it was invented.
How did you find this information? Please mention this in the comments section. We would also like to know the kind of content you want to watch, and we will try to create it for you. For more news and updates, follow Airr News.
#SanatanDharma #CasteSystem #Brahman #Kshatriya #Vaishya #Shudra #Sanyasi #Acharya #Guru #Enlightenment #VedicSociety #SanatanReligion #Hinduism #Bharat #NewsInEnglish #AirrNews
