Caste System In India: Is It Religiously Approved Or Arbitrary & False?

The orthodox caste system in Hindu society is slowly fading away due to urbanization, modern education, drastic changes in vocation patterns and international competition. There are doubts in Hindus minds about how it originated and what is the solution to get rid of it. This is a major issue even today in various states of India. We are trying to summarize the concept after studying all relevant Hindu scriptures and documents.

1. Every Cloud has a Silverlining

Rajaram Mohan Roy (18th century), Swami Dayananda and Swami Vivekananda (19th century) were strong condemners of the caste system. Swami Vivekananda converted a few thousand Dalits into Brahmins by initiating them into Gayatri. It is said an individual who is initiated into a Mantra from an eligible Guru, will be considered as Brahmin. Many, including untouchables, followed these saints, took Mantra and got converted into Brahmins. Almost all saints have put their maximum energy (by initiating through Mantra) to cure this social disorder. Still, this is an unsolved problem. So why blame the expansion of Abrahamic religions, where they have only one God?

2. History

Our Vedas (the Shruti) and Bhagawad Gita, the only Hindu authorized scriptures, do not mention anything about the caste system. They just mention (for example Rig Veda Purusha Sukta - brahmanosya mukhamasit, bahu rajanyah kritaha, uru tadasya yadvaishyaha, padhyagam shudro ajayata etc.) four keywords (called Varna, color, class) Brahmana, Kshyatriya, Vaisya and Shudra with their definition based on Guna-Karma. This is also called Svabhavaja Karma or action based on mental inclination. Later texts like Mahabharata, Gita (Sloka 4.13 – Chatur Varnyam Maya Sristam Guna Karma Vibhagasah) also define these keywords based on Guna-Karma.

These Guna-Karma divisions as per Sankhya darshan are:

• Activities done by a person with dominant Satwa guna called as Brahmana.
• With dominant Rajo guna mixed with Satwa guna called as Kshyatriya.
• With dominant Rajo guna mixed with Tamo guna called as Vaisya.
• With dominant Tamo guna is called Shudra.

Vedas and Gita do not divide society based on Guna-Karma. People chose this as a formula to divide society.

3. How caste system got adopted into Hindu society?

Given the definitions in Veda and Gita, how did it get implemented in Hindu society? That is the trick of specification vs implementation inconsistency.

• At some level of our ancestors, the caste was a self-declared or a voluntary designation based on what kind of profession they chose.
• Later it was a political (Kings) decision to allocate caste to individuals to give it a permanent shape.
• In Mahabharata, King Yudhisthira said “it was difficult for him to determine the caste of an individual based on mental inclination.”
• Over time, caste became hereditary and tied to old customs. Individuals were imposed a caste forcefully to get low-profile jobs done. This became a hereditary system.

4. Entrenchment of Caste System

On one side the rulers made rules to make a concrete infrastructure to divide people. On the other hand, the priest-class did not leave any stone unturned.

• Various tags were discovered to identify people using surname, gotra, sutra, caste/sub-caste, external symbols like sacred thread, Tilakam, Tulsi necklace, and false rituals.
• External symbols were compulsory for each community to prove their caste.
• False rumors were spread about sharing food or marriages between castes causing sins.

5. Consequences of wrong adoption

• The Varna (class) systems converted into caste (Jati) hereditary systems.
• India lost its patriotic feeling and became fragmented into separated communities.
• Cross-community marriage was blocked in fear of losing property and privileges.
• Women were deprived of Vedic rights and temple worships.
• Foreign rulers exploited this division to enforce their colonization policy.

6. What are the solutions as given by Swami Vivekananda?

• Remove false notions: Though our castes are linked with religion, actually they are social customs.
• Revert back to caste-less Hindu society: We are all Rishi-putras and putris.
• Create equality where nobody has special privilege over another.

7. Conclusion

So your caste was voluntarily declared by your own forefathers. Now it is your turn to undo the mistake.