Caste System in Puranas Vedic, Epic and Puranic Culture of India
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Component-I (A) – Personal details: Vedic, Epic and Puranic culture of India Caste System in Puranas Prof. P. Bhaskar Reddy Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. Prof. Korada Subrahmanyam University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad Prof. Rani Sadasiva Murty Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, TIRUPATI Prof. Korada Subrahmanyam University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 1 Component-I (B) – Description of module: Subject Name Indian Culture Paper Name Vedic, Epic and Puranic culture of India Module Name/Title CASTE SYSTEM IN PURANAS Module Id IC / VEPC / 26 The Concept that Pauranic Varna system was not Pre requisites create barriers in the society but to allocate duties to various sections of people for social well being. Objectives To explain the Paurnic Spirit of Caste System Varna, Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya, Sudra, Keywords Pratiloma, Anuloma E-Text (Quadrant-I): INTRODUCTION The word CASTE in the ancient Indian literature was synonymized with VARNA. Puranas have belief in the Divine Origin of VARNAS or CASTES. Almost in all the Puranas Castes were said to have been created in the beginning of the CREATION by BRAHMA. There is clear distribution of activities to all the Castes keeping in view the needs of the society. People of all castes are instructed respect each other in an appropriate manner. Ultimately finding the Divine Consciousness in every being is said to be the highest responsibility of all. The details are as follows: ACCOUNTS OF CASTE SYSTEM IN VARIOUS PURANAS Puranas give a due importance to the CASTES in structuring a strong, ideal and progressive society having distributed different activities to all the CASTES and not to encourage building partition walls among all the castes to develop enmity and hatred. The following are the puranas in which a wide reference to the CASTES is available. Agni Purana, Kurma Purana, Garuda Purana, Devi Bhagavatgam,Narada Purana, Padma Purana, Brahma Purana, Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Bhagavata Purana, ,BhavishyaPurana, Markandeya Purana, Vayu Purana,Vayu Purana, Vishnu Purana and Skanda Purana. ORIGIN OF CASTE SYSTEM The Puranas support the thought of VARNA system evolved from the famous PURUSHA SUKTA in the Rgveda according to which The Pure Castes Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Suras are metaphorically said to have been emerged from the Mouth, Shoulders, Thighs and Feet respectively of Virat Purusha. The social hierarchy of the Castes also supported in the Puranas giving topmost priority to the Bramins’ caste at the topmost pinnacle (As they are expected to always think of the wellbeing of the society and social good), then to the 2 Kshatriyas (To always be alert to protect the society from all troubles with their physical energy and the intellectual advice of Brahmins), then to the Vaishyas (To do business for attending all living needs of the society) and then Shudras (to serve the society for an ultimate comfort). Thus the Vedic concept of Varna has its elaborated expression in the Puranic Texts. The first three Brahma, Kshatriya and Vaisya are called Dvijas (Twice Born) because of their Upanayana Samskara. People of all these three castes are eligible to perform similar religious rites and sacraments. They are allowed to recite their respective portions of the Vedas. Along with these Four major Castes in the Puranas like Srimad Bhagavatam there are Mixed Castes of different kinds and combinations. There are two types of Mixed Castes majorly belonging to a) Pratilomajas (Girl of Higher caste if married to a boy of lower caste) and b) Anulomajas (Boy of Higher caste if marries a girl of lower caste). A Good number of mixed caste combinations are found under these Pratilomaja and Anulomaja kinds. SOCIAL IMPORTANCE OF CASTE SYSTEM The Caste System is set for the distribution of the social functions. Just as in a family different duties are distributed among all the family members the requirements of a society are distributed among various classes of castes and sub-castes in the society. This is similar to that of the classification of duties in an organizational system. In a corporate organizational system every one doesn’t do the same kind of duty. Some are of Managerial cadre and are meant for planning intellectually. Similar was the state of Brahmins in ancient times to plan for the welfare of the nation. They are not permitted to accumulate wealth for their own sake. Their survival is the responsibility of the society. The next class is of executives and sectional heads and superintendents. The number of these people is very less. All these including the managerial class are under the command of CEO who is like the King of a state. Similarly all those who guard the interests of the organization are like Kshatriyas. Their number is always very less but because of them only every organization survives. Similarly Society was protected by the people of Kshatriya Class. The third section in an office is of the Marketing class. They are meant for marketing the products of the organization. Similarly Vaisyas are marketing class in the society. They produce all kinds of things and market them at an appropriate price to meet the needs of the people. The fourth section of an organization is meant for offering all kinds of services related to the basic needs of the organization. It is the working classes. In the absence of which the production activity won’t get progress. The Sudra class in a society is like this. In their absence the production necessary for society won’t be there. Similar is the state of Pratilomajas and Anulomajas. They are people of different skills and trades like Gold smiths, Black smiths etc. Thus the Varna system in the puranic period attained the official sanction of the state. The people of those dates used to respect this. People of each of the castes used to adhere to their respective special duties. Here is a brief narration of the duties of various castes as found in the Bhagavata Purana. 3 DUTIES OF BRAHMINS संस्कारा यदविवछिन्ना: स विजोऽजो जगाद यम्। इ煍याध्यनदानावन विवितावन विजन्मनाम् ॥ जन्मकमाािदातानां क्रियाश्चाश्रमचोक्रदता:। विप्रस्याध्यनादीवन िाताा विवचत्रा शालीनयायािरवशलो祍िनम्। विप्रिृविस्चतुर्धेयं श्रेयसी चोिरोिरा ॥ सिािेदमयो विप्र: सिादेिमयो नृप:॥ शमो दमस्तप: शौचं संतोष: क्षावन्तराजािम्। ज्ञानं दयाछयुतात्मत्िं सत्यं च ब्रलक्षणम्॥ If the essential Samskaras are performed without any break he is Dvija. Performing Sacrifices, Studying Vedas and Charity are prescribed as their duties. All the consecrations and deeds follow the Ashrama system. Study of the Vedas is specially recommended for the Brahmins Four more ways of living are prescribed for a brahmin. 1. Agriculture or Breeding cattle,, 2. Accepting what so ever comes to his way, 3. Begging food grains daily and 4. Collecting the paddy grains that fall on the ground while its owner reaps the paddy – Of these four each succeeding one is preferred to the earlier one. While a Brahmin is the form of all Vedas , The King is the form of all Gods. Control over Mind, Control over senses, Purity, Contentment, Forbearance, Straightforwardness, Knowledge, Kindness and Truthfulness are his qualities. DUTIES OF KSHATRIYAS षडन्यस्याप्रवतग्रि:। राज्ञो िृवि: प्रजागोप्तुरविप्राद् िा कराक्रदवि:। ऋते राजन्यमापत्सु सिेषामवप सिाश:॥ ऋतामृताभयां जीिेत मृतेन प्रमृतेन िा। सिादेिमयो नृप:॥ शौयं िीयं र्धृवत: तेज: त्याग आत्मजय: क्षमा। ब्रण्यता प्रसादश्च रक्षा च क्षत्रलक्षणम् ॥ 4 The king is expected to collect one-sixth of the total earnings of his subjects except from brahmins. A king should survive on four aspects. Ritam, Amritam, Mritam, Pramritam . A King is the human manifestation of all Gods. Valour, Potency, Stability, Splendor, Sacrifice, Self control, Forbearance, Brilliance, Pleasantness and Protecting nature are the characteristics of a ruler of Royal race. DUTIES OF VAISYAS िैश्यस्तु िाताािृवि: वनत्यं ब्रकुलानुग:। देिगुिाछयुते िविवििगापररपोषणम्। आवस्तक्यमुद्यमो वनत्यं नैपुणं िैश्यलक्षणम्॥ A person of Vaisya clan should live upon Agriculture, Animal Breeding and other kinds of business. He always should save Brahmins. He should have staunch devotion towards Gods, Preceptors and Acyuta. He should concentrate on Dharma, Artha and Kama. He should believe in the Vedas. Expertise in business is his special quality. DUTIES OF SUDRAS शूद्रस्य संनवत: शौचं सेिा स्िावमन्यमायया-। मन्त्रयज्ञो स्तेयं सत्यं गोविप्ररक्षणम् ॥ A person of Sudra varna should always be obedient and should have purity of thought, speech and deed. Service to the king is prime duty. He should perform Yajnas which don’t need Mantras. He should not be a thief. He should always speak truth and should protect cows and brahmins. SOME ESSENTIAL DEFINITIONS िाताा विवचत्रा शालीनयायािरवशलो祍िनम्। विप्रिृविस्चतुर्धेयं श्रेयसी चोिरोिरा ॥ जघन्यो नोिमां िृविमनापक्रद िजेन्नर:। ऋते राजन्यमापत्सु सिेषामवप सिाश:॥ ऋतामृताभयां जीिेत मृतेन प्रमृतेन िा। सत्यानृताभयां जीिेत न श्विृत्त्या कथंचन ॥ ऋतमु祍िवशलं प्रोिमम्मृतं यदयावचतम् ॥ मृतं तु वनत्ययाछञा स्यात् प्रमृतं कषाणं स्मृतम् । सत्यानृतं तु िावण煍यं श्विृविनीचसेिनम् । 5 िजायेत् तां सदा विप्रो राजन्यश्च जुगुवससतम्॥ Four more ways of living are prescribed for a brahmin. 1. Agriculture or Breeding cattle,, 2. Accepting what so ever comes to his way, 3. Begging food grains daily and 4. Collecting the paddy grains that fall on the ground while its owner reaps the paddy – Of these four each succeeding one is preferred to the earlier one. The Merchants’ class should not accept the profession s of higher classes.