Chaturvarna, the Division of Work in Hinduism

Chaturvarna, the Division of Work in Hinduism

No individual can survive without Chaturvarna. No Country can survive without Chaturvarna the division of work as per ability to perform the varma work. However, it is by act and not by birth.

Haas. Some people started reading the first line must have gone up high in temper may cool down reading last line of the para.

Let me explain the concept of Chaturvarna in Ancient Hinduism. How many major jobs the humans to perform in the society for development and progress? The major four groups are: knowledge transmission, maintenance of law & order, produce and distribute goods and services and serve the people.

Even for individual, these four jobs are necessary to perform for his/her own development. For individual, the brain to understand and take appropriate decision, the hands to protect and do work, the stomach to digest food and provide nutrition to all parts of the body to remain healthy and the legs to make the other three mobile so that they perform better.

The division of work is necessary for a society so that each individual perform his/her duties as per the ability and capacity he/she has (or acquired). The division of work holds the society in harmony to progress. It is called "Dharma" in Vedas. Dharma root is "dhri", which means ‘to hold’. For holding the society for progress Dharma has established the law and that explains the duties, rights, conduct, virtues and right way of living. But it doesn't propagate inequality or to act by birth.

The origin of Chaturvarna traced in Purush Sukta of Rigveda. It says that of the primeval man ‘the Brahmin was the Mouth, the Kshatriya was as the Arms, his Thighs were the vaishyas and from his two feet the Shudra was born. Brahmin,
Kshatriya, Vaishya, Sudhra – these are described as Varna andnot Jatis. The society is made out of a combination of Varnas having four specific qualities and being associated with different types of action. And the difference among the varnas are due to difference in the proportions of the three qualities or gunas of ‘sattva’ (purity) ‘raja’s’ (valour) and ‘tamas’ (darkness).

Prima facie the principle of Chaturvarna look so scientific but when it was practiced what happened? The children of Brahmin followed the act of parent's and continued in Brahmin karma. Similarly the children of Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudras followed the act of their parents and continued in same varna. But when the Brahmin entered more and more deep into the knowledge, the secrets of nature, his brain received more wisdom compare to others and make him feel superior to others. The Kshatriya being a King felt that he can control any one through sword/power and become holder, owner and administrator of natural resources. He started feeling superior and expressed superiority by wearing rich cloths, living in palace, eating varieties of food, and run after territory and beautiful women. The Vaishya being producer and distributer of goods and services, however under the control of the swords/power of Kshatriya, progressed in upward direction as he held the money power. And the Shudras, in absence of all mentioned above survive through the petty remuneration they receive. Brahmins, otherwise could have grown in poverty use their wisdom and developed rules that can keep the Kshatriya under checks, and developed and performed rituals for others (capable to pay) that earn livelihood for them. And Manu Smiriti, the Constitution of Hinduism committed an error advocating Varna by birth that has made India the country of unequals.

The Varna by birth created economic inequality in the society. And that has made a ground for the children and heirs of Brahmin to grew as Brahmin, Kshatriya to Kshatriya, Vaishya to Vaishya and Shudras to Shudras. The greed for materialism made them so unhealthy in mind that the higher varnas played game of inequality by birth to maintain their superiority in the society for themselves and for their children. Eklavya was denied admission by Guru Drone and Karna to tell a lie to learn from Parasuram. The Hindu society developed totally against the Sanatan Hindu teachings of, सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म | (Sarvam khalvidam Brahman)

The way India became Shudra in the international plays and parameters of rich western world, the poor people of India remained poor for centuries and lived a life of social inequality. Their minds, the bodies and dignity were killed for millions time. They still survived due to strong DNA and due to the inherent strength of the seed power of the Almighty, the Brahman.

It is the dharma of the bee to make honey, of cow to give milk, of Sun to radiate sunshine, of river to flow; similarly, irrespective of birth, it is the Dharma of Brahmin to transmit knowledge, Kshatriya to maintain law & order, Vaishya to produce goods and services and Shudras to serve all so that they excel in their output. It is the Dharma of the Society to build Varnas (division of work) according to individual capabilities by act and not by birth.

It happened good for India that it came under British rule, Gandhi and other went abroad and felt the pain of inequality, Dr. Ambedkar rose up from Shudra caste, and Independent India born on the principles of Justice, Equality and Liberty. It has opened a way for India to grow as Nation on the ability of each individual. It is the dharma of each individual to select his Varna and change it number of times depending upon his/her ability to perform the work/job assigned to that Varna.

Now look at Neo India, the teachers are the Neo Brahmins; the executives, police are Neo Kshatriyas; the producers of goods and services are Neo Vaishyas; and the peons/servants/sweepers/hospital support staff, etc at public and private places serving all are Neo Shudras. Neo BKVS belong to all castes and religions. The Constitution of India (Ambedkar Smriti) make them equal.

Whether we name it or not, Varna Vyavashtha exists in an Individual, in a Society, in a Country and in the World whether people are Hindu, Buddhist Muslim or Christian or others. Varna is division of work as per individual ability to perform the act not an identity derived from the birth.

Varna is a body of Creator, the Mouth, the Arms, the Thighs and the Feet. They are all part of ONE and dependent on each other for the harmony and progress. Let us be equal and develop the world as the World of Equals. सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म |

Punamchand
4 February 2015