Surely many have heard of the strict social system of society in Hinduism. There are 4 varnas or estates (not to be confused with castes, which are much more in India) - these are brahmanas, vaisyas, sudras and ksatriyas.
Their life is regulated, and the main goal of each varna is to achieve spiritual enlightenment. About what the representatives of each group are characterized and different and why each of them, according to Hinduism, is not just an estate, but the evolution of a person’s spiritual growth, as well as many other interesting points to be addressed in this article.
What is Varna
First you need to get acquainted with such a concept as “Varna”. If we take the literal translation from Sanskrit, then this word means “color” or “quality”. Such a colorful and figurative comparison allows not only to distinguish between the varnas among themselves, but also to give a characteristic defined by them.
For example, you can take such a varna as vaisya (emphasis on the first syllable). The Laws of Manu (the sacred text of the Hindus) says that this estate was created from the hips of God. In ancient India, the color of a vaisya is yellow. It was he who symbolized the earth. The earth feeds and gives life to all. Therefore, the representatives of this third estate are not only the largest of all varnas, but they also recognize a certain significance for the whole society. Vaisyas are merchants, farmers, and artisans. In other words, producers and creators of wealth.
If we take other descendants of the Aryans, Eastern Slavs, then our ancestors had approximately the same structure of society even before the baptism of Russia. The worldview of our ancestors was Vedic, and this was not a religion. And also society was strictly divided into 4 classes: the brahmanas - the sorcerers, the ksatriyas - the knights, the vaisyas - the weights, and the sudras - stinks.
The roots of the caste system in India
Having invaded vast territories along the Ganges River, warlike Aryans began the systematic and successful conquest of new lands. An unenviable role was entrusted to the local population: the natives were exterminated, expelled from their homes in the jungle, and some were enslaved. The local invaders did not show serious resistance - they obeyed. Now they were forbidden to pray to the gods, undergo the “second birth” rite, and other restrictions were established that made their life difficult, and their position in the social structure of society unenviable.
The natives began to speak the language of the invaders and lost ownership of the land. Thus, they occupied the very bottom of society, and they were called “sudras” with contempt. Sanskrit does not know such a word, therefore, most likely, this is the name of one conquered people, which was subsequently given to all the local conquered peoples, and then made the name Varna.
Brahmins, ksatriyas, vaishya ... Initially, the Aryans did not exist these varnas or were in their infancy. Too much work had to be done in various wars. First it is the conquest of the locals, and then the feud. Everything changed when a relative calm and peace were established among the Aryans.
Caste system design
The territories and peoples of the Hindustan Peninsula were conquered. The need to wage war and hone military skills also disappeared. The time has come for peace. An interesting fact is that the brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas did not initially receive their varna from birth. The child was taken to the sage, and he, using his psychic abilities, distinguished the color of the aura, announced what spiritual lessons needed to be worked on, and assigned him a varna.
But gradually, such conditions changed. Children simply inherited the varna of their parents and lived in accordance with its laws and principles. Vaisyas are workers, ksatriyas are managers and warriors, brahmanas are sages and teachers.
This state of affairs was subsequently enshrined in sacred texts, such as the Laws of Manu, Bhagavad-Gita, and others. They served as an important ideological basis for explaining the essence of the division of society and social inequality. Although initially all layers of the Aryans were free and equal. Just with the passage of history, the rulers and their close circle chose war, campaigns and public administration as the main source of income. Thus stood out the Varna of the Kshatriyas.
Vaishas in ancient India are villagers and working people for whom living and working with their families on earth or doing crafts is the meaning of life. In principle, all the necessary historical prerequisites have been formed for this. There were few external threats, and the peaceful way of life supplanted militancy. And trade with neighbors gave a good opportunity to get rich. Their rights to property and land are legally protected.
But in the social hierarchy, the Vaishyas descended a notch. This layer belonged to commoners. And no matter how much land or wealth was acquired, they remained despised by two higher estates.
Rite of rebirth
The sudras were forbidden to hold the ceremony of the second birth (upanayana), and they could not become dvija (this term refers to the representatives of the three highest varnas). Boys from other varnas, as soon as a certain age approached, this was to come. The age was different for each class: for brahmanas - from 8 years old, kshatriyas - from 11 years old, and vaisyas - from 12 years old.
On this day, the mother last time ate food together with the child, a farewell ceremony was performed with playmates and their treats. Then a sacred string was hung on the right shoulder and given a middle name. Everything here indicated that this is a certain stage on the way to growing up and transition to a new qualitative level. Over time, the rite of the Upanayana changed and simplified, but did not lose its significance.
Varna Vaishya expects industriousness, ingenuity from his adept, and most importantly - this is reverence for the gods and respect for representatives of the upper classes. And this rite is a signal that the student has embarked on the path and now only the results of his earthly journey depend on him.
Life priorities for a vaisya
Vaishya is primarily the creator and accumulator of material wealth. They are ardent owners and individualists. They only care about their interests, the family and those people whom they consider to be theirs. A reliable future and providing for their descendants. All aspirations and thoughts are directed to the material sphere and to their households. They practically do not perceive everything that cannot be seen or touched. Vaisyas are materialists. And according to Vedic teaching, such attachment to everything material is a trap that can interfere with the further evolutionary development of the soul.
In other words, if one interprets the words “Mahabharata”, having calmed down and realizing that everything is perishable, the vaisya and the sudra should understand that the satisfaction of their material desires is not all life. But vaisyas also differ favorably from the sudra in that they have a stronger will and are able to organize. A sudra needs constant control. Even if the work will be difficult and unskilled, it will suit him as well - he does not like to take excessive responsibility even for his life. He is always led.
Vaishya is not like that. He is ready to take responsibility. Ready and understands the price of error, able to fix things. But traps lie in wait for him, which can prevent him from fulfilling his mission.
What should Varna Vaisya be afraid of on the way to his evolutionary growth of the soul
When creating objects in the material world, one must be fully aware that these things can bring some good or bad karma to their creator, depending on the purpose for which they will be used. It is not by chance that vaisya, sudra, are considered, according to Hinduism, as lower varnas. By definition, representatives of these classes are only on the way to understanding the truth that only caring for the welfare of others is capable of raising the soul to a new qualitative level.
Saving and individualism is the first trap. The second is alcohol and sex abuse. As, however, and other vices. Generally speaking, the life of a person professing Hinduism is always permeated with various rituals. It is divided into many stages and important points. But perhaps the biggest misfortune not only for a ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, but also for a brahmana is not to fulfill his destiny.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the ministry. This topic is a common thread in all the relationships between the varns. The idea is simple: if you are a representative of the lower class and serve conscientiously to the higher, then in the next lives you will climb the social ladder. Conversely, any manifestation of disrespect is very severely punished.
Woman's position
As in the whole East, in ancient India, with its patriarchal laws, women were looked upon as goods. She always belonged to someone. From birth, to the father, after marriage to the husband, and after the death of the head of the family, to the son. And another important feature of its position and status was, according to ancient custom, the right to own any property. Rather, its complete absence.
The "Laws of Manu" describe in some detail many aspects of marriage in ancient India. It makes a reservation even age. So, a man who turned 30 years old married a 12-year-old girl, but a 24-year-old - 8 years old a girl. Of course, she was instructed to be faithful, gentle, cheerful, and to honor her husband as God. Treason was punishable, and even very harsh for a woman, right up to the loss of life, but more often they were crippled. But with men of different varn the conversation and the punishment were somewhat different. It is necessary to briefly retell these provisions in order to show a fairly general and conditional picture by example. The fact of adultery for the representatives of the lower Varna, sudra, was punishable by death. Especially if it concerned seduced women of the upper class. For a vaisya, everything ended in a complete loss of property. But the brahmanas and ksatriyas got off with a fine.
Attitude to polygamy
Analysis of the "Laws of Manu" as one of the primary sources of the current situation allows us to draw certain conclusions. The woman did not have her own property and was completely dependent on the man. Her misconduct was punished very harshly. From birth to the end of her life she was looked at as an inventory.
The monstrous ritual of self-immolation of widows, which came down to modern times, was recorded back in the time of Alexander the Great. The Laws of Manu say nothing about this. Also, these laws do not address facts such as the degree of relationship at which you can get married, the conditions and reasons for the dissolution of the marriage.
A study of this and other sources allows us to conclude that polygamy was not prohibited, but not encouraged. The status of the first wife was always higher than that of the concubine and the second wife. The only reason one could part with a woman was childlessness.
Poor women
Both the Slavs and the ancient Hindus had a custom when the heads of poor families took their daughters to the market and sold them as goods. Echoes of such customs were preserved in the family ritual of the Eastern Slavs. Thus, one can observe a situation in which the position of a woman, even of high varnas, was unenviable.
A woman in the Vedic tradition was the guardian of the hearth. Her main function was to serve “clean” food. Cleanliness did not mean compliance with sanitary standards. It was impossible to show food to representatives of the lower classes, since it was considered spoiled (or poisoned) by their eyes. On the contrary, the glance of the upper class, the brahmana, blessed such a meal.
These and many other ideas became echoes in the spiritual culture of the Eastern Slavs. Vaisyas in India are scales in Ancient Russia.
Vaisyas: interacting with other varnas
Vaishya, due to the fact that he was the main producer of material wealth in the society of Ancient India, like no one else, by the nature of his occupation, he interacted with various manifestations of the material world. It must be understood that life in Hinduism was seen as another journey with various karmic tasks. However, on the way, one could always learn and take something from representatives of the upper classes (kshatriyas, brahmanas) for themselves.
The brahmanas were not just teachers. They were the most respected and revered class. The legend of the Indian epic about what happened when the ksatriyas (the warrior class, which functions as managers) showed disrespect and openly opposed the brahmanas. Kara was very cruel. The brahmanas and vaisyas were related to each other in Indian society, as a teacher and an unreasonable student, who firmly believed in his mentor. Vaishya has yet to learn and master many aspects of the material world, learn how to act on it correctly.
Ganges - sacred river
Brahmins, Baptists, ksatriyas, vaisyas, sudras worship water, which, in their opinion, not only cleanses, but also removes all sins. As for Baptism, representatives of this teaching, which appeared in Russia in the second half of the 19th century, also undergo preliminary spiritual preparation before being cleansed with water. In this you can see an analogy.
What sways the Hindus, the Ganges River is a sacred place for them: from birth they drink its water, and after death they return to it. Representatives of the wealthy class scatter the ashes of the dead over the river, while the poorer ones simply throw the corpses of their relatives into the river.
Vaishya and Kshatriyas
Perhaps the most desired position for a vaisya is the ksatriyas. In ancient India, kings, princes and soldiers were reckoned to this estate. This estate has real power over all processes taking place in Indian society.
Vaishya is a materialist. Therefore, various abstract ideas, which for the most part he does not understand, are alien to him. And he sees and feels the wealth and power of the kshatriyas, as well as the greatness of his spirit. This makes Vaisya evolve spiritually.
Vaisya service is dedicated to a specific person or group. The service to society and the public good is too abstract and incomprehensible for him. The driving force here is power and wealth, however, as for the kshatriyas.
Brahmanas are deprived by definition of this. All these "children's" games are not for them. Wisdom and penance are their way.
Vaisyas are the most numerous estate. There is a division into jatis. Jati is not a caste or an estate. In European consciousness is associated with the term “profession”. In Indian society there are more than three thousand castes, four varns and the untouchables. But for all its diversity, society functions thanks to universal laws that are based on concepts such as “karma”, “reincarnation” and “samsara”.
Representatives of Hinduism voluntarily accept their social status and take it for granted. Traditionalism - that is what distinguishes representatives of Indian society and adherents of Hinduism. But with all this, India is a nuclear power, a state with one of the fastest growing economies in the world. India is an amazing country where modernity and patriarchalism are intertwined. The estate system of society (Varna) and many other remnants of the past are still preserved.