The difference in their literal meaning shows that Jati is evolved from a Sanskrit root jaha meaning to be born. Thus caste means birth. On the other hand, Varna means to select or choose. In this way, caste is determined at birth whereas Varna is acquired by a person according to his nature.

Is caste and Varna same?

Varna and caste are 2 different concepts, though some people wrongly consider it the same. Literally Varna means colour and originates from the world Vri meaning the choice of ones occupation. Hence Varna is concerned with ones colour or occupation.

What is meant by Varna and caste system?

Varna system is the social stratification based on the Varna, caste. Four basic categories are defined under this system - Brahmins (priests, teachers, intellectuals), Kshatriyas (warriors, kings, administrators), Vaishyas (agriculturalists, traders, farmers ) and Shudras (workers, labourers, artisans).

What are the 4 Castes or Varnas?

The caste system divides Hindus into four main categories - Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Shudras. Many believe that the groups originated from Brahma, the Hindu God of creation.

Is Brahmin a caste or Varna?

Brahmin (/ˈbrɑːmɪn/; Sanskrit: ब्राह्मण, romanized: brāhmaṇa) are a varna (class) in Hinduism. They specialised as intellectuals, priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari), teachers (acharya or guru), ayurvedic physicians and protectors of sacred learning across generations.

What are the 5 levels of the caste system?

Terms in this set (5)Braham. single spiritual power that Hindus believe lives in everything.Kshatriya. second level of the varnas in the Hindu caste system; WARRIORS.Vaishyas. 3rd class of the caste system (worker class, the legs of purusha-sakta.)Shudra. Untouchable/Harijan/Dalit.

What does varna literally mean?

Although the literal meaning of the word varna (Sanskrit: “colour”) once invited speculation that class distinctions were originally based on differences in degree of skin pigmentation between an alleged group of lighter-skinned invaders called “Aryans” and the darker indigenous people of ancient India, this theory has

Is varna based on birth?

If varna system wasnt based on birth, you would have seen that in practice. But for the last 2,000 years, the system has always been birth-based. Dont fall for Brahmin propaganda. When varna status changes, it changes for the whole community (such as CKPs being acknowledged as Kshatriyas).

What are the 5 castes?

Indian society was divided into five castes:Brahmins: the priestly caste. After their religious role decreased they became the caste of officialdom.Kshatriya: warrior caste. Vaisya: the commoner caste. Sudras: represented the great bulk of the Indian population. Untouchables: descendants of slaves or prisoners.

Which caste is smallest?

Dalits The lowest caste was the Dalits, the untouchables, who handled meat and waste, though there is some debate over whether this class existed in antiquity.

Is Tendulkar Brahmin?

Tendulkar was born into a Rajapur Saraswat Brahmin family, in Mumbai. His mother Rajni worked in the insurance industry, and his father Ramesh Tendulkar, a Marathi novelist, named Tendulkar after his favourite music director, Sachin Dev Burman.

Which surname is highest in Brahmin?

Deshastha Brahmins are the largest Brahmin subcaste from Maharashtra and northern Karnataka in India. Common Deshastha surnames such as, Deshmukh, Kulkarni, Deshpande, Joshi, and Khamkar denote the families ancestral professions.

Does varna mean color?

Varna contextually means colour, race, tribe, species, kind, sort, nature, character, quality, property of an object or people in some Vedic and medieval texts. Varna refers to four social classes in the Manusmriti.

How is varna decided?

The Varna system in Dharma-shastras divides society into four varnas (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishya and Shudras). Those who fall out of this system because of their grievous sins are ostracised as outcastes (untouchables) and considered outside the varna system.

Is varna based on karma?

Two major concepts of the Hindu religion are varna and karma. While at first glance it may not appear that they are related, they in fact do have a direct correlation. The combination of the caste system and the concept of karma have an important part in explaining the consequences of life for the Hindu followers.

Is Sourav Ganguly a Brahmin?

Incidentally, the most booed cricketer in Indian history is Ravi Shastri, a Brahmin. Even Sourav Ganguly, who was booed for a brief period across the country, is a Brahmin. Stevenson, however, errs in calling Anand a Dalit; he is a Tamil Brahmin.

Is Rohit Sharma is Brahmin?

Rohith Sharma was born in a Telugu Brahmin family. His parents: Gurunath Sharma and Purnima Sharma are from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.