Caste System
Caste system is like the Indian version of racism. If you thought the colour of your skin is a very random parameter to determine your worth, you will be shocked because the Indian caste system is even more arbitrary.
Worst verses: MB 13.135, MP Part II CCXXVII.131, SB 7.11.15, SB 6.18.49, BP 115.24, BG 18.47
Table of contents
Vedas
Rig Veda
RV 10.90.11
यत्पुरु॑षं॒ व्यद॑धुः कति॒धा व्य॑कल्पयन् । मुखं॒ किम॑स्य॒ कौ बा॒हू का ऊ॒रू पादा॑ उच्येते ॥
यत्पुरुषं व्यदधुः कतिधा व्यकल्पयन् । मुखं किमस्य कौ बाहू का ऊरू पादा उच्येते ॥
Translations:
Griffith: When they divided Purusa how many portions did they make?
What do they call his mouth, his arms? What do they call his thighs and feet?
Wilson: When they immolated Puruṣa, into how many portions did they divide him? What was his mouth called, what his arms, what his thighs, what were his feet called?
RV 10.90.12
ब्रा॒ह्म॒णो॑ऽस्य॒ मुख॑मासीद्बा॒हू रा॑ज॒न्य॑: कृ॒तः । ऊ॒रू तद॑स्य॒ यद्वैश्य॑: प॒द्भ्यां शू॒द्रो अ॑जायत ॥
ब्राह्मणोऽस्य मुखमासीद्बाहू राजन्यः कृतः । ऊरू तदस्य यद्वैश्यः पद्भ्यां शूद्रो अजायत ॥
Griffith: The Brahman was his mouth, of both his arms was the Rajanya made.
His thighs became the Vaisya, from his feet the Sudra was produced.
Wilson: His mouth became the Brāhmaṇa, his arms became the Rājanya, his thighs became the Vaiśya;the Śūdra was born from his feet.
Comment: This was written in 1500–1000 BCE. So caste system was not invented by Britishers to divide Indians after all.
Bhagavad Gita
BG 4.13
चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः ।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥ १३ ॥
Translations:
Besant: The four castes were emanated by Me, by the different distribution of qualities and actions; know Me to be the author of them, though the actionless and inexhaustible.
As It Is: According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the nondoer, being unchangeable.
Comment: It is not at all surprising that whoever wrote these things kept their own division at the top. These type of arrogance by the makers of religions is common in religions. For example Jews think they are the chosen people.
BG 18.47
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुण: परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥ ४७ ॥
Translations:
Besant: Better is one’s own duty though destitute of merits than the well-executed duty of another. He who doeth the duty laid down by his own nature incurreth not sin.
As It Is: It is better to engage in one’s own occupation, even though one may perform it imperfectly, than to accept another’s occupation and perform it perfectly. Duties prescribed according to one’s nature are never affected by sinful reactions.
Comment: Hindus often say that as per the actual Hinduism the verna system is not hereditary and it is just a hierarchy given based on their job. They blame either Manusmṛiti or the British colonial rule in India as the cause of why caste system became hereditary. But that is false even in the most authoritative books of Hinduism like Bhagavad Gita caste system is hereditary. If you don’t follow your caste occupation you are a sinner according to Hinduism. Whoever wrote these things (Hindus believe these are spoken by Krishna but Krishna is a fictional character made of an amalgamation of several independent deities) wanted their descendants to be forever doing the easy and high paying jobs and wanted the poor to remain poor forever.
BG 9.32
मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्यु: पापयोनय: ।
स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम् ॥ ३२ ॥
Translations:
Besant: They who take refuge with Me, O Partha, though of the womb of sin, women, Vaishyas, even Shûdras, they also tread the highest path.
As It Is: O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth – women, vaiśyas [merchants] and śūdras [workers] – can attain the supreme destination.
BG 18.41
ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप ।
कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणै: ॥ ४१ ॥
Translations:
Besant: Of Brâhmanas, Kshattriyas, Vaishyas and Shûdras, O Parantapa, the duties have been distributed, according to the qualities born of their own natures.
As It Is: Brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras are distinguished by the qualities born of their own natures in accordance with the material modes, O chastiser of the enemy.
BG 18.42
शमो दमस्तप: शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च ।
ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम् ॥ ४२ ॥
Translations:
Besant: Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness and also uprightness, wisdom, knowledge, belief in God, are the Brâhmana duty, born of his own nature.
As It Is: Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness – these are the natural qualities by which the brāhmaṇas work.
Comment: Real wise and knowledged people like Einstein, Newton, Euler, Gauss, Russell etc beg to disagree.
BG 18.43
शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम् ।
दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् ॥ ४३ ॥
Translations:
Besant: Prowess, splendour, firmness, dexterity, and also not flying from battle, generosity, the nature of a ruler, are the Kshattriya duty, born of his own nature.
As It Is: Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity and leadership are the natural qualities of work for the kṣatriyas.
BG 18.44
कृषिगोरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम् ।
परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम् ॥ ४४ ॥
Translations:
Besant: Ploughing, protection of kine, and trade are the Vaishya duty, born of his own nature. Action of the nature of service is the Shûdra duty, born of his own nature.
As It Is: Farming, cow protection and business are the natural work for the vaiśyas, and for the śūdras there are labor and service to others.
Ramayana
Mahabharata
MB 12.165
sacred-texts or wisdomlib: Having slain a dog or bear or camel, one should perform the same penance that is laid down for the slaughter of a Sudra.
MB 13.135
sacred-texts or wisdomlib: “Yudhishthira said, ‘Who are those persons, O Bharata, from whom a Brahmana in this world may accept his food? From whom may a Kshatriya, a Vaisya, and a Sudra take their food respectively?’
“Bhishma said, ‘A Brahmana may take his food from another Brahmana or from a Kshatriya or a Vaisya, but he must never accept food from a Sudra. A Kshatriya may take his food from a Brahmana, a Kshatriya or a Vaisya. He must, however, eschew (abstain from) food given by Sudras who are addicted to evil ways and who partake of all manner of food without any scruple. Brahmanas and Kshatriyas can partake of food given by such Vaisyas as tend the sacred fire every day, as are faultless in character, and as perform the vow of Chaturmasya. But the man who takes food from a Sudra, swallows the very abomination of the earth, and drinks the excretions of the human body, and partakes of the filth of all the world. He partakes of the very filth of the earth who takes his food thus from a Sudra. Verily, those Brahmanas that take their food from Sudras, take the dirt of the earth. If one engages in the service of a Sudra, one is doomed to perdition (eternal punishment) though one may duly perform all the rites of one’s order. A Brahmana, a Kshatriya, or a Vaisya, so engaging, is doomed, although devoted to the due performance of religious rites. It is said that a Brahmana’s duty consists in studying the Vedas and seeking the welfare of the human race; that a Kshatriya’s duty consists in protecting men, and that a Vaisya’s in promoting their material prosperity. A Vaisya lives by distributing the fruits of his own acts and agriculture. The breeding of kine and trade are the legitimate work in which a Vaisya may engage without fear of censure. The man who abandons his own proper occupation and betakes himself to that of a Sudra, should be considered as a Sudra and on no account should any food be accepted from him. Professors of the healing art, mercenary soldiers, the priest who acts as warder of the house, and persons who devote a whole year to study without any profit, are all to be considered as Sudras. And those who impudently partake of food offered at ceremonials in a Sudra’s house are afflicted with a terrible calamity. In consequence of partaking such forbidden food they lose their family, strength, and energy, and attain to the status of animals, descending to the position of dogs, fallen in virtue and devoid of all religious observances. He who takes food from a physician takes that which is no better than excrement; the food of a harlot is like urine; that of a skilled mechanic is like blood. If a Brahmana approved by the good, takes the food of one who lives by his learning, he is regarded as taking the food of a Sudra. All good men should forego such food. The food of a person who is censured by all is said to be like a draught from a pool of blood. The acceptance of food from a wicked person is considered as reprehensible as the slaying of a Brahmana. One should not accept food if one is slighted and not received with due honours by the giver. A Brahmana, who does so, is soon overtaken by disease, and his race soon becomes extinct. By accepting food from the warder of a city, one descends to the status of the lowest outcaste. If a Brahmana accepts food from one who is guilty of killing either a cow or a Brahmana or from one who has committed adultery with his preceptor’s wife or from a drunkard, he helps to promote the race of Rakshasas. By accepting food from a eunuch, or from an ungrateful person, or from one who has misappropriated wealth entrusted to his charge, one is born in the country of the Savaras situated beyond the precincts of the middle country. I have thus duly recited to thee the persons from whom food may be accepted and from whom it may not. Now tell me, O son of Kunti, what else thou wishest to hear from me today.’”
Comment: This para is saying all Sudras are evil people and their food must never be eaten by higher caste Hindus. Here the food given by Sudras is compared to faeces and urine. This is an inhumane and evil text.
Upanishads
Puranas
Bhagavata Purana or Srimad Bhagavatam
SB 7.11.15
वैश्यस्तु वार्तावृत्ति: स्यान्नित्यं ब्रह्मकुलानुग: ।
शूद्रस्य द्विजशुश्रूषा वृत्तिश्च स्वामिनो भवेत् ॥ १५ ॥
Translations:
srimadbhagavatam.org: The vais’yas [the merchants] are to be engaged in their occupational activities [of farming and trading] and should always follow what the brahmins teach, while the s’ûdras [the laborers] for their livelihood have to accept the three types of twice-born souls as their masters to serve.
Vedabase: The mercantile community should always follow the directions of the brāhmaṇas and engage in such occupational duties as agriculture, trade, and protection of cows. For the śūdras the only duty is to accept a master from a higher social order and engage in his service.
Comment: So, Shudras’ only duty as per this immoral and nonsensical religion is to serve someone from higher caste.
SB 11.17.49
शूद्रवृत्तिं भजेद् वैश्य: शूद्र: कारुकटक्रियाम् ।
कृच्छ्रान्मुक्तो न गर्ह्येण वृत्तिं लिप्सेत कर्मणा ॥ ४९ ॥
Translations:
srimadbhagavatam.org: A vais’ya may adopt the business of a s’ûdra and a s’ûdra may adopt the way of an artisan and make baskets and mats, but once he is freed from misery he must no longer desire a livelihood by engaging in a lower type of work.
Vedabase: A vaiśya, or mercantile man, who cannot maintain himself may adopt the occupation of a śūdra, and a śūdra who cannot find a master can engage in simple activities like making baskets and mats of straw. However, all members of society who have adopted inferior occupations in emergency situations must give up those substitute occupations when the difficulties have passed.
Comment: Again it is a hereditary thing. Only in emergency times you can change your jobs.
SB 6.18.49
नोच्छिष्टं चण्डिकान्नं च सामिषं वृषलाहृतम् ।
भुञ्जीतोदक्यया दृष्टं पिबेन्नाञ्जलिना त्वप: ॥ ४९ ॥
Translations:
srimadbhagavatam.org: Do not eat leftovers nor food containing flesh that was offered to Kâlî. You must not eat food that a s’ûdra eats or food provided by a woman in her menses and do not drink water by cupping your hands.
Vedabase: Never eat leftover food, never eat prasāda offered to the goddess Kālī [Durgā], and do not eat anything contaminated by flesh or fish. Do not eat anything brought or touched by a śūdra nor anything seen by a woman in her menstrual period. Do not drink water by joining your palms.
SB 9.2.9
तं शशाप कुलाचार्य: कृतागसमकामत: ।
न क्षत्रबन्धु: शूद्रस्त्वं कर्मणा भवितामुना ॥ ९ ॥
Translations:
srimadbhagavatam.org: The family preceptor [Vasishthha] cursed him for the unintended sinful deed saying: ‘Having acted like a s’ûdra, you cannot belong to the kshatriyas. Because of that unholy deed it is your karma to become a s’ûdra.’.
Vedabase: Although Pṛṣadhra had committed the sin unknowingly, his family priest, Vasiṣṭha, cursed him, saying, “In your next life you shall not be able to become a kṣatriya. Instead, you shall take birth as a śūdra because of killing the cow.”
Markandeya Purana
MP 113.34
Brahmans, kshatriyas, vaisyas, who do not first marry women of the same caste,* fall by marrying women of other castes, king. Whatever excluded woman a man marries after neglecting union in his own caste, of that woman’s caste let him indeed become a participator. Source (Page - 643)
Kurma Purana
KP II.17.1
A brahmana should not eat food offered by a Sudra, whether out of delusion or otherwise. He who eats it except in emergency, is born as a Sudra. Source (Page - 443)
Brahma Purana
BP 64.19
In regard to the people of the first three castes the rite of holy bathand the repitition of Mantras is in the manner mentioned in the Vedas. The utterance of the Vedic passage is to be avoided by women as well as Sudras. Source (Page - 357)
BP 115.24
The food cooked by a Sudra is despised by gods and noble men, O goddess. That which is uttered by Brahma is authoritative. Source (Page - 639)
Narada Purana
Source: Tagare PDF, Image of I.24.7-9
NP I.24.7
Those castes are said to be four, viz., the Brahmans, Ksatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras. Among these the Brahmana is the foremost. Source (Page - 345)
NP I.24.8
The Brahmanas, Ksatriyas and Vaisyas- these three are called Dvijas (the twice-born), because at first they are born of their mothers and later on, they are consecrated by means of sacred thread with due repetition of the Mantras (which constitute the second birth). Thus twice-born-ness is attained by these three classes. Source (Page - 345)
NP I.24.9
All holy rites and duties must be performed by these castes in accordance with the specific duties prescribed for their castes. By failing to perform the holy duties prescribed for one’s own caste, one is called a heretic by learned men. Source (Page - 346)
Matsya Purana
Source: Part 1 PDF and Part 2 PDF
Part II CCXXVII.131
If a low caste man wants to marry a high caste girl and does so would be punished with death, similarly a high caste woman marrying a low caste man should be punished with death. Image
Manusmriti
Source: sacred-texts.com/hin/manu.htm or PDF
These days people discard this book as something that is not related to actual Hinduism. But for most of Hinduism’s history this book was a part of Hinduism.
MS I.91
One occupation only the lord prescribed to the Sudra, to serve meekly even these (other) three castes.
MS II.31
Let (the first part of) a Brahmana’s name (denote something auspicious, a Kshatriya’s be connected with power, and a Vaisya’s with wealth, but a Sudra’s (express something) contemptible.
MS III.13
It is declared that a Sudra woman alone (can be) the wife of a Sudra, she and one of his own caste (the wives) of a Vaisya, those two and one of his own caste (the wives) of a Kshatriya, those three and one of his own caste (the wives) of a Brahmana.
MS III.15
Twice-born men who, in their folly, wed wives of the low (Sudra) caste, soon degrade their families and their children to the state of Sudras.
MS IV.79
Let him not stay together with outcasts, nor with Kandalas, nor with Pukkasas, nor with fools, nor with overbearing men, nor with low-caste men, nor with Antyavasayins.
MS IV.80
Let him not give to a Sudra advice, nor the remnants (of his meal), nor food offered to the gods; nor let him explain the sacred law (to such a man), nor impose (upon him) a penance.
MS IV.81
For he who explains the sacred law (to a Sudra) or dictates to him a penance, will sink together with that (man) into the hell (called) Asamvrita.
MS IV.99
Let him not recite (the texts) indistinctly, nor in the presence of Sudras; nor let him, if in the latter part of the night he is tired with reciting the Veda, go again to sleep.
MS IV.223
A Brahmana who knows (the law) must not eat cooked food (given) by a Sudra who performs no Sraddhas; but, on failure of (other) means of subsistence, he may accept raw (grain), sufficient for one night (and day).
MS IV.245
A Brahmana who always connects himself with the most excellent (ones), and shuns all inferior ones, (himself) becomes most distinguished; by an opposite conduct he becomes a Sudra.
MS VIII.20
A Brahmana who subsists only by the name of his caste (gati), or one who merely calls himself a Brahmana (though his origin be uncertain), may, at the king’s pleasure, interpret the law to him, but never a Sudra.
MS VIII.21
The kingdom of that monarch, who looks on while a Sudra settles the law, will sink (low), like a cow in a morass.
MS VIII.22
That kingdom where Sudras are very numerous, which is infested by atheists and destitute of twice-born (inhabitants), soon entirely perishes, afflicted by famine and disease.
MS VIII.270
A once-born man (a Sudra), who insults a twice-born man with gross invective, shall have his tongue cut out; for he is of low origin.
MS VIII.271
If he mentions the names and castes (gati) of the (twice-born) with contumely, an iron nail, ten fingers long, shall be thrust red-hot into his mouth.
MS VIII.272
If a once-born man (a Sudra), arrogantly teaches Brahmanas their duty, the king shall cause hot oil to be poured into his mouth and into his ears.
MS VIII.281
A low-caste man who tries to place himself on the same seat with a man of a high caste, shall be branded on his hip and be banished, or (the king) shall cause his buttock to be gashed.
MS VIII.374
A Sudra who has intercourse with a woman of a twice-born caste (varna), guarded or unguarded, (shall be punished in the following manner): if she was unguarded, he loses the part (offending) and all his property; if she was guarded, everything (even his life).