Explain the Difference Between Varṇa and Jāti, and Their Place in Hinduism.
Explain the difference between varṇa and jāti, and their place in Hinduism.
As both of the Sanskrit word varna and jati are usually translated as “caste”, it has always misleading because they have an important differences behind them. Varna and jati are deeply rooted in Hindu’s daily life, therefore, you cannot talk about Hinduism without mention varna and jati. Commonly, people saying that there are four varnas – Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. But what we find today are not only varnas also jatis, there are only four varnas but thousands of jatis. In this essay will explain the difference between varna and jati, and their place in Hinduism. All Hindu traditions share an underlying respect for Varnashrama Dharma, most of the Hindus adhere to Varnasharma to the best of their ability. The Varnashrama system is based in the Bhagavad-Gita (4.13), as the Bible in India. The Lord Krishna, explains that he created human society with four natural social classes (or varnas), as well as four underlying spiritual orders (or ashramas). This is where the word Varnashrama comes from. (Steven J. Rosen, 2006, p.35) According to the Rig Veda, sacred texts that date back to oral traditions of more than 3,000 years ago, the mighty Phrusha, the Lord has expanded his universal body into the visible universe. By way of metaphor, the Veda tells us that his body divided into four divisions that in the end became known as the varnas: “From his mouth came the priestly class, Brahmins, who tell us about the Lord; from his arm, Kshatriyas, who are the rulers and administrators; from his legs, Vaishya, who are the agriculturists, merchants, or economists came and from his feet, Shurdras, who are the workers, artisans.” (Steve J. Rosen, 2006, p. 40)Each group has a function in supporting the life of society as they are the social body, the system of varna devolved as time wore on, this is the four natural social classes.
Another important thing about the varnas is that the first
As both of the Sanskrit word varna and jati are usually translated as “caste”, it has always misleading because they have an important differences behind them. Varna and jati are deeply rooted in Hindu’s daily life, therefore, you cannot talk about Hinduism without mention varna and jati. Commonly, people saying that there are four varnas – Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. But what we find today are not only varnas also jatis, there are only four varnas but thousands of jatis. In this essay will explain the difference between varna and jati, and their place in Hinduism. All Hindu traditions share an underlying respect for Varnashrama Dharma, most of the Hindus adhere to Varnasharma to the best of their ability. The Varnashrama system is based in the Bhagavad-Gita (4.13), as the Bible in India. The Lord Krishna, explains that he created human society with four natural social classes (or varnas), as well as four underlying spiritual orders (or ashramas). This is where the word Varnashrama comes from. (Steven J. Rosen, 2006, p.35) According to the Rig Veda, sacred texts that date back to oral traditions of more than 3,000 years ago, the mighty Phrusha, the Lord has expanded his universal body into the visible universe. By way of metaphor, the Veda tells us that his body divided into four divisions that in the end became known as the varnas: “From his mouth came the priestly class, Brahmins, who tell us about the Lord; from his arm, Kshatriyas, who are the rulers and administrators; from his legs, Vaishya, who are the agriculturists, merchants, or economists came and from his feet, Shurdras, who are the workers, artisans.” (Steve J. Rosen, 2006, p. 40)Each group has a function in supporting the life of society as they are the social body, the system of varna devolved as time wore on, this is the four natural social classes.
Another important thing about the varnas is that the first
Bibliography: Bean, Susan. “Toward a Semiotics of “Purity” and “Pollution” in India.” In American Ethnologist Vol.8 No.3, (Aug 1981) 575-595 Kaur, Suninder. “Indian village as a unity and extension, village and caste.” Indian Anthropology. National Science Digital Library at NISCAIR, India, (Feb 2010) Marriott, McKim. “Varṇa and Jāti,” The Hindu World, edited by Sushil Mittal & Gene Thursby, 357-382. New York: Routledge, 2004. Rosen, Steven. “Dharma and the Hindu Social System” Essential Hinduism, foreword by Graham M. Schweig, 33-48. An important of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc, 2006