Independent Scholar.
Presented at
Independent Scholars’ Evenings,
Let us look at definitions first. Definitions are good as historic evidence. They are
structured arrangements of words, calculated to strike an exact note. Of course, famous
definitions have sometimes revealed bias over the years, but that is topic for another
essay.
With this essay, I restore a Sanskrit conceptual framework without romanticizing it. I defend
its intellectual integrity through historical honesty and philosophical clarity.
A. Vedic / Sanskritic Words
1. Varṇa (वर्ण) refers to description or characterization—the qualitative way in which a
person, role, or function is expressed and recognized within an integrated whole. In Vedic
philosophical usage, varṇa denotes mode of functioning or qualitative distinction, not biological
classification. As affirmed in reflection on the Vedic Gāyatrī Mantra, the Divine itself is
beyond varṇa, underscoring that varṇa belongs to description and function, not to essence.
Varṇa is essential to expression—how one relates to a person, situation, condition, or thing, and
how that relationship is perceived. It reflects not an isolated identity, but how a person or role fits
within the larger pattern and arrangement of life. Varṇa is therefore a form of placement, always
understood in relation to the whole.
In this sense, varṇa refers to an ordering that allows a community to remain cohesive and to
function smoothly, much like the interdependent wheels of a chariot moving forward together.
Each part contributes to motion, balance, and direction; no element stands alone. A community
functioning well is one that sustains itself while nurturing those within it—the spokes of the
wheel working in harmony.
By its nature, varṇa includes qualities and categories, but it is fundamentally governed by
SwaDharma and svabhāva—one’s own nature. These innate dispositions guide a person’s role
and contribution within the whole, just as each spoke in the contribution within the whole, just as each spoke in the chariot finds its place through
function rather than hierarchy
1-Class vs Caste
The 4 aspects of a community are, as seen vertically, in the form of a Human Being, or
Parusha, with the wisdom at the head chakra, the ability to defend, create, protect, express
the wisdom realized by the head chakra is in the arms of a Human Being. The essential
aspect of digestion, interaction, sustenance is in the stomach, with the legs being what carry
the Human, provide the service, take care of practical needs as well as contain balance.
This is the beauty of the Human Being in Divine creation.
The Veda placed this innate structure of the Human in the 4 Varna: description.
o Brāhmaṇa – wisdom, perception, awareness
o Kṣatriya – protection, expression, physical creation, courage
o Vaiśya –business exchange, the ability to carry forth the discrimination for
sustenance, digestion, elimination, retention.
o Śūdra – service, labor, balance, poise, carriage, solidity, base of the mountain.
The movement between these various varna were fluid and voluntary, subject to SwaDharma.
Swa means your own, your personal nature. It is very important in understanding Vedic
concepts. Any student will run into the word since it is essential to the comprehension of Self
and self, the differences are aspects of Antaryami, or the Divine within. The essential difference
between Duality and Non-Duality.
The selected Varna for life work is based on personal nature, or SwaBhava. Bhava is the
emotion surrounding a person and essential, intrinsic to the person. Bhava is literally the Nature
of a person. The activity for a profession and involvement is based on the SWBHAVA. This
links to Varna.
B Jāti (जाति)
• Literally: birth, kind, genus
Jāti ≠ Varṇa
Jati is unequal to Varna. You may be born in a specific family but your innate nature is your
own. The famous imagery used is ‘not all fingers of a hand are similar’ when we are taking about
different siblings.
C: Barādari
• Brotherhood / kin-network. Blood connection. This is VITAL: Maintains genetic
diversity and social coherence through regulated exogamy.
• NO marriage is allowed within 7 generations of connection within the kin-network. This
Is a Vedic rule
2 | Class vs Caste
The 4 aspects of a community are, as seen vertically, in the form of a Human Being, or
Parusha, with the wisdom at the head chakra, the ability to defend, create, protect, express
the wisdom realized by the head chakra is in the arms of a Human Being. The essential
aspect of digestion, interaction, sustenance is in the stomach, with the legs being what carry
the Human, provide the service, take care of practical needs as well as contain balance.
This is the beauty of the Human Being in Divine creation.
The Veda placed this innate structure of the Human in the 4 Varna: description.
o Brāhmaṇa – wisdom, perception, awareness
o Kṣatriya – protection, expression, physical creation, courage
o Vaiśya –business exchange, the ability to carry forth the discrimination for
sustenance, digestion, elimination, retention.
o Śūdra – service, labor, balance, poise, carriage, solidity, base of the mountain.
The movement between these various varna were fluid and voluntary, subject to SwaDharma.
Swa means your own, your personal nature. It is very important in understanding Vedic
concepts. Any student will run into the word since it is essential to the comprehension of Self
and self, the differences are aspects of Antaryami, or the Divine within. The essential difference
between Duality and Non-Duality.
The selected Varna for life work is based on personal nature, or SwaBhava. Bhava is the
emotion surrounding a person and essential, intrinsic to the person. Bhava is literally the Nature
of a person. The activity for a profession and involvement is based on the SWBHAVA. This
links to Varna.
B Jāti (जाति)
• Literally: birth, kind, genus
Jāti ≠ Varṇa
Jati is unequal to Varna. You may be born in a specific family but your innate nature is your
own. The famous imagery used is ‘not all fingers of a hand are similar’ when we are taking about
different siblings.
C: Barādari
• Brotherhood / kin-network. Blood connection. This is VITAL: Maintains genetic
diversity and social coherence through regulated exogamy.
• NO marriage is allowed within 7 generations of connection within the kin-network. This
Is a Vedic rule.
3 | Class vs Caste
D. Pedigree:is the classification according to documented ancestry, in which lineage
is used to fix justify hierarchy.
The practice of hybrid and mixing of various breeds as is common in dogs and other
animals is part of this Pedigree information and practice.
Pedigree for humans is entirely unknown in Veda. This is probably why the Swamis
were horrified to hear of the definition of ‘casta’ which is pedigree in Portuguese. In effect,
they were giving human being the strategy of animals.
Biblical–European sense: These following bullet points give the scope:
• Bloodline = legitimacy
• “Begat” genealogies establish divine favor
• Royal blood justified rule
• Bastardy = moral and legal stigma
In one sentence: Pedigree is moralized biology.
Pedigree is judgmental.
E. Class
Class is rooted in economic function and property ownership. It is based on Feudal
land tenure, classification of ownership designated by the Feudal system with a King or
Monarch as the head of the Feudal land tenure. The category is simplistic: Feudal lords or
serfs.
Class is a Church-sanctioned hierarchy. When you see the definition of the word ‘Pagan’,
which evolved around the 1600s, it originated as a rural, country, uneducated, unrefined person
to one who is not ‘Chrisitan’.
Class is linked with ownership of land. Divisions are created by granting ownership of
land. A classic example of this was the division created in the Sikhs of the Panjab. The British
gave only one group the right to own land. They created a division within a belief formed on
castelessness and classlessness. There are different Jati and Baradari among the Sikh, but only
the Jaat Sikhs were given the right to own property, thereby creating a division among the Sikhs,
for whom land is their blood.
Another reason for the dissimilar of Class and Varna
The word in the Sanskrit texts is Varna. Caste does not exist in any Sanskrit text. It is
only in Latin and Latin derivative Portuguese and English. Continued………..