Changes

Social order and rank is known to exist in nature, in species other than the humans, such as ants, wasps, bees, termites and even monkeys. Thus varna vyavastha is not unnatural or man-made.<ref name=":9">Various Scholars in Bharatiya Vidvat Parishad (Topic : [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/bvparishat/UJxyuIB1JgU Varna system in different species])</ref>   

Social order and rank is known to exist in nature, in species other than the humans, such as ants, wasps, bees, termites and even monkeys. Thus varna vyavastha is not unnatural or man-made.<ref name=":9">Various Scholars in Bharatiya Vidvat Parishad (Topic : [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/bvparishat/UJxyuIB1JgU Varna system in different species])</ref>   

'''Plants:''' Palasha is brahmana and durva is Kshatriya<blockquote>...तद्यद्दूर्वा भवत्योषधीनामेवास्मिंस्त-त्क्षत्रं दधात्यथो प्रतिष्ठामेतानि ह वै... (Aita. Brah. 8.37.4)<ref>Aitareya Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%90%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%9E%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE_%E0%A5%AE_(%E0%A4%85%E0 Panchika 8])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>...tadyaddūrvā bhavatyoṣadhīnāmevāsmiṁsta-tkṣatraṁ dadhātyatho pratiṣṭhāmetāni ha vai... (Aita. Brah. 8.37.4)</blockquote>Other places dealing with Vrkshashastra mention that (Rajanighantu) the plants belonging to different varnas should not be crossed with each other.  

'''Plants:''' Palasha is brahmana and durva is Kshatriya<blockquote>...तद्यद्दूर्वा भवत्योषधीनामेवास्मिंस्त-त्क्षत्रं दधात्यथो प्रतिष्ठामेतानि ह वै... (Aita. Brah. 8.37.4)<ref>Aitareya Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%90%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%9E%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE_%E0%A5%AE_(%E0%A4%85%E0 Panchika 8])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>...tadyaddūrvā bhavatyoṣadhīnāmevāsmiṁsta-tkṣatraṁ dadhātyatho pratiṣṭhāmetāni ha vai... (Aita. Brah. 8.37.4)</blockquote>

Other literature (Rajanighantu) dealing with Vrkshashastra mention that the plants belonging to different varnas should not be crossed with each other.  

'''Vedas:''' In the Vedas, the Riks have been associated with Brahmanas, Yajus with Kshatriyas and Saman with Vaishyas according to some scholars. The Taitrriya Brahmana says that Brahman created the three varnas from the three Vedas - Vaishyas from Rigveda, Kshatriyas from Yajurveda, and Brahmanas from Samaveda.<ref name=":9" /><blockquote>ऋग्भ्यो जातं वैश्यं वर्णमाहुः । यजुर्वेदं क्षत्रियस्याहुर्योनिम् । सामवेदो ब्राह्मणानां प्रसूतिः । (Tait. Brah. 3.12.9.2)<ref>Taittriya Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_(%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4 Kanda 3 Prapathaka 12])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>r̥gbhyo jātaṁ vaiśyaṁ varṇamāhuḥ । yajurvedaṁ kṣatriyasyāhuryonim । sāmavedo brāhmaṇānāṁ prasūtiḥ । (Tait. Brah. 3.12.9.2)</blockquote>'''Vaidika Devatas:''' Shatapatha Brahmana reveals that Agni and Brhaspati were Brahmanas; Indra, Varuna, Soma, Rudra, Parjanya, and Yama were Kshatriyas; Vasu, Rudra, Aditya, Vaisvedevas and Maruts were Vaishyas (also called Vish) and Pusha was Shudra.<ref name=":10">Acharya. Shiva, (2000) Ph. D. Thesis: ''Nation and Nationalism in the Vedic Literature : A Study.'' Gauhati: University of Gauhati ([https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/67734 Chapter 5 Social Aspects : Varna and Ashrama Vyavastha])</ref><ref name=":9" /><blockquote>ब्रह्म वा इदमग्र आसीत्। एकमेव तदेकं सन्न व्यभवत्तच्छ्रेयो रूपमत्यसृजत क्षत्रं यान्येतानि देवत्रा क्षत्राणीन्द्रो वरुणः सोमो रुद्रः पर्जन्यो यमो मृत्युरीशान इति.. ।(Shat. Brah. 14.4.2.23)</blockquote><blockquote>brahma vā idamagra āsīt। ekameva tadekaṁ sanna vyabhavattacchreyo rūpamatyasr̥jata kṣatraṁ yānyetāni devatrā kṣatrāṇīndro varuṇaḥ somo rudraḥ parjanyo yamo mr̥tyurīśāna iti.. ।(Shat. Brah. 14.4.2.23)</blockquote><blockquote>स विशमसृजत यान्येतानि देवजातानि गणश आख्यायन्ते वसवो रुद्रा आदित्या विश्वे देवा मरुत इति । (Shat. Brah. 14.4.2.24)</blockquote><blockquote>sa viśamasr̥jata yānyetāni devajātāni gaṇaśa ākhyāyante vasavo rudrā ādityā viśve devā maruta iti । (Shat. Brah. 14.4.2.24)</blockquote><blockquote>स शौद्रं वर्णमसृजत पूषणमियं वै पूषेयं हीदं सर्वं पुष्यति यदिदं किं च। (Shat. Brah. 14.4.2.25)<ref>Shatapatha Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AA/%E0%A4%85%E0%A Kanda 14 Adhyaya 4])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>sa śaudraṁ varṇamasr̥jata pūṣaṇamiyaṁ vai pūṣeyaṁ hīdaṁ sarvaṁ puṣyati yadidaṁ kiṁ ca। (Shat. Brah. 14.4.2.25)</blockquote>'''Vaidika Svaras:''' Udaatta, Anudaatta, Svarita svaras of the vaidika mantra pronunciation are classified into varnas and rshis as per Yajnavalkya Shiksha shastra.<ref name=":9" /><blockquote>उदात्तं ब्राह्मणं विद्यान्नीचं क्षत्रियमेव च। ३ वैश्यं तु स्वरितं विद्याद् भारद्वाजमुदात्तकम् । नीचं गौतममित्याहुर्गार्ग्यं च स्वरितं विदुः ।४ (Yajn. Shik. 3-4)<ref>Pt. Ramprasad Tripathi (1989) ''Shiksha Samgraha of Yajnavalkya and others.'' Varanasi: Sampurnanda Samskrit Vishvavidyalaya (Page 1)</ref></blockquote><blockquote>udāttaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ vidyānnīcaṁ kṣatriyameva ca। 3 vaiśyaṁ tu svaritaṁ vidyād bhāradvājamudāttakam । nīcaṁ gautamamityāhurgārgyaṁ ca svaritaṁ viduḥ ।4 (Yajn. Shik. 3-4)</blockquote>Know that the udaatta svara is brahmana, and anudatta (neecha) is kshatriya. Vaishya is in svarita. Know that Bharadvaja is (said to be the rshi) for udaatta, Gautama for neecha and Gargya for svarita svaras. 

'''Vedas:''' In the Vedas, the Riks have been associated with Brahmanas, Yajus with Kshatriyas and Saman with Vaishyas according to some scholars. The Taitrriya Brahmana says that Brahman created the three varnas from the three Vedas - Vaishyas from Rigveda, Kshatriyas from Yajurveda, and Brahmanas from Samaveda.<ref name=":9" /><blockquote>ऋग्भ्यो जातं वैश्यं वर्णमाहुः । यजुर्वेदं क्षत्रियस्याहुर्योनिम् । सामवेदो ब्राह्मणानां प्रसूतिः । (Tait. Brah. 3.12.9.2)<ref>Taittriya Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_(%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4 Kanda 3 Prapathaka 12])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>r̥gbhyo jātaṁ vaiśyaṁ varṇamāhuḥ । yajurvedaṁ kṣatriyasyāhuryonim । sāmavedo brāhmaṇānāṁ prasūtiḥ । (Tait. Brah. 3.12.9.2)</blockquote>

'''Vaidika Devatas:''' Shatapatha Brahmana reveals that Agni and Brhaspati were Brahmanas; Indra, Varuna, Soma, Rudra, Parjanya, and Yama were Kshatriyas; Vasu, Rudra, Aditya, Vaisvedevas and Maruts were Vaishyas (also called Vish) and Pusha was Shudra.<ref name=":10">Acharya. Shiva, (2000) Ph. D. Thesis: ''Nation and Nationalism in the Vedic Literature : A Study.'' Gauhati: University of Gauhati ([https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/67734 Chapter 5 Social Aspects : Varna and Ashrama Vyavastha])</ref><ref name=":9" /><blockquote>ब्रह्म वा इदमग्र आसीत्। एकमेव तदेकं सन्न व्यभवत्तच्छ्रेयो रूपमत्यसृजत क्षत्रं यान्येतानि देवत्रा क्षत्राणीन्द्रो वरुणः सोमो रुद्रः पर्जन्यो यमो मृत्युरीशान इति.. ।(Shat. Brah. 14.4.2.23)</blockquote><blockquote>brahma vā idamagra āsīt। ekameva tadekaṁ sanna vyabhavattacchreyo rūpamatyasr̥jata kṣatraṁ yānyetāni devatrā kṣatrāṇīndro varuṇaḥ somo rudraḥ parjanyo yamo mr̥tyurīśāna iti.. ।(Shat. Brah. 14.4.2.23)</blockquote><blockquote>स विशमसृजत यान्येतानि देवजातानि गणश आख्यायन्ते वसवो रुद्रा आदित्या विश्वे देवा मरुत इति । (Shat. Brah. 14.4.2.24)</blockquote><blockquote>sa viśamasr̥jata yānyetāni devajātāni gaṇaśa ākhyāyante vasavo rudrā ādityā viśve devā maruta iti । (Shat. Brah. 14.4.2.24)</blockquote><blockquote>स शौद्रं वर्णमसृजत पूषणमियं वै पूषेयं हीदं सर्वं पुष्यति यदिदं किं च। (Shat. Brah. 14.4.2.25)<ref>Shatapatha Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AA/%E0%A4%85%E0%A Kanda 14 Adhyaya 4])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>sa śaudraṁ varṇamasr̥jata pūṣaṇamiyaṁ vai pūṣeyaṁ hīdaṁ sarvaṁ puṣyati yadidaṁ kiṁ ca। (Shat. Brah. 14.4.2.25)</blockquote>

'''Varnakshara mala:''' Even the alphabets have been classified under the varna vyavastha. Svara varnas are to be known as brahmana, of the five vargas (Kavarga and other) consonant groups the first four (alpapranas and mahapranas) of each group are to be known as belonging to Kshatriya varna, the panchama akshara of each group along with the Antasta are said to belong to the Vaishya group. Ushmana and Hakara group are said to be of the Shudra varna.<ref name=":9" />  <blockquote>स्वरास्तु ब्राह्मणा ज्ञेया वर्गाणां प्रथमाश्च ये द्वितीयाश्च तृतीयाश्च चतुर्थाश्चापि भूमिपाः २</blockquote><blockquote>svarāstu brāhmaṇā jñeyā vargāṇāṁ prathamāśca ye dvitīyāśca tr̥tīyāśca caturthāścāpi bhūmipāḥ 2</blockquote><blockquote>वर्गाणां पञ्चमा वैश्या अन्तस्थाश्च तथैव च ऊष्माणश्च हकारश्च शूद्रा एव प्रकीर्तिताः ३</blockquote><blockquote>vargāṇāṁ pañcamā vaiśyā antasthāśca tathaiva ca ūṣmāṇaśca hakāraśca śūdrā eva prakīrtitāḥ 3</blockquote>'''Animals:''' Animals have been classified into groups; for example, goat has been supposed to be in the Brahmana varna Shatapatha Brahmana (SB 6.4.4.22), horse is kshatriya (SB 6.4.4.12), donkey is a vaishya and shudra (SB 6.4.4.12) as well.<ref name=":10" />

'''Vaidika Svaras:''' Udaatta, Anudaatta, Svarita svaras of the vaidika mantra pronunciation are classified into varnas and rshis as per Yajnavalkya Shiksha shastra.<ref name=":9" /><blockquote>उदात्तं ब्राह्मणं विद्यान्नीचं क्षत्रियमेव च। ३ वैश्यं तु स्वरितं विद्याद् भारद्वाजमुदात्तकम् । नीचं गौतममित्याहुर्गार्ग्यं च स्वरितं विदुः ।४ (Yajn. Shik. 3-4)<ref>Pt. Ramprasad Tripathi (1989) ''Shiksha Samgraha of Yajnavalkya and others.'' Varanasi: Sampurnanda Samskrit Vishvavidyalaya (Page 1)</ref></blockquote><blockquote>udāttaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ vidyānnīcaṁ kṣatriyameva ca। 3 vaiśyaṁ tu svaritaṁ vidyād bhāradvājamudāttakam । nīcaṁ gautamamityāhurgārgyaṁ ca svaritaṁ viduḥ ।4 (Yajn. Shik. 3-4)</blockquote>

'''Varnaksharamala:''' Even the alphabets have been classified under the varna vyavastha. Svara varnas are to be known as brahmana, of the five vargas (Kavarga and other) consonant groups the first four (alpapranas and mahapranas) of each group are to be known as belonging to Kshatriya varna, the panchama akshara of each group along with the Antasta are said to belong to the Vaishya group. Ushmana and Hakara group are said to be of the Shudra varna.<ref name=":9" />  <blockquote>स्वरास्तु ब्राह्मणा ज्ञेया वर्गाणां प्रथमाश्च ये द्वितीयाश्च तृतीयाश्च चतुर्थाश्चापि भूमिपाः २</blockquote><blockquote>svarāstu brāhmaṇā jñeyā vargāṇāṁ prathamāśca ye dvitīyāśca tr̥tīyāśca caturthāścāpi bhūmipāḥ 2</blockquote><blockquote>वर्गाणां पञ्चमा वैश्या अन्तस्थाश्च तथैव च ऊष्माणश्च हकारश्च शूद्रा एव प्रकीर्तिताः ३</blockquote><blockquote>vargāṇāṁ pañcamā vaiśyā antasthāśca tathaiva ca ūṣmāṇaśca hakāraśca śūdrā eva prakīrtitāḥ 3</blockquote>'''Animals:''' Animals have been classified into groups; for example, goat has been supposed to be in the Brahmana varna Shatapatha Brahmana (SB 6.4.4.22), horse is kshatriya (SB 6.4.4.12), donkey is a vaishya and shudra (SB 6.4.4.12) as well.<ref name=":10" />

The criteria to establish the Varna vyavastha in humans has been debated by intellectuals over centuries, volumes have been brought out, interpretations have been churned out but without any consensus or concrete results. The schools of thoughts or their combination over the organization of the varna vyavastha may be broadly based on the following aspects

The criteria to establish the Varna vyavastha in humans has been debated by intellectuals over centuries, volumes have been brought out, interpretations have been churned out but without any consensus or concrete results. The schools of thoughts or their combination over the organization of the varna vyavastha may be broadly based on the following aspects