According to the code of Manu, a Kshatriya is a member of the military or reigning order, one of four varna within the Vedic system of four groups or castes. Generally, the kshatriyas are thought to be ranked second in hierarchy, the first being the *Brahmin or priestly varna, the third the *Vaishya or artisans and craftsmen and the fourth *Shudra (labourers,farmers and agricultural workers). In Nepal the Kshatriyas are known as Chhetris(in Nepal).Like other varna, the kshatriyas may also be further subdivided into various jaati or sub-castes depending on the loc ...

Read more here: » Kshatriya: Encyclopedia - Kshatriya

Mixed in with the Varna caste system was the Jati sub-caste system. The Jati was effectively a system similar to guilds, and was associated with occupation. If the Varnas gave structure to society, the Jati gave structure to each Varna. Unlike the Varna system which required spiritual purity in order to ascend, Jati could be changed with occupation within a Varna. Marriages would be arranged usually within one's varna, but sometimes between Jati sub-castes. Due to its inheritability, there is a lot of 'caste prejudice' between ...

See also:

Indian caste system, Indian caste system - Varna system, Indian caste system - Four Varnas, Indian caste system - Division of labor, Indian caste system - Untouchables Dalit, Indian caste system - Jati, Indian caste system - Caste in Hindu texts, Indian caste system - Rig Veda - Purusha Sukta hymn, Indian caste system - Origins of the system, Indian caste system - Aryan invasion, Indian caste system - Transition in Caste, Indian caste system - Modern perceptions of caste, Indian caste system - Quotes about Caste, Indian caste system - Notable people, Indian caste system - Literature

Read more here: » Indian caste system: Encyclopedia II - Indian caste system - Jati

Caste systems are an ancient system of social stratification or hierarchy that have existed throughout history and throughout the world, but the most well-known caste system today is the Indian Varna system. The word caste is derived from the Portuguese word casta, meaning "pure", while the original Hindu word varna means "color". Caste - Overview. Anthropologists use the term more generally to refer to a social group that is endogamous and occupationally specialized; such groups ...

Including:

Caste - Overview Caste - Origins of the caste system
Caste - Varna Caste - Twice born Caste - Jati
Caste - Indian caste system
Caste - Modern perceptions of caste
Caste - Nepalese caste system Caste - Sri Lankan caste system Caste - Balinese caste system Caste - Japanese caste system Caste - Castes in ancient Israel Caste - Castes in Rwanda and Burundi

Read more here: » Caste: Encyclopedia - Caste

Caste systems are an ancient system of social stratification or hierarchy that have existed throughout history and throughout the world, but the most well-known caste system today is the Indian Varna system. The word caste is derived from the Portuguese word casta, meaning "pure", while the original Hindu word varna means "color". Caste - Overview. Anthropologists use the term more generally to refer to a social group that is endogamous and occupationally specialize ...

Including:

Caste - Overview Caste - Origins of the Caste System
Caste - Varna Caste - Twice Born Caste - Jati
Caste - Indian caste system
Caste - Modern perceptions of caste
Caste - Nepalese caste system Caste - Sri Lankan caste system Caste - Balinese caste system Caste - Japanese caste system Caste - Castes in ancient Israel Caste - Castes in Rwanda and Burundi

Read more here: » Caste: Encyclopedia - Caste

Caste systems are an ancient system of social stratification or hierarchy that have existed throughout history and throughout the world, but the most well-known caste system today is the Indian Varna system. The word caste is derived from the Portuguese word casta, meaning "pure", while the original Hindu word varna means "color". Caste - Overview. Anthropologists use the term more generally to refer to a social group that is endogamous and occupationally specialized; such groups ...

Including:

Caste - Overview Caste - Origins of the Caste System
Caste - Varna Caste - Twice Born Caste - Jati
Caste - Indian caste system
Caste - Modern perceptions of caste
Caste - Nepalese caste system Caste - Sri Lankan caste system Caste - Balinese caste system Caste - Japanese caste system Caste - Castes in ancient Israel Caste - Castes in Rwanda and Burundi

Read more here: » Caste: Encyclopedia - Caste

Caste systems are an ancient system of social stratification or hierarchy that have existed throughout history and throughout the world, but the most well-known caste system today is the Indian Varna system. The word caste is derived from the Portuguese word casta, meaning "pure", while the original Hindu word varna means "color". Caste - Overview. Anthropologists use the term more generally to refer to a social group that is endogamous and occupationally specialized; such groups ...

Including:

Caste - Overview Caste - Origins of the Caste System
Caste - Varna Caste - Twice Born Caste - Jati
Caste - Indian caste system
Caste - Modern perceptions of caste
Caste - Nepalese caste system Caste - Sri Lankan caste system Caste - Balinese caste system Caste - Japanese caste system Caste - Castes in ancient Israel Caste - Castes in Rwanda and Burundi

Read more here: » Caste: Encyclopedia - Caste

Caste systems are an ancient system of social stratification or hierarchy that have existed throughout history and throughout the world, but the most well-known caste system today is the Indian Varna system. The word caste is derived from the Portuguese word casta, meaning "pure", while the original Hindu word varna means "color". Caste - Overview. Anthropologists use the term more generally to refer to a social group that is endogamous and occupationally specialized; such groups ...

Including:

Caste - Overview Caste - Origins of the caste system
Caste - Varna Caste - Twice born Caste - Jati
Caste - Indian caste system
Caste - Modern perceptions of caste
Caste - Nepalese caste system Caste - Sri Lankan caste system Caste - Balinese caste system Caste - Japanese caste system Caste - Castes in ancient Israel Caste - Castes in Rwanda and Burundi

Read more here: » Caste: Encyclopedia - Caste

This article is in need of attention. You can help Wikipedia by editing it into a better article. Please also consider changing this notice to be more specific. Varna the word itself means colour. Varna system is a color based classification. But it is also a fact that that system was not originally based on color based divisions. Lord Krishna was a dark skinned person but he was a upper caste member. Classification was based on the occupations. Working conditions brings skin color chan ...

Including:

Indian caste system - Varna system
Indian caste system - Four Varnas Indian caste system - Division of labor Indian caste system - Untouchables Dalit
Indian caste system - Jati Indian caste system - Caste in Hindu texts
Indian caste system - Rig Veda - Purusha Sukta hymn
Indian caste system - Origins of the system
Indian caste system - Aryan invasion
Indian caste system - Transition in Caste Indian caste system - Modern perceptions of caste Indian caste system - Quotes about Caste Indian caste system - Notable people Indian caste system - Literature

Read more here: » Indian caste system: Encyclopedia - Indian caste system

The principle of Varnasrama Dharma is one of the basic principles of Hinduism. The Varnasrama system is peculiar to Hindus. It is a characteristic feature of Hinduism. It is also prevalent throughout the world according to Guna-Karma (aptitude and conduct), though there is no such distinct denomination of this kind, elsewhere.

The duties of the castes are Varna Dharma. The four castes are Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Dharma in Hinduism: Varna Dharma � The Dharma according to the Caste

The underlying principle in caste system or Varna Dharma, is division of labour. Rishis studied human nature carefully. They came to the conclusion that all men were not equally fit for all kinds of work. Hence, they found it necessary to allocate different kinds of duties to different classes of people, according to their aptitude, capacity or quality.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Caste System: The Caste System and The Law of Spiritual Economics

Samanya Dharma is the general Dharma or law for all men. Varnasrama Dharmas are special Dharmas which are to be practised by particular castes and by men in particular stages of life. The Samanya Dharmas must be practised by all, irrespective of distinctions of Varna and Asrama, creed or colour. Goodness is not the property of any one class, creed, sect or community. Every man should possess this virtue.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Dharma: Samanya Dharma

The caste system was first exposed to the modern Western world during the Portuguese occupation and rule of India. Later other European nations including the British occupied parts of the subcontinent and were interested in this phenomenon. Herbert Risley's The Tribes and Castes of Bengal, published in 1892, was one of the first works on caste in India by a Western scholar. Some scholars suggest that the resulting depiction of the caste system was as much a product of European racist theories, and the interests of colonial rule ...

See also:

Indian caste system, Indian caste system - Varna system, Indian caste system - Four Varnas, Indian caste system - Division of labor, Indian caste system - Untouchables Dalit, Indian caste system - Jati, Indian caste system - Caste in Hindu texts, Indian caste system - Rig Veda - Purusha Sukta hymn, Indian caste system - Origins of the system, Indian caste system - Aryan invasion, Indian caste system - Transition in Caste, Indian caste system - Modern perceptions of caste, Indian caste system - Quotes about Caste, Indian caste system - Notable people, Indian caste system - Literature

Read more here: » Indian caste system: Encyclopedia II - Indian caste system - Modern perceptions of caste

Shudra or Sudra is the fourth caste or varna in the traditional four-caste division in Indian society. These four castes are Kshatriya, Brahmin, Vaisya, and Shudra. Whilst the origins of the other varnas can be traced to Indo-Aryan words, the root of the word is not clear at all. (A threefold division of societies can be found in ancient Iran that matches the Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaisya varnas.) It has been proposed that the Shudras were same as Dasas and Dahyus, who are portrayed as enemies of the Ary ...

Including:

Shudra - Shudra occupations Shudra - Shudras and North Indian society Shudra - Shudras and South Indian society Shudra - Present

Read more here: » Shudra: Encyclopedia - Shudra

This article is about a city in Bulgaria. See Varna (caste) for the Indian caste system. Varna (Bulgarian: Варна) is the third largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 350,000. It is the capital of Varna Province and an important port in the eastern part of the country, located on the Black Sea coast. It is referred to as the sea capital or the summer capital of Bulgaria. The city was named Stalin after the Soviet leader for a brief period from 1949 ...

Including:

Varna - History Varna - Economy Varna - Sights Varna - Higher learning institutions Varna - Twin cities of Varna

Read more here: » Varna: Encyclopedia - Varna

The terms Varna and Sub-caste (Jati) are actually two distinct concepts. Sub-caste (Sanskrit: Gyati ज्ञाति , Hindi: Biradari बिरादरी, samaj समाज, jati जाति etc , Urdu Zat ज़ात ) is an endogamous group. Generally a sub-caste is divided into exogamus groups based on same gotras गोत्र. Varna ( वर्ण From Sanskrit, literally "kind") is a supposed unification of all the Hindu sub-castes into either four groups: Kshatriya, Brahmin , Vaishya Shudra, or into one of seve ...

Read more here: » Varnas: Encyclopedia - Varnas

The system of Caste in Sri Lanka is a division of society into strata, differing somewhat from the classic Varnas of India. It is one of many caste systems in the world. Caste in Sri Lanka - History. The Caste system appears to have been introduced to Sri Lanka by Aryan-language-speakers from North India. There is evidence, in early historical chronicles, of the main vedic castes in the early Anuradhapura era, although it is possible that these categories were used as a literary convention. It has be ...

Including:

Caste in Sri Lanka - History Caste in Sri Lanka - Description Caste in Sri Lanka - Religion and caste Caste in Sri Lanka - List of Castes
Caste in Sri Lanka - Sinhalese system Caste in Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka Tamil system

Read more here: » Caste in Sri Lanka: Encyclopedia - Caste in Sri Lanka

Brahman (ब्रह्मन् in devanagari script) in the Vedantic (and subsequently Yogic) schools of Hinduism, is the signifying name given to the concept of the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality that is the Divine Ground of all being in this universe. This Supreme Cosmic Spirit is regarded to be eternal, genderless, omnipotent, omniscient and yet indescribable. It can be at best described as infinite Truth, infinite Consciousness and infinite Bliss. It is regarded as the source and sum of the cosmo ...

Including:

Brahman - Etymology Brahman - Semantics and pronunciation Brahman - Brahman and Atman Brahman - Enlightenment and Brahman
Brahman - Advaita concept Brahman - Dvaita Vaishnava concept
Brahman - External links Brahman - Notes

Read more here: » Brahman: Encyclopedia - Brahman

In the Hindu caste system, a Vaishya (Sanskrit वैश्य vaiśya) is a member of the third of the four major castes of the varna system of traditional Indian society, comprising of merchants, farmers, landowners and artisans. Etymologically, the word derives from the root vish meaning "to work". In Buddhist literature, they are termed as Grihapati. Surnames of Vaishyas include Agrawal, Oswal, Porwad, Maheshwari etc. According to the Manu-smriti, the Vaishyas are ...

Including:

Vaishya - External link

Read more here: » Vaishya: Encyclopedia - Vaishya

Kāyastha or Kayasth is a Hindu caste in South Asia, whose place inside the four Varnas or main castes is disputed. Chitragupta decided that his lineage would wield the pen (quill) as its weapon rather than the sword. Legend says that he is employed by Yama, the God of Death, to maintain records about every human in Mrityulok or the mortal world. Hence Kāyastha became caste of scribes. Modern day Kayasthas probably number around 5-7 million (50-70 lakhs). They are subdivided into 12 main sub-castes who are ...

Read more here: » Kayastha: Encyclopedia - Kayastha