article writing on Varnashramas
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Varnashrama Dharma is a Sanskrit name given to the divisional structure of the Indian society. When this order of society is intertwined with the four orders of life or the ashramas, i.e. Brahmacharya or the student life, Grihastha or the householder’s life, Vanaprastha or the retired life and Sanyasa or the devotional life, it gives rise to the Varnashrama dharma. This project has been taken up to explore such various possible interpretations for the emergence of Varnashrama Dharma. This paper will also delve into the deeper questions of the origin of this dharma in the Indian subcontinent.Human society is inherently divided into four orders. The first order is the intelligent class, second is the martial class, third is the productive class and the fourth is the labour class. The emergence of these divisions has been touched upon by many scholars and different reasoning have been put up for the same. This project has been taken up to explore such various possible interpretations for the emergence of Varnashrama Dharma.
Varnashrama Dharma is a Sanskrit name given to the divisional structure of the Indian society. When this order of society is intertwined with the four orders of life or the ashramas, i.e. Brahmacharya or the student life, Grihastha or the householder’s life, Vanaprastha or the retired life and Sanyasa or the devotional life, it gives rise to the Varnashrama dharma. It can also be put as the presence of varna in different ashramas of life. This term paper will delve into the deeper questions of the origin of this dharma in the Indian subcontinent. The description of the emergence of this dharma supported by texts from ancient epics will support the theory of origin. Subsequently different interpretations or theories of emergence would be deliberated upon. Often Varnashrama dharma is also thought to be synonymous with the caste system which is very much endemic to India. The term paper will clarify the difference between the two concepts.In order to bring out the meaning of the word- Varnashrama dharma, delving deeper to bring out the meaning of the fragments in required. According to Manu, Dharma is that which is practised by those who know the Vedas and the Shastras and are people without any bad quality like jealousy and passion. It includes practices recognised by the mind as correct. Varna is the organised division of the human society into four blocks depending upon the occupation which one pursues and Ashramas are the four stages in a person’s life i.e. celibacy, family life, semi saintly life and life after renunciation. The Varna system mingled with the four Ashramas of one’s life on the path of dharma becomes the Varnashrama Dharma.
In Hindu society this dharma was divided into four different groups of people who pursued four different dharmas in their life to attain the ultimate goal of their life, i.e. realisation of god. The first of such kind was the Brahmana Dharma. According to Manu, learning Vedas, teaching of Vedas, conducting yagnas and conducting yagnas for others, giving alms and taking alms for others are the six important duties in a Brahman’s life. The greatest Tapas a Brahman can do is to chant Vedas again and again. The next group of people were the Kshatriyas. They were those people who belonged to the clan of the kings and soldiers and used to look after the safety of their territory and the people. Looking after people, collecting weapons to punish those who did wrong, engaging in dharmic wars, winning over enemies’ army and ruling the world were the essential duties of a kshatriya. The third varna was the Vaishya Dharma. Manu says that the vaishyas should give charity, perform yajnas, should get knowledge, carry out trade in cereals, gems, gold, silver and other articles, should give money on loan and cultivate the land. The fourth Varna, i.e. the Shudra dharma encompassed service to people of other dharmas. He has also talked about Varna Sadharana Dharma which included those dharmas which would have been common to the people of all the four varnas.
The first reference to the Varnashrama system is made in Purush Sukta verses of the Rig Veda (book 10, hymn 90) where the different sections of the society are regarded as the limbs of the great self. When objectively viewed, these Varnas were sophisticated organisation of the society that intelligently divided the population into different groups that would help the society function smoothly. Another property of the varna system was that what may be desirable for one section of the society could be degrading for another. For example: absolute non violence which includes refraining from animal sacrifice is considered unworthy of a Kshatriya. Underlying all these differences is the one common goal of advancing in spiritual life based on Sanatana dharma.
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