Old Caste System – My Take

Evening was nearing and everything was silent in the Gurukul again.

Everything except the mind of one of the Sishyas. Realizing the imbalance in the atmosphere, the great Guru summoned his pupil and asked him what troubled his mind.

“Oh Guru! The books of knowledge teach us that God exists everywhere – in land, sea, people, animals and all. The books of knowledge preach that God is equal in all, for the lord doesn’t know to distinguish amongst his subjects.
Yet the same books of knowledge tell us that the:

Brahmin rose from god’s forehead;
Kshathriya from the adorned chest;
Vaishya from the stomach;
Sudhra from the bottom half.

Why should we all, who come out of the same true soul, be born in such an order? Why should the Sudhra be born from the bottom and the Brahmin from the upper half? Is it because of our occupation that we come to opress the downtrodden? Is it not incorrect?“

The Guru laughed.
“You tell me of the Universal presence and equality in all. You just answered yourself.

There is nothing greater or lesser in God. Everything in God is a part of divinity and the various class of people that you spoke of are a part of the divinity. They don’t become greater or lesser by coming out of a part that is higher or lower!

They remain equal.

You tell me about books that ‘caste’ the people according to their occupation.
You answered yourself again. The division comes from the fact that the:

Brahmin earns by thinking and preaching his thoughts;
Kshathriya wages wars with boldness;
Vaishyas trade to get their daily meal;
Sudhras tire their legs in fields.

Your doubt clarified?“

The Sishya left with the happiness of his new learnings.

NB:

1. Not intended to hurt anyone’s religious beliefs.
2. I don’t know which “book of knowledge” spoke about this “god in 4 parts” concept. Probably this system came out of word by mouth rather than by books.
3. Well basically, the story is was just a way of posting my thoughts on a system which mostly remains misunderstood. I don’t claim that this interpretation is correct but the thought is mine and is therefore human. Flaws are bound to be there in this too, as it has been with the concepts of men who were more knowledgeable than me!