Mahabharata and the Indian caste system

The Indian epic Mahabharata gives glimpses of Jati System prevailed in ancient India. Apart from the four basic orders (varnas or social classification) Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra the epic mentions several other Jatis that sprang from their intermixing.

Intermixing of the four basic Varnas

The son that a Sudra begets upon a Brahmana woman is called a Chandala. Begotten upon a Kshatriya woman by a person of the Sudra order, the son is called a Vratya. He who is born of a Vaisya woman by a Sudra father is called a Vaidya. The Vaisya, by uniting himself with a woman of the Brahmana order, begets a son that is called a Magadha, while the son that he gets upon a Kshatriya woman is called a Vamaka. The son begotten by a Kshatriya upon a Brahmana woman, is called a Suta (13:14).

If a Kshatriya begets a son upon a Brahmana woman, such a son, comes to be regarded as a Suta. The son begotten by a Vaisya upon a woman of the Brahmana order comes to be regarded as a Vaidehaka. If a Sudra unites with a woman belonging to Brahmana, the son that is begotten is called a Chandala. The son begotten by a Vaisya upon a Kshatriya woman becomes a Vandi or Magadha. The son begotten by a Sudra upon a Kshatriya women, becomes a Nishada (occupation: hunting and forest dwelling) and upon a Vaisya women, becomes an Ayogava (occupation: Takshan: carpenter) Intermixing within these new classes create more Jatis There were as many as fifteen such Jatis (13:48).

Emergence of numerous other Jatis

From the union of Magadhas of a certain jati with women of the Jati called Sairindhri, there springs up another Jati called Ayogava. Vaidehas, by uniting themselves with women of the Sairindhri Jati, beget children called Maireyakas whose occupation consists in the manufacture of wines and spirits. From the Nishadas spring a Jati called Madgura and another known by the name of Dasas whose occupation consists in plying boats. From the Chandala springs a Jati called Swapaka whose occupation consists in keeping guard over the dead. The women of the Magadhi Jati, by union with these four jatis of wicked dispositions produce four others. These are Mansa, Swadukara, Kshaudra, and Saugandha. From the Nishadas again springs up the Madranabha Jati whose members are seen to ride on cars drawn by asses. From the Chandalas springs up the Jati called Pukkasa. The jati called Kshudra springs from the Vaidehaka. The Jati called Andhra which takes up its residence in the outskirts of towns and cities, also springs up (from the Vaidehakas). Then again the Charmakara, uniting himself with a woman of Nishada jati, begets the Jati called Karavara. From the Chandala again springs up the Jati known by the name of Pandusaupaka whose occupation consists in making baskets and other things with cleft bamboos. From the union of the Nishada with a woman of the Vaidehi jati springs one who is called by the name of Ahindaka (13:48). Some names like Vaidehaka, Magadha, Andhra etc were indicative of tribal names like Videha, Magadha and Andhra. The whole description seems to be the result of an attempt to include the non-Vedic tribes into the structure of four-order Jatisystem.

Jati based on character

The idea of Varna is primarily based on social order, then economic order and last but not the least on the protection of dharma (loosely translated as righteousness) and enabling one to moksha (loosely meaning liberation). Mahabharata occurs at the end of the Vedic period is also the starting of the yuga of Kali according to Hindu mythological texts. It shows the starting of the collapse of the earlier well preserved order of non mixing of the Varnas. Here , we also see the interchanging of the Jobs of the other professions. Dronacharya, a brahmana wields the bow. Parasurama , a brahmana fights with Bhishma. Also, Pandu and Dhritarashtra are born of Niyoga (conjugation on choice and approval of family) between the Brahmana Vyasa and the Kshatriya women Ambika and Ambalika.

Mahabharata is an example of disciplined Varna system but there are exceptions. That the idea behind the Varna theory is noble is clearly evident in this conversation between Yudhisthira and Naga Nahusha (3:177-178):-

Naga:- "O Yudhishthira, say, Who is a Brahmana ?"

Yudhishthira"-"O foremost of Nagas, he, it is asserted by the wise, in whom are seen truth, charity, forgiveness, good conduct, benevolence, observance of the rites of his order and mercy is a Brahmana. "

Naga:- "O Yudhishthira, truth, charity, forgiveness, benevolence, benignity, kindness and the Veda which worketh the benefit of the four orders, which is the authority in matters of religion and which is true, are seen even in the Sudra."Mahābhārata

Yudhishthira:- "Those characteristics that are present in a Sudra, do not exist in a Brahmana; nor do those that are in a Brahmana exist in a Sudra. And a Sudra is not a Sudra by birth alone, nor a Brahmana is Brahmana by birth alone. He, it is said by the wise, in whom are seen those virtues is a Brahmana. And people term him a Sudra in whom those qualities do not exist, even though he be a Brahmana by birth."

Naga:- "O king, if thou recognise a person as a Brahmana by characteristics, then, O long-lived one, the distinction of Jatibecometh futile as long as conduct doth not come into play."

Yudhishthira:- "In human society, O mighty and highly intelligent Naga, it is difficult to ascertain one’s caste, because of promiscuous intercourse among the four orders. This is my opinion. Men belonging to all orders beget offspring upon women of all the orders. And of men, speech, sexual intercourse, birth and death are common. And to this the Rishis have borne testimony by using as the beginning of a sacrifice such expressions as—of what Jatiso ever we may be, we celebrate the sacrifice. Therefore, those that are wise have asserted that character is the chief essential requisite. The natal ceremony of a person is performed before division of the umbilical cord. His mother then acts as its Savitri and his father officiates as priest. He is considered as a Sudra as long as he is not initiated in the Vedas. Doubts having arisen on this point, Naga , Swayambhuba Manu has declared, that the mixed castes are to be regarded as better than the other castes, if having gone through the ceremonies of purification, they do not conform to the rules of good conduct, O excellent Naga! Whosoever now conforms to the rules of pure and virtuous conduct, him have I, here now, designated as a Brahmana."

Thus, the Jati of a person cannot be confirmed easily as it could be lost by various offenses like giving a blow to a Brahmana, disobedience / disbelief in scriptures etc. ( Manu Samhita)

Societies with Jati based on choice

Mahabharata provides evidence of societies where Jati was just a matter of personal choice. At (MBh 8:45) is the following passage:- Among the Bahlikas one at first becomes a Brahmana and then he becomes a Kshatriya. Indeed, a Vahika would, after that, become a Vaishya, and then a Shudra, and then a barber. Having become a barber, he would then again become a brahmana. Returning to the status of a brahmana, he would again become a slave. One person in a family becomes a brahmana: all the others act as they like. The whole narration is the opinion of Karna on the tribe of Shalya viz. the Bahlika tribe, Shalya was disliked by Karna due to some circumstances. So this opinion is biased against the Bahlikas. Yet, it gives evidence that the Bahlikas had a society where Jati was a matter of personal choice.

References

Mahabharata war