None of the Sanatan Dharma Ved or scriptures state or claim the “Caste” word. This word has been created by few members of the society for their own gain. Manusmriti or the book “Law of Manu” discusses about a Varna system where the humans are divided into four categories–each serving the society in their own ways. According to Sage Manu, there are four classes of people in the society:
1) Kshyatriya: This is the warrior class. Their duty is to serve the citizens of their nation and protect the nation from enemies. Modern times, these would be the nation heroes safeguarding the nation’s borders, police, fire-fighters etc. Back in the days, the Kings, his ministers, generals (the key leadership) would go to war. This is the not the case today. No politician, president, prime minister or king goes to fight a war. Instead they send others to fight in war.
2) Brahman: This is the teachers class. The only reason this class has been given the highest respect is because knowledge has been considered supreme. In Vedic texts and ancient India, Teacher (Guru) has been equaled with God.
3) Vaishya: This is the merchant class. You need businessmen for your country’s economy to function.
4) Sudra: This is the working class. This class provides the human capital that is required for a country to function. Without human capital, there would be no business, no government, no society.
Facts:
1) There is no Vedic text that states that your Varna is decided by your birth. Meaning, if you are born in a Brahman family (if your dad is a professor), doesn’t mean you are a Brahman as well. You may very well join the Army and change your Varna to Kshatriya.
2) Every Vedic text, including the Law of Manu, states in several paragraphs that you adopt your own Varna by the nature of your work.
3) There is no such thing called Caste. Varna has been misinterpreted as Caste by few politicians in India.
4) The four Varna are a mere classification of people living in a society. It’s not a way to create differences in the society.
5) Less than 1% of people who talk about Varna or caste politics have in fact read Manusmriti.
6) Manusmriti and Kautilya Arthasastra (book by the most successful strategist and professor of political science Acharya Chanakya) urges marriages among all Varna classes.