Vedic Worldview

Understanding the Caste System of India

May 29, 2023

The podcast discusses the caste system in India, highlighting the origins and British influence. It explores the different castes within the Brahmins and mentions influential figures. The podcast also unravels the truth behind the caste system, exposing British manipulation and dispelling common misconceptions.

15:50

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Quick takeaways

The caste system in India was created by British colonization and imposed to maintain control, fracturing the existing varna system and restricting opportunities based on birth.

Contrary to popular belief, the Vedic varna system in India was not restrictive, recognizing individuals' diverse ways of life regardless of parentage and later abolished by Mahatma Gandhi.

Deep dives

The British creation of the caste system

The podcast discusses how the British colonization of India in 1776 resulted in the creation of the caste system. The British employed a divide and rule strategy to maintain control over India by fracturing the existing varna system. They enforced the idea that individuals belonged to a specific caste by birth, restricting their opportunities in life. However, this caste system was not Vedic in origin and was imposed by the British to create disunity among Indians and exert control.

Introduction

4min

Understanding the Origins of the Caste System and British Influence

3min

British Management and the Varuna System in India

4min

Unraveling the Truth Behind the Indian Caste System

4min

When we think of India, many people question the fairness of the so-called caste system, which, on the face of it, appears to divide the population into different classes, based on the family one is born into.

This perception appears to limit the opportunities people have in their lifetime, and some even think that being born into a “lower” caste can be a result of so-called “bad karma.”

In this episode, Thom sets the record straight, describing the actual structure and function of the caste system, and how it came to be distorted to the point that it effectively became a class system.

He includes a beautiful example from the Tradition of Masters that have been the custodians of Vedic Meditation over the centuries, of one particular Master who flexed his caste to be even more fully of service than he already was.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] The Caste System in India

[02:14] The Four Castes or Varnas

[04:40] The Caste System: A British Creation

[06:47] Four within Four

[09:02] Adi Shankara: The Brahmin Who Considered Himself a Shudra

[11:04] Gandhi's Legacy in Abolishing the Caste System

[13:15] The True Vedic Civilization

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