Cosmic Man

Episode 4 Indo-European Vedic Culture

A History of India

Michael Fisher (2016)

Film Review

The word caste is from Portuguese “Casta” (meaning breed), which explorer Vasco Da Gama applied to the social divisions he observed when he arrived in India. The correct Hindu term for the four “orders” of human beings  is “Varna.”

According to the Vedas,* the earliest Vedic clans were herders. Their priests had a role sacrificing animals, as well as reciting the Vedas from memory. Later clans developed specialized military skills to fight other clans, as well as Indus Valley descendants and Adavasi whose land they coveted. Others remained pastoralists and farmers.

The creation of the four Varnas is described in a late Vedic hymn describing the sacrifice of the cosmic man with 10 arms and legs. Each part of cosmic man became an order of human beings.

• His mouth became the Brahmins (priests and later bards with the emergence of janapatta**)
• His arms became the Kshatriya (rulers)
• His thighs became the Vaishya (the people who produce children and material goods)
• His feet became the Sudra (people who serve others)

At present the first two Varnas comprise 20% of North India’s population and the last two 55%. The remaining 25% are non-Varna Indians known as Untouchables. According to Fisher, most Untouchables are of Adivasi descent.

The Jati are more localized hereditary groups reflecting regional industries and conditions. Common Jati include weavers, goldsmiths, herders, warriors and professional priests. Farmers tend to come from several Jati. Each Varna contains thousands of Jati, with an estimated 10,000 – 20,000 Jati overall. People tend to marry within their own Jati.

Jatis are also associated with specific diets. Some are pure vegetarians and some also eat fish or specific types of meat. The Brahmans discontinued animal sacrifices in the 10th or 11th century AD and substituted plant-based materials.

During the Vedic period (1500-600BC), India was divided into five to six hundred janapatta, each with their own raja (who could be a king, prince or temporary war leader). Many janapatta also had councils representing leading clans. Janapatta traded with one another, especially following the creation of silver and copper coins and shuni (trade guilds) in the 6th century BC.

This led to the emergence a new Jati for transporters, who loaded goods on the backs of bullocks (heavy rains made it too difficult to maintain roads for cart transport).

There was also some trade with Adivasi (who also engaged in period raids) for forest products.

*Written between 1500 and 500 BC, the Vedas form the basis of the Hindu religion.

**It became common for the raja who ran janapatta (aka majajanapatta) to hire bards to sing their praises.

Film can be viewed free with a library card on Kanopy.

https://pukeariki.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/video/366254/366181