Rather coincidentally, at the dawn of civilization, as the people gathered and lived in clans or tribes (Visha), they collectively - irrespective of their undertakings within Visha (such as in agriculture, woodworking, trade and other vocations) - came to be known as the Vaishya (meaning - belonging to Visha).

As indicated below in reference to the full article^* ( http://www.geocities.com/lamberdar/_caste.html), ancient Vedic (Hindu) society comprised two groups of people: (1) Vaishya (belonging to Visha or the tribe); and (2) Shudra (outsiders or not belonging to the tribe).

Note for example the people referred to in the following hymn from the Yajur Veda (Kanda 1, Prapathaka 8, Hymn i.8.3.d): "O Agni...each fault done in a village or in forest, in society or mind, each sinful act that we have committed to Shudra or Vaishya or by preventing a religious act, even of that sin, you are the expiation..."

Among the Vaishyas, people engaged according to their capability (guna) and availability of work (karma) in several different vocations (castes), such as, farming, trading, woodworking, leatherworking, sweeping, priesthood etc. Note the following for example from the Rig Veda (Book 9, Hymn 112.1), "We all possess various thoughts and plans and diverse are the callings of men. The carpenter seeks out that which is cracked, the physician the ailing, the priest the worshipper.......".

Moreover, among the Vaishyas, the holder and transmitter of knowledge (brahmin) was selected according to his dedication, intelligence and superior elocution, and he would go through, unlike the rest of the Vaishyas, a rather elaborate and lengthy training before being able to practice his trade (teaching and priestly work). Thus, even though a Vaishya (as belonging to the tribe), his vocation or caste was assigned a special name (brahmin) to signify his special requirements and training etc.

Similarly, the Vaishyas would choose from the local population a tribal-area (or kshatra) chief (having good leadership qualities) and they called him kshatriya (leader of the kshatra). As in the case of the brahmin, leadership of the tribe involved special duties and responsibilities. Therefore, even though the tribal leader or chief was basically a Vaishya, his vocation (caste) came to be specially and separately recognized as kshatriya.

Furthermore, choosing the leader (kshatriya or king) by Vaishya themselves was perhaps the first sign of democracy. Consider the following Vedic hymn (Yajur Veda: Kanda 1, Prapathaka 8, Hymn i.8.10.c): "May gods anoint this man to be without rival, for mighty rule, for mighty dominion and for great splendour. This man, son of such a person, such a woman, of such a clan, is anointed king, O you subjects... He is your lord...He is also sovereign of our learned brahmins...Let all men protect him."

The ancient choice of a leader could probably involve either just one candidate, or two or more candidates and picking the most appropriate one from them. Note, in small populations (such as involving tribes and clans), the choice or election of a leader can be carried out by informally selecting (picking up) the most suitable candidate through consensus (since all the people in the tribe more or less know one another) rather than having a multi-candidate formal election vying for the same position. This type of informal selection still occurs where populations are not large (e.g. in villages etc.). The fact people decided to go this route then and had a say regarding their leader was a big achievement in itself and shows the seeds of democracy long ago.

Regarding the specific duties of Shudras, because they were outsiders and therefore new to the Visha, they simply assisted the local (tribal) population (or Vaishyas) in various tasks and received compensation for their services. But over time, Shudras would assimilate into the local population as the Vaishya and even engage independently in their preferred vocation.

In the Rigveda (book 10: hymn 90.12), the division of Purusha (Being or Spirit) is indicated to have taken place at the beginning; the implication of which is the transcendence of the 'chaotic' old into the 'stable' new in terms of evolution of the society. There, the emergence of Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra from the body of Purusha symbolically corresponds, respectively, to their occupations giving the society its voice (arising as if from Purusha's mouth), order (as if through Purusha's arms), form (as if on Purusha's thighs), and change or migration (as if via Purusha's feet).

Finally, as can also be seen in the above, Vedic (Hindu) vocations (varna or castes) were not really based on heredity and in reality were quite open to all.
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By: Dr. Subhash C. Sharma
Email: [email protected]
Date: Aug. 16, 2005
^* Full article: Hindu Caste System & Hinduism: Vedic vocations (Hindu castes) were not related to heredity (birth)
link to: Related topics by the author