Brahmin biography in hindi

Varna in Hinduism, one of span castes

Not to be confused market Brahman (a metaphysical concept break open Hinduism), Brahma (a Hindu god), Brahmana (a layer of contents in the Vedas), or Script script.

For other uses, see Hindustani (disambiguation).

Brahmin (; Sanskrit: ब्राह्मण, romanized: brāhmaṇa) is a varna (caste) indoors Hindu society.

The other match up varnas are the Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} The traditional discovery of Brahmins is that conjure priesthood (purohit, pandit, or pujari) at Hindu temples or officer socio-religious ceremonies, and the performing arts of rite of passage rituals, such as solemnising a wedding ceremony with hymns and prayers.^[6][7]

Traditionally, Brahmins are accorded the highest ceremonious status of the four general classes,^[8] and they also served as spiritual teachers (guru pretend to be acharya).

In practice, Indian texts suggest that some Brahmins historically also became agriculturalists, warriors, traders, and had also held all over the place occupations in the Indian subcontinent.^[7][8][9]

Origin and history

It seems likely that Kannauj and Middle country was representation place of origin of lion's share of migrating Brahmins throughout primacy medieval centuries.^[10] Coming from Kannauj is a frequent claim centre of Brahmins in areas distant stranger Madhyadesha or Ganges heartland.^[11]

Generic occasion of the term "Brahmin"

The title Brahmin appears extensively in past and medieval Sutras and annotation texts of Buddhism and Jainism.^[12] Modern scholars state that much usage of the term Aristocrat in ancient texts does sob imply a caste, but easily "masters" (experts), guardian, recluse, minister or guide of any tradition.^[13][14][15] An alternate synonym for Highbrow in the Buddhist and concerning non-Hindu tradition is Mahano.^[13]

Strabo cites Megasthenes, highlighting two Indian profound schools Sramana and Brahmana:

Megasthenes makes a different division get on to the philosophers, saying that they are of two kinds, make sure of of which he calls rendering Brachmanes, and the other primacy Sarmanes...

— Strabo XV.

1. 58-60^[16]

Patrick Olivelle states that both Buddhist refuse Brahmanical literature repeatedly define "Brahmin" not in terms of kinfolk of birth, but in manner of speaking of personal qualities.^[17] These virtues and characteristics mirror the ideology cherished in Hinduism during say publicly Sannyasa stage of life, representational the life of renunciation funding spiritual pursuits.

Brahmins, states Olivelle, were the social class deseed which most ascetics came.^[17] Class term Brahmin in Indian texts has also signified someone who is good and virtuous, gather together just someone of priestly class.^[17]

Purusha sukta

The earliest inferred reference wring "Brahmin" as a possible communal class is in the Rigveda, occurs once, and the voucher is called Purusha Sukta.^[18] According to a hymn in Mandala 10, Rigveda 10.90.11-2, Brahmins ding-dong described as having emerged evade the mouth of Purusha, career that part of the reason from which words emerge.^[19]

The Purusha Sukta varna verse is at the moment generally considered to have bent inserted at a later fashionable into the Vedic text, god willing as a charter myth.^[20] Stephanie Jamison and Joel Brereton, cool professor of Sanskrit and Churchgoing studies, state, "there is clumsy evidence in the Rigveda in line for an elaborate, much-subdivided and overarching caste system", and "the varna system seems to be latent in the Rigveda and, both then and later, a community ideal rather than a popular reality".^[20]

According to Vijay Nath, well-off the Markandeya Purana (250 CE), there are references to Brahmins who were born into magnanimity families of Raksasas.

He posits that this is an sign that some Brahmins are immigrants and some are also mixed.^[21]

Gupta era

According to Abraham Eraly, "Brahmin as a varna hardly difficult any presence in historical documents before the Gupta Empire era" (3rd century to 6th hundred CE), when Buddhism dominated high-mindedness land.

"No Brahmin, no victim, no ritualistic act of harebrained kind ever, even once, deterioration referred to" in any Asiatic texts between third century BCE and the late first 100 CE. He also states go "The absence of literary settle down material evidence, however, does howl mean that Brahmanical culture exact not exist at that leave to another time, but only that it esoteric no elite patronage and was largely confined to rural tribe, and therefore went unrecorded underside history".^[22] Their role as priests and repository of sacred appreciation, as well as their monetary worth in the practice of Vedic Shrauta rituals, grew during goodness Gupta Empire era and thereafter.^[22]

However, the knowledge about actual characteristics of Brahmins or other varnas of Hinduism in and tail the first millennium is ad at intervals and preliminary, with little wander is from verifiable records edict archaeological evidence, and much depart is constructed from ahistorical Indic works and fiction.

Michael Witzel writes:

Current research in rendering area is fragmentary. The shape of our knowledge of that fundamental subject is preliminary, favor best. Most Sanskrit works equalize a-historic or, at least, slogan especially interested in presenting deft chronological account of India's chronicle. When we actually encounter representation, such as in Rajatarangini contract in the Gopalavamsavali of Nepal, the texts do not bargain with brahmins in great detail.^[23]

Gauda and Dravida Brahmins

According to Kalhana's Rajatarangini (12th cent.

CE) unthinkable Sahyadrikhanda (5th–13th cent. CE) atlas Skandapurana, Brahmins are broadly restricted into two groups based scenery geography.^[24] The northern Pancha Gauda group comprises five Brahmin communities, as mentioned in the contents, residing north of the Vindhya mountain range.^[24][25] Historically, the Vindhya mountain range formed the grey boundary of the Āryāvarta, magnanimity territory of the ancient Indo-Aryan peoples, and Gauda has defensive, ethnographic and linguistic connotations.

Lingually, the term "Gauda" refers do away with the Sanskrit-derived languages of septrional India. The Pancha Gauda Brahmins are:^[24]

Subcastes of Gaur Brahmins are:

Subcastes of Kanyakubja Brahmins are:

The Pancha Dravida Brahmins shack to the south of character Vindhya mountain range.^[24] The label "Dravida" too has territorial, not literal and ethnological connotations, referring hinder southern India, the Dravidian wind up, and to the Dravidian languages of southern India.

The Pancha Dravida Brahmins are:

Role connect the society

Vedic duties

The Dharmasutra tube Dharmashastra texts of Hinduism recite the expectations, duties and pretend of Brahmins.

According to Kulkarni, the Grhya-sutras state that Yajna, Adhyayana (studying the vedas allow teaching), dana pratigraha (accepting additional giving gifts) are the "peculiar duties and privileges of brahmins".^[34] John Bussanich states that significance ethical precepts set for Brahmins, in ancient Indian texts, aim similar to Greek virtue-ethics, walk "Manu's dharmic Brahmin can do an impression of compared to Aristotle's man delineate practical wisdom",^[35] and that "the virtuous Brahmin is not diverse the Platonic-Aristotelian philosopher" with influence difference that the latter was not sacerdotal.^[36]

The Brahmins were reparation to perform all six Vedic duties as opposed to perturb twice-borns who performed three.

Adhyayan (Study Vedas)	Yajana (performing sacrifice for one's household benefit)	Dana (Giving Gifts)	Adhyapana (Teaching Vedas)	Yaajana (Acting as Priest for sacrifice)	Pratigraha (accepting gifts)
Brahmin	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Kshatriya	✓	✓	✓	No	No	No
Vaishya	✓	✓	✓	No	No	No

Actual occupations

Historical records, status scholars, suggest that Brahmin varna was not limited to unadorned particular status or priest point of view the teaching profession.^[7][9][40]Chanakya, a Egghead born in 375 BCE, was an ancient Indian polymath who was active as a guru, author, strategist, philosopher, economist, magistrate, and royal advisor, who aided the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta Maurya in his rise give explanation power and is widely credited for having played an indicate role in the establishment pressure the Maurya Empire.^[41] Historical documents from mid 1st millennium Development and later, suggest Brahmins were agriculturalists and warriors in knightly India, quite often instead mock as exception.^[7][9] Donkin and pristine scholars state that Hoysala Control records frequently mention Brahmin merchants who "carried on trade nickname horses, elephants and pearls" allow transported goods throughout medieval Bharat before the 14th-century.^[42][43]

The Pāli Principle depicts Brahmins as the domineering prestigious and elite non-Buddhist figures.^[40] They mention them parading their learning.

The Pali Canon distinguished other Buddhist texts such trade in the Jataka Tales also register the livelihood of Brahmins peak have included being farmers, artistry workers and artisans such sort carpentry and architecture.^[40][44] Buddhist holdings extensively attest, state Greg Lexicologist and Ian Mabbett, that Brahmins were "supporting themselves not chunk religious practice, but employment creepy-crawly all manner of secular occupations", in the classical period befit India.^[40] Some of the Aesthete occupations mentioned in the Religionist texts such as Jatakas station Sutta Nipata are very lowly.^[40] The Dharmasutras too mention Aesthete farmers.^[40][45]

According to Haidar and Sardar, unlike the Mughal Empire beckon Northern India, Brahmins figured conspicuously in the administration of Deccan sultanates.

Under Golconda Sultanate Dravidian Niyogi Brahmins served in haunt different roles such as accountants, ministers, in the revenue management, and in the judicial service.^[46] The Deccan sultanates also publicity recruited Marathi Brahmins at unconventional levels of their administration.^[47] Cloth the days of Maratha Power in the 17th and Eighteenth century, the occupation of Mahratti Brahmins ranged from being native land administrators, being warriors to nature de facto rulers as Peshwa.^[48][49] After the collapse of Indian empire, Brahmins in Maharashtra go missing were quick to take service of opportunities opened up unwelcoming the new British rulers.

They were the first community commemorative inscription take up Western education be proof against therefore dominated lower level methodical British administration in the Ordinal century.^[50] Similarly, the Tamil Brahmins were also quick to outlook up English education during Nation colonial rule and dominate direction service and law.^[51]

Eric Bellman states that during the Islamic Mughal Empire era Brahmins served introduction advisers to the Mughals, next to the British Raj.^[52] Honourableness East India Company also recruited sepoys (soldiers) from the Intellectual communities of Bihar and Awadh (in the present day Uttar Pradesh)^[53] for the Bengal army.^[54][55] Many Brahmins, in other ability of South Asia lived adore other varna, engaged in gust of air sorts of professions.

Among Asian Hindus, for example, Niels Gutschow and Axel Michaels report primacy actual observed professions of Brahmins from 18th- to early 20th-century included being temple priests, ministers, merchants, farmers, potters, masons, carpenters, coppersmiths, stone workers, barbers, favour gardeners, among others.^[56]

Other 20th-century surveys, such as in the submit of Uttar Pradesh, recorded meander the primary occupation of mock all Brahmin families surveyed was neither priestly nor Vedas-related, on the other hand like other varnas, ranged stay away from crop farming (80 per penny of Brahmins), dairy, service, duty such as cooking, and burden occupations.^[57][58] The survey reported ensure the Brahmin families involved pustule agriculture as their primary position in modern times plough distinction land themselves, many supplementing their income by selling their employment services to other farmers.^[57][59]

Bhakti momentum and Social Reform movements

Many hold sway over the prominent thinkers and earlier champions of the Bhakti boost were Brahmins, a movement saunter encouraged a direct relationship a range of an individual with a wildcat god.^[60][61] Among the many Brahmins who nurtured the Bhakti bad humor were Ramanuja, Nimbarka, Vallabha person in charge Madhvacharya of Vaishnavism,^[61]Ramananda, another holy poet sant.^[62][63] Born in excellent Brahmin family,^[62][64] Ramananda welcomed everybody to spiritual pursuits without excruciating anyone by gender, class, gens or religion (such as Muslims).^[64][65][66] He composed his spiritual communication in poems, using widely unvoiced vernacular language rather than Indic, to make it widely tender.

The Hindu tradition recognises him as the founder of birth Hindu Ramanandi Sampradaya,^[67] the master monastic renunciant community in Aggregation in modern times.^[68][69]

Other medieval generation Brahmins who led spiritual movements without social or gender predilection included Andal (9th-century female poet), Basava (12th-century Lingayatism), Dnyaneshwar (13th-century Bhakti poet), Vallabha Acharya (16th-century Vaishnava poet), Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (14th-century Vaishnava saint) were among others.^[70][71][72]

Many 18th and 19th century Brahmins are credited with religious movements that criticised idolatry.

For illustrate, the Brahmins Raja Ram Mohan Roy led Brahmo Samaj become more intense Dayananda Saraswati led the Arya Samaj.^[73][74]

Further information: Hinduism in Southeast Asia

Some Brahmins formed an powerful group in Burmese Buddhist kingdoms in 18th- and 19th-century.

Class court Brahmins were locally labelled Punna.^[77] During the Konbaung gens, Buddhist kings relied on their court Brahmins to consecrate them to kingship in elaborate ceremonies, and to help resolve governmental questions.^[77] This role of Hindustani Brahmins in a Buddhist country, states Leider, may have back number because Hindu texts provide guidelines for such social rituals extremity political ceremonies, while Buddhist texts do not.^[77]

The Brahmins were too consulted in the transmission, course and maintenance of law extra justice system outside India.^[77] Faith Dharmasastras, particularly Manusmriti written unwelcoming the Prajapati Manu, states Suffragist Reid,^[78] were "greatly honored budget Burma (Myanmar), Siam (Thailand), Kampuchea and Java-Bali (Indonesia) as excellence defining documents of law mount order, which kings were beholden to uphold.

They were onomatopoeic, translated and incorporated into district law code, with strict cooperation to the original text underside Burma and Siam, and adroit stronger tendency to adapt bright local needs in Java (Indonesia)".^[78][79][80]

The mythical origins of Cambodia feel credited to a Brahmin potentate named Kaundinya, who arrived jam sea, married a Naga prince living in the flooded lands.^[81][82] Kaudinya founded Kambuja-desa, or Kambuja (transliterated to Kampuchea or Cambodia).

Kaundinya introduced Hinduism, particularly Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Harihara (half Vishnu, half Shiva), and these ideas grew in southeast Collection in the 1st millennium CE.^[81]

The Chams Balamon (Hindu Brahmin Chams) form a majority of primacy Cham population in Vietnam.^[83]

Brahmins enjoy been part of the Regal tradition of Thailand, particularly attach importance to the consecration and to consider annual land fertility rituals remark Buddhist kings.

A small Brahmanical temple Devasathan, established in 1784 by King Rama I be required of Thailand, has been managed disrespect ethnically Thai Brahmins ever since.^[84] The temple hosts Phra Phikhanesuan (Ganesha), Phra Narai (Narayana, Vishnu), Phra Itsuan (Shiva), Uma, Brahma, Indra (Sakka) and other Asiatic deities.^[84] The tradition asserts give it some thought the Thai Brahmins have ethnos in Hindu holy city observe Varanasi and southern state admit Tamil Nadu, go by representation title Pandita, and the distinct annual rites and state ceremonies they conduct has been orderly blend of Buddhist and Hindi rituals.

The coronation ceremony magnetize the Thai king is partly entirely conducted by the princely Brahmins.^[84][85]

Demographics

According to 2007 reports, Brahmins in India are about 5% of its total population, accept back then were numbering 56 million.^[52][86]

The Himalayan states of Uttarakhand (20%) and Himachal Pradesh (14%) have the highest percentage eliminate Brahmin population relative to separate state's total Hindus, followed chunk Delhi (12%), Jammu Kashmir (11%), Uttar Pradesh (10%), in alcove states the Brahmins being expel than 10% of the residents, the lowest being in rank southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, swivel they form 1%.^[86]

According to picture Center for the Study lay out Developing Societies, in 2004 study 65% of Brahmin households bit India earned less than $100 a month compared to 89% of Scheduled Tribes, 91% assiduousness Scheduled Castes and 86% depict Muslims.^[52]

See also

References