action and the third is bhakti devotion. The majority of the economically poor Hindus approach God through traditional simple method using the ways of devotion
bhakti and of performances karma rather than the path of pure knowledge jnana. It is because bhakti and karma are easier to do for the poor, bhakti means
people have to do ritual obligation and karma means people have to do their dharma in order to gain moksa.
2.1.2.1.1.5. Caste System
Solange Lemaitre 1959: 107 mentions that caste is the reward for merit before it becomes the automatic consequence of birth. In the caste system lies the
basis if an hierarchic organization with its great organized and administrative bodies which represent in four castes the whole of the Indian people. Those four castes are
Brahmans, Ksatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras. They stand at the top of the social
hierarchy and have many privileges. 1.
The Brahman is the first caste. It possesses the spiritual authority. The Brahman
’s duties are to teach the Veda and everything that is in any way of a priestly nature. People who come from other castes show great respect to them.
2. The Ksatriya is the warrior caste whose duties are to defend the right, to protect
the weak and to use force whenever it is legitimately justified. The role of ksatriya class, representing the nobility, lies in embodying honor by remaining
faithful to one’s word until death. 3.
The function of the third or Vaisya is to administer and deal in material goods of every description. The Vaisya included to the middle class. Their activities are
agriculture, the rearing of live stock and industry.
4. The duty of the Sudra caste is to serve the three others but the sudras have never
been slaves. Their class forms the main body of the population and includes every kind of worker: servant, gardeners, shepherds, artisans, workmen, and etc.
Sudra caste is not allowed to learn to Veda. 5.
The Pariahs are those that belong to no caste at all. Usually they are called “untouchables” or “outcast” since they are not bound by the strict rules which
every caste must observe; the pariahs have much greater freedom in spit of the prohibitions which affect them in other matters.
Hutton 1963: 47 mentions that each caste has its own rules and sanctions to keep the member discipline. He also said that in sankrit term caste
means varna. Renou 1962: 52 mentions that the important in Indian society is a gradation of society into four classes. At the top of this hierarchy are Brahmins, who
exercise spiritual power, then ksatriyas, who wield secular power; after that the vaisyas
or Artisans, cultivators, etc, who represent the economic aspect. Apart from these three groups are the sudras, somewhat like serfs who never the less maintain
certain rights. Below these castes is untouchable.
2.1.2.1.2. The People
