INDIA: Ambedkar Movement Against Caste System: A Historical Interpretation

INDIA: Ambedkar Movement Against Caste System: A Historical Interpretation

P. Jagadeesan

The Aryans were an invading people, and their first arrival into the subcontinent was probably to be dated about 1500 B.C. Perhaps some 200 years after this, there began to come into being the collection of the hymns of the Rigveda.

The Aryans were a series of related tribes, settled mainly in the Punjab and the adjacent regions, speaking a common language, sharing a common religion and designating themselves by the name Arya, and they were represented as being in a state of permanent conflict with a hostile group of native peoples called by the Aryans variously as "Dasu" or "Dasyu."

During the period of the Samhitas and the Bramanas the Aryans were seen to have extended their habitation towards the east, down the Gangetic plains; and the third stage of their expansion was made towards the Bengal region, approximately by the 8th century B.C. During this stage "other terms e.g. Mleccha and Nishada - are used as designations of the non-Aryan tribes, while the word 'dasa' becomes the usual word for 'slave'."

"On the other hand, the term 'Arya' is opposed not only to the external barbarian, but also to the lowest of the four varnas, the 'Sudra'."

"In the latter context the word Arya naturally acquires the meaning 'noble, honourable,' and the word continues in use in both the senses down to the classical period."

Hence North India referred to as Arya Varta. By the end of 6th century B.C. the Aryan India was vastly increased in area and would probably correspond with "the boundaries of the Indo-Aryan" in a modern linguistic map.

But, "the Aryan influence in the south, i.e., in the Dravidian India, was a matter of cultural penetration, and not, as previously, of conquest and settlement."

In this historical setting of ancient India, it was generally stated by many of the historians and ambiguously understood by the average Indians that when the means of subsistence had been provided, the people were simultaneously divided into four varnas, on the basis of their occupations:

The Brahmins for praying;

The Kshatriyas for fighting;

The Vaisyas for producing goods;

The Sudras for manual tasks, i.e. to assist the other three upper varna-people in their respective professions.

This favoured those varnas who prayed and fought and was resented by the classes producing goods.

No Caste System in Rigvedic Period

Hence, the State power was largely influenced by varna on the one hand, and law and politics on the other. The Puranic texts establish a casual connection between the rise of the varnas and the origin of the State. The importance of the social order and the king as the promulgator of dharma, jatidharmia and varna dharma were stressed since the Brahmanas, the Artha Sastra and the Dharma Sastras. According to Manu, "people of the med caste sully the purity of caste, and the State will perish." Narada says that "if the king does not punish the breakers of the Varnashrama Dharma the world would perish."

However, the story that the Varnashrama is based on occupation is not wholly correct. In fact the Varnashrama Dharma as a social classification emerged after two stages, of which, while "race distinction" alone was the basis for the first classification, the profession became the basis in the second classification.

The terms such as Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra were in use even when the Aryans were still in the Punjab region. The Rigveda says that since these terms were used as professional nomenclatures, one could find a Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra among members of the same family. Therefore, during the Rigvedic period the argument of Manu that people of mixed caste sullied the purity of caste and the State would perish did not arise and seemed meaningless! There was no caste system existing in the Rigvedic society, and therefore, it is historically ascertained that the terms Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra of the Rigvedic society meant differently at different times.

At the end of the Rigvedic period, the Aryans were divided into a larger number of independent tribes, normally ruled by kings who, when not fighting the Dasas or Dasyus, were frequently engaged in fighting each other. Nevertheless, the Aryans were highly conscious of their ethnic unity, based on a common language, a common religion and a common way of life, and also conscious of the contrast between themselves and earlier inhabitants. The latter were partly absorbed into the Aryan community in the capacity of the Sudras and partly withdrew to such regions temporarily that were out of the reach of the Aryans.

Therefore, the Aryans in the Gangetic plains introduced and executed this system of Varnashrama Dharma in two stages. The highly self-conscious Aryans first divided this mixed society into Brahmins and "others" or non-Brahmins. Accordingly the Brahmins were supposed to be the custodians of the dharma (the law) of the society, i.e. "the Brahmana Dharma" or "Brahminical Dharma." The second classification was made only among the "others," i.e. the non-Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras.

This category of "others" or non-Brahmins did not include all the non-Aryans of India, rather this three-fold division was made only among those who were subjugated by or surrendered to the Aryans. They might be the Dasus or Dasyu, or the Yakshas, for Dasa or Dasyu means "slave" and Yaksha means "docile and meek" to the Aryans.

The remaining non-Aryan Indians were known by the Aryans as the Asuras who lived scattered in the Aryavartha and concentrated in the South. It took many centuries after the establishment of the dharma for the Aryans to achieve the surrender or subjugation of the Asuras. And since they were not to be identified with any of the existing varna, or its division of dharma, they were considered as the most backward in relation to the Brahminical culture, and hence though exploited, were condemned as "untouchables."

Revolts Against The System

Ever since its introduction, the Varnashrama Dharma system was resented by the people of the three varnas after the Brahmins.

It is evident through the ages that the Brahmins as a varna never resented or opposed the existence of the Varnashrama system in their society.

That sense of protest and the incidents of revolt against the Varnashrama system could be seen throughout history. But this fact was not focused upon propey. Instead it was comfortably neglected and misinterpreted by Brahmin-oriented historians.

Let me cite a few examples from the legends, the Puranas or the epics of these people called the Aryans.

The Vayu Purana exposes the resentment of the producing classes against the Varnashrama division in the following lines:

"The duties of the castes were settled long ago but they did not fulfil their respective duties and came into 'mutual conflict.' Having become aware of this fact the Lord Brahma prescribed criminal justice (danda) and war as the profession of the Kshatriyas."

Viswamithra wanted to be recognised as Brahma Rishi. Being classified as Kshatriya, Viswamithra posed a great challenge to the monopoly of the Brahmins over knowledge or the Sastras.

In Mahabharatha the "Sudra" Ekalavia learned the martial arts of the Kshatriya. Though ultimately he lost his thumb, this he did not at the request or demand of Dhronacharya, his Guru.

Sambuga of Ramayana became learned and well versed in dharma, etc. Though he was also killed for breaking the Varnashrama restrictions by Rama of Ayodhya - the so-called compassionate, humane, avatar or Vishnu, the fact still remains clear that the non-observance, protesting and revolt against Varnashrama system was accepted and cannot be hidden by the Aryan writers of the epics and the Puranas.

Since the Varnashrama Dharma itself is the creation of the Brahmins, by the Brahmins and for the Brahmins, they have no reason to resent it. Hence they do not only maintain the system but are determined to see it observed at any cost. This system of caste is not challenged or shattered by any force, internal or external. And this they said and did as the custodians of the so-called "Indian traditions and Indian culture."

Whenever they claim "Indian tradition or Indian culture," the Brahmins never mean any non-Aryan traditions or culture. They systematically and collectively manipulate to make us believe that it is nothing but the Brahmin tradition and Brahmin culture. So, in this divided Indian society, the revolts against the Varnashrama Dharma can be classified, qualitatively and quantitatively, into three kinds. They were (1) individual protests, (2) individual varna protests and (3) the Asura protests.

Almost all the legends, Puranas and Ithihasas of the Aryans provide us a number of stories about the suppression, humiliation and taming of the Asuras. Particularly the Rama-'avatar' was meant specifically for the purpose of destroying Ravana, the chief of all the Asura kings.

The protest against the Brahmin supremacy in the Varnashrama society was not successful for many centuries for the simple reason that by enjoying social and cultural supremacy in the society, the Brahmins allowed the Kshatriyas to have a full sway over political authority and exploit society.

So far as there existed a good understanding between the Brahmins and the Kshatriyas, no rebellion against the Varnashrama Dharma, either by the Vaisyas, Sudras or Asuras, could succeed.

Buddhism - Hurricane of the North-East

In this vertically divided Indian society the productive classes such as the Vaisyas, Sudras and the untouchables were longing for a Kshatriya rebellion to humble the Brahmin in the society. There rose up a great challenge ever made to the Varnashrama Dharma, not as a Kshatriya but as a non-Brahmin republican.

This "hurricane of the North-East," Buddhism, swept the whole of India for many centuries, and India could offer, for the first time, through this lighof Asia a philosophy and a way of life which has a universal application.

Siddhartha's revolutionary movement, though subdued after about six centuries, could effect the complete destruction of the three lower varnas, i.e. Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra. In their place emerged a number castes, predominantly with local characters.

All these "caste Hindus" are now called as Sudra, the lowest of the Sathur varnas.

After this Kshatriya revolt: Brahmins adopted a new strategy that of supporting, canonising any person from any caste to become the ruler, provided he respected the Brahmin as the spiritual, social and cultural master of society.

Now comes the ruler nor necessarily from the Kshatriya varna. To quote a few examples, the Nandas of Magadha were Barbers, the Mauryas were out-castes, the Guptas were Vaisyas and so forth. This strategy they maintained even when the rulers were non-Hindus, such as the Muslims or the Europeans.

In the beginning of the 19th century, the Christian missionaries were convinced that for the cultural growth of the people, many social and religious reforms were necessary, for example, the total abolition of caste. Rapid changes occurred following the establishment of British power in the area, "coupled with the slow erosion of certain traditional institutions" of the society and habits of the people. As the enthusiasm for English education increased in India, a steadily increasing number of young Indians fell a prey to the influence of the missionaries, and some cases of conversion or laxity in the observance of their own religion became more frequent.

The impact of English education, of Western ideas and of Christianity created a schism in the Hindu society in the 1820s, and it was symbolised by the formation of rival sections among the natives, one representing the liberal and the other the conservative elements.

Struggle To Win Fights On

Towards the close of the 19th century the South posed a great challenge to the domination of the Brahmins in society. This culminated in an association called the South India Liberal Federation, popularly known as the Justice Party. Yet a more powerful movement on these lines could be provided only by Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, whose fight against Varnashrama Dharma was two-fold. While the Justice Party opposed only the Brahmin domination in the society; the self-respect movement of Periyar questioned not only the Brahmin domination in society, but also waged a real war against the very caste system.

But for many reasons this "non-Brahmin movement" which can be adjudged as the greatest after the one by the great Siddhartha is yet to succeed to the extent of the latter.

?

The 20th century also witnessed a great rebellion from the North-West India for the first time after the Deva Asura war of Rama-Ravana. Baba Saheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar launched a great revolt against the Varnashrama system of the Indian society.

Like the Buddha, Dr. Ambedkar too adopted a common base for all the untouchables, irrespective of their caste, creed, language or region.

This, for the first time, after the Buddha, made all the untouchables from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to unite under one banner, to voice and to agitate against the political, social, economic and cultural exploitation by the Brahmin caste.

It is interesting to note that Periyar's movement is second to that of the Buddha, and Ambedkar's movement is second to the legendary Asura movement under Ravana. But with this difference: that where the Buddha and Ravana failed, "Periyar" and "Ambedkar" are striving hd to win once for all.

(Source: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: A Centenary Tribute, published by Department of Dalit Theology, Gurukul Lutheran Theological College & Research Institute, Madras, India, 1991.)