These two 1.5 hour live, online sessions (October 05 & 19, 2023) are part of Satsangam’s Vedic Threads’ ongoing membership-based course with Drs. Ramkumar & Welch. Schedule details available on your class page after registration.

These October sessions are dedicated to addressing questions from Vedic Threads participants. The first questions is: How does each varṇa (often translated as, “caste”) express itself in each of our lives?

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागश:

chātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛiṣhṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśhaḥ

The four categories of occupations were created by Me according to people’s qualities and activities. Bhagavad Gita IV:13

The word varṇa is commonly translates as, “caste” –a translation that does not do justice to the context in which it was originally used in Vedic scriptures. While today we understand that this concept can be understood to be inherited by birth and used by one group to oppress another, there is a different point of view (to which we subscribe) for which we can find support in the śāstras. In this view, we all may contain or embody each of the 4 varṇas in the course of our lives and experiences, depending on what we are focusing on, our intentions, and spending our time on at any given point in our lives. There is also the idea, which we appreciate, that we are all born in with tamasic (baser) tendencies but, through our actions, we can evolve into a more sattvic (pure) mode of being. From this point of view, we do not inherit a high status—but that is the birthright for all of us, and attainable through self-purification.

The four varṇas, along with their functions are as follows:

1. śūdraor follower: The function is śuśrūṣaṇa or seva=service. Tamas (the heavy, inert of the three mahā guṇas—great qualities) is said to predominate. But certainly we can perform service with a sattvic (the peaceful, clear of the three mahā guṇas—great qualities) outlook as well, that allows us to reach a higher state. Good followers.
2. vaiśyaor businessman: The function is poṣaṇa=nourishment; to nourish and create wealth for the community. Rajas (the active of the three mahā guṇas—great qualities) with secondarily sattva, if the abundance they create goes to support their community,–or sometimes secondarily tamas if wealth is just hoarded.
3. kṣatriyaor warrior: The function is pālana =protection. Rajas predominant with sattva, or sattva predominant with rajas.
4. brāhmaṇaor preceptor. The function is dhāraṇam=support of the community. Predominates in sattva. Advises kṣatriya and prays for the welfare of the community

In this session, we hope to share and hear from many of the participants of Vedic Threads about how each of these varṇas manifest in each of our lives.

We welcome you to join us in heartfelt conversation on these themes, in our twice-monthly Vedic Threads membership-based course. It is 35 USD/month. For this you have access to two live 1.5-hour sessions/month with Drs. Ramkumar, Welch, world-class guest instructors, dedicated participants from all over the world, and more than 40 hours of content from previous sessions.