Avarna
Encyclopedia
Avarna in the Sanskrit
language of India means one who does not have a varna. The term denotes those sections of people in the Hindu
fold who do not belong to the four major castes or Varnas. The four major castes are Brahmin
, Kshatriya
, Vaishya
and Shudra
(who are called Savarna
). People who are tribes, or forest dwellers, who do not fall under varna system are called avarna.
Avarna is different from outcastes. Outcastes are the people, who are thrown out of their varna, either for their mis-deeds or for crime or for non-adherence to the respective dharma. In varna setup, there is no concept of prison as it exists today. Prison is a Mlecha model of authoratarian system. In varna setup, a person is just excluded from the varna as normal punishment, and capital punishment, in case of serious crimes like murder.
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
language of India means one who does not have a varna. The term denotes those sections of people in the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
fold who do not belong to the four major castes or Varnas. The four major castes are Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
, Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
, Vaishya
Vaishya
Vaishya is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order. According to Vedic tradition, this caste primarily comprises merchants, farmers, cattle-herders and artisans.-Duties of Vaishyas:...
and Shudra
Shudra
Shudra is the fourth Varna, as prescribed in the Purusha Sukta of the Rig veda, which constitutes society into four varnas or Chaturvarna. The other three varnas are Brahmans - priests, Kshatriya - those with governing functions, Vaishya - agriculturalists, cattle rearers and traders...
(who are called Savarna
Savarna
Savarna are considered part of the Hindu Varna system. Communities which belong to one of the four varnas i. e. Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Sudra are called "Savarna". In the present-day context, they include all the forward castes and Other backward communities...
). People who are tribes, or forest dwellers, who do not fall under varna system are called avarna.
Avarna is different from outcastes. Outcastes are the people, who are thrown out of their varna, either for their mis-deeds or for crime or for non-adherence to the respective dharma. In varna setup, there is no concept of prison as it exists today. Prison is a Mlecha model of authoratarian system. In varna setup, a person is just excluded from the varna as normal punishment, and capital punishment, in case of serious crimes like murder.