ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Varna in Hinduism

Varna in Hinduism is a way of dividing people into different groups based on their jobs or duties. Imagine you have different colors of crayons: red, blue, green, and yellow. These colors are like the four varnas in Hinduism: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras.

The Brahmins are like the red crayon. They are priests, teachers, and scholars who focus on learning and spirituality. The Kshatriyas are like the blue crayon. They are warriors and leaders who protect society from outside threats. The Vaishyas are like the green crayon. They are merchants, farmers, and businesspeople who focus on making money and trading goods. Finally, the Shudras are like the yellow crayon. They are the lowest varna and they do manual labor like cleaning, cooking, and farming.

While it might seem unfair that some people are in higher varnas than others, these roles were believed to be important for society to function properly. It was believed that each varna had a specific duty that contributed to the greater good of society.

But it's important to remember that varna is not the same as caste. Castes are like smaller sub-groups within each varna that are based on family lineage. This means that even if you were born into a certain caste, you could still change your varna based on your job or duties.

Overall, varna in Hinduism is a way of categorizing people into different groups based on their roles in society. Think of it like organizing your art supplies into different colored boxes to make it easier to find what you need.