Brahmana varna
Also called: Brahmin · Topic: Society in Early India: Kinship, Varna-Jati, Women · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 3 "Kinship, Caste and Class - Early Societies"
Meaning
In the Brahmanical social order, the Brahmanas were the highest of the four varnas (ranked social groups). The Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras gave them three duties: to study and teach the Vedas, to perform sacrifices and have others perform them, and to give and receive gifts. Brahmanas wrote most of these Sanskrit rule books. That is why the books put Brahmanas at the top. In real life, some Brahmanas took up trade, land management or even kingship.
Example
In Shudraka's play Mrichchhakatika (c. 4th century CE), the hero Charudatta is both a Brahmana and a sarthavaha, a merchant. Some ruling families were Brahmanas too, such as the Shungas and the Kanvas.
Don't confuse with
- Gotra: a family line traced to a Vedic sage. All varnas could have gotras, not only Brahmanas.