History

There are varying schools of thought as regards the origins of brahmins. Brahmins claim descent from the mouth of Lord Brahma, the Creator, blessed with the highest intellect and claiming the highest status amongst the four castes. Legends attribute the origin of Brahmins as a priestly class of the Aryan invaders. Others say the culture and class already existed and assimilated Aryan invaders on their arrival in the Indus valley, “civilizing” the invaders.

Sanskrit defines Brahmana as one who knows God and has knowledge of the Vedas. Besides functioning as priests Brahmins also made a name for themselves as writers, ministers, doctors and warriors. In ancient times Brahmins were priests of the Atharva Veda, besides teaching the Vedas and conducting Vedic ceremonies and rites. Over time the Brahmins grew powerful with royal support and virtually monopolized priesthood.

Since Vedic times Brahmins from North proliferated and spread and even Dravidian priests adopted the brahmanical, vedic way of life. Over time the subdivisions were classified according to their geographic origins and locations. Regardless, Brahmins claim descent from the original eight great and ancient sages Gautam, Agastya, Vishwamitra, Jamadagni, Vasishtha, Bharadvaja, Atri and Kashyap. Unlike today’s norms where a man is Brahman by birth, in ancient times, a person could become a Brahman by undergoing severe austerities and penance. Viswamitra, a Kshatriya, is one such example.

Brahmins held sway in ancient India. However, the Mughals targeted Brahmins and singled them out for persecution. Under the British the Brahmins received prejudicial treatment. This led to decimation and scattering of caste members. Ironically, Brahmins are today in a minority in most states of India and are marginalized. The great Vedik people who once guided kings and were repositories of knowledge, faded into the shadows. It is said Brahmins flourished in the Indus valley and tamed the Aryans and other invaders. Viswamitra is said to have migrated to forests in the south with a band of followers and, in time, came under the protection of Lord Rama. Agastya is said to have brought the knowledge of Vedas south of the Vindhyanchal much before Viswamitra did. Parshurama is the paragon, a truly warrior Brahman before whom kings bowed. With lifestyle rooted in the Vedas, said to be made up of revealed, eternal truths, Brahmins placed emphasis on a pure “sattvik” lifestyle, following Vedic sutras. Later day interpretations by various sages led to stratification among the Brahman sub-castes.

Today it is rare to find Brahmins who follow Vedic precepts religiously. However, they have integrated into modern life while maintaining the rich legacy and traditions of brahmanic rituals. Their population is estimated to be 6 crores and they have the highest levels of literacy. The maximum concentration of Brahmins in India is in Uttarakhand, followed by Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, with the least percentage to be found in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.