varnas

n. caste group in Hindu society

Varna is a Sanskrit term derived from the root meaning "to choose (from a group)." Literally translated, "Varna" means colour.  Hinduism categorizes human society into four "Varnas" according to the body part of the divinity Purusha from which each group was created, and these categories define the group's social standing in marital and occupational matters. Therefore, Varna means "arrangement" in the context of social hierarchies.
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