Traditionally Hindu society is divided in four classes based on four different types of intelligences. These divisions were originally based on individual talent but over a period, this division was decided on birth. This change was introduced by the later Brahman priests to accommodate their less intelligent or incompetent offspring. We should see before we proceed in this topic, what those four intelligences are. 

First class is Kshatriya (warrior, ruler, administrator, diplomats); this is intelligence of administration, management and diplomacy. This class served as rulers and court people, they were also in the forces to defend the society and the country. All gods of Hindus are shown to be Kshatriya because the symbol of Kshatriya is weapons of defense. A Kshatriya is always supposed to be carrying his weapons so do the Gods of Hindus. Since gods are, Kshatriya this class becomes first class. The behavioral characteristic is Rajas. However, in later period farmers, who are actually either Vaishya or Sudra, included in this class by callous Brahman to rate it as second class to raise the Brahman class as first class. This they could do because word Kshatriya also means farmer. 

Second class is Brahman (priests); this is intelligence for spiritual development, seeking into the unknown. Men of this intelligence were special and they concentrated on developing that talent to understand what normal senses cannot see. This talent helped in developing many ways to see things by spiritual strength. This talent helped in education of the society for many subjects required to understand many skills and techniques. People with this talent were responsible for the development of philosophical ideologies and religion and its activities for the benefit of society. They served as guide and guru for the society in many ways. They performed as priests and contributed for many rituals. Original sages of Vedic period were responsible for creation of his class. True Brahmans are those belonging to offspring of these sages. The behavioral characteristic is Satvic. 

Third class is Vaishya (traders); this is intelligence for business and all commercial activities. People having this talent controlled and managed the commerce of the country. Exchange of merchandise and other things in exchange of some thing was managed by this talent. They were responsible for economic activity of the society. The behavioral characteristic is Tamas. 

These three intelligences needed to take decisions of those respective topics.

Fourth class is Sudra (servants); this is intelligence for copying other people and work by copying what others do. People of this intelligence did not take any decisions while working but take orders from the other intelligence and executed the work on that. Because of this, Sudra was serving the other three classes. This made Sudra an important common associate of the three. In later period, these Sudra servants were inducted into the Brahman community by compulsion to feel the shortage of priests in temples. Since, these Sudras had the knowledge of certain commonly practiced rituals by habit, which became convenient; giving rise to what I call bogus Brahmans. The behavioral characteristic is Tamas.

Without the help of this fourth class, society would not work and so they were involved in all functions of society as an integral part of that work. Majority of people from a society are Vaishya and Sudra. 

As it is, number of Vedic origin Brahman class was very limited and as the men folk of that, were busy in their spiritual pursuit, neglected their matrimonial responsibilities. They neglected their spouse and as a result, the population of this class dwindled rapidly. In those days, possibility of one member of the family performing as Brahman while his other brother could be Vaishya or Sudra was common; that resulted in examples of wives of these Brahmans having illicit relations with Kshatriya, Vaishya and even Sudra brothers of their husbands through that having offspring. This offspring carried the name of the Brahman. The pollution was set in and quality of the Brahman tradition spoiled. Gradually, wrong people replaced the true Brahmans; they nevertheless, continued to pretend to be true Brahmans. Let us call them duplicate Brahmans. Even so, the number of Brahman always remained minuscule as compared with Kshatriya, Vaishya and Sudra.   

Original true Brahman class almost reached the condition that it was wiped out. To cater to the needs of the society new Brahmans were introduced in the society from the third class of Vaishya and some from Sudra to feel the gap. These newly inducted Brahmans had no blood of the original Vedic sages. Here the deterioration was set in. In the beginning, these classes were based on individual's ability and so all of them worked as one unit to run the duties of society. They often intermingled and so no one was taken as superior to other even though each respected the other for its need. During those times, possibility of one member of the family as Brahman and his other brothers could be Vaishya, Sudra or Kshtriya was common. However, this did not last for long and ambitiousness of some, from the newly formed Brahman class (duplicate), introduced the arrangement of converting this individual ability-based system into birth based so that, a son of Brahman would be classed as Brahman even if he were not talented enough to serve as a Brahman. Similarly, a son of Sudra was always a servant and could not become any higher class. Because of this change, after that time many unintelligent men enjoyed the position as Brahman and many deserving remained out of this fold. This created many new problems for the society but this wrong changeover continued to rule on the society. One more effect of this was that many new cults cropped up to give chance to the deprived but deserving individuals. Jainism and Buddhism are some examples of this. This changeover from individual ability-based distinction to birth based was introduced in the Manusmruti written around 100 BC. Obviously, this Manusmruti was engineered by the callous duplicate Brahmans. After society accepted this change, all members of a family became of one class irrespective of whether they deserved that class or not. The tradition of spiritual discipline was gradually reduced to mere ritualism. The bogus and duplicate Brahmans were good at ritualism but never had any inclination for spiritualism, this set in the final deterioration of Brahman class. Even so, they continued to pretend to be good at spiritualistic achievements.   

Along with third and fourth class, some first class people from Kshatriya took to the responsibility of Brahman and so what Brahman society we see today is not of original true Brahman of Vedic tradition but of later tradition and so, they are not the real Brahman but duplicate or bogus ones. Vedic tradition shows the link of that Brahman family as of that particular original Rishi from whom that family of Brahman evolved. That name of Rishi is mentioned as the Gotra of that Brahman. This information is available in books of Darpan Granthi and Pravar Manjiri. Unless this address mentioned, that Brahman is not considered as true Brahman. To void exposure these newly appointed Brahman adopted fictitiously names of Rishis as their Gotra, tempered with Darpan Granthi and Pravar Manjiri and continued their business of priesthood. Today what Brahmans we see in Hindu are not real Brahman of original Rishis and so they are all bogus or duplicate Brahmans from that standard. There was no body to object to that since, true Brahmans were as bad as missing. Every where these bogus and duplicate Brahmans were holding positions and so this fraud passed without any hassles. The priests from these today's Brahman know a few rituals and make their living on that meager knowledge. They have no spiritual status what so ever. If we observe their mannerisms this becomes very clear and obvious to anybody. Most do not know even that much of rituals, but still claim to be Brahman! There are examples of conversion of Sudra into Brahman due to blackmail threats by those Sudras; this happened when a Brahman was cornered while doing some wrong things by a Sudra who served him as servant. Several Sudras are inducted as Brahman by this clandestine method. We may call them bogus Brahmans. 

As far as Brahman of Maharashtra region, I found that most Brahmans are from Vaishya linage and some are of Sudra linage. Kokanastha Brahmans (popularly called kobra) are of Kshatriya linage while many other from Konkan region are from Vaishya linage. In Konkan we have today descendants of early settlers from the Phoenician traders who were called Shrenawi, meaning moving traders. Later on these traders were inducted into the Brahman fold during the Kadamba period. They became Shenwi (Marathi form of Shrenawi) Brahman in the later period. Today, (1930 onwards) they call themselves, Gauda Saraswat Brahman (GSB) to align with original Smarth Saraswat Brahman. They spread to South India as traders; they have been traders all the time but still prefer to call Brahman! The Gotra they claim is also not genuine. Most Kokanastha are newly inducted into the fold and are not as old as the Veda, the claim they make. Very few families, who carry names of Rishi as their surnames, could be true Brahman of Vedic origin. The misbehavior of these Brahman, such as fall in the over all spiritual status, some researchers attribute to this cause. Most Brahmans from the north India are out of Sudra and a few Vaishya linages. This becomes clear from the low IQ of these Brahmans. Their indulgence in criminal activities (tamas) is one other proof of their Sudra linage. Their callousness shows the Vaishya origin. In south India, Brahman migrated from Maharashtra and north India in early millennium during Kalabhras and thereafter. This was essential, as original Brahmans were almost extinct. To that many Sudra were inducted as Brahman to fill the vacancy. This was done during 200 BC as Vedic influence grew. Many Ventar kings were responsible for this induction of local Sudra as Brahmans. The descendants of these Sudra Brahmans are probably Iyars of today. A private DNA test of these Iyar and Sudra of Tamilnadu of today justifies this. Other branch of Brahman prevailing in South, Iyangar, is probably from Vaishya from North India. That means South Indian Brahmans are actually Vaishya or Sudra by origin. When we study behavior of these Brahmans, we see the Vaishya and Sudra mentality (Tamas) in them and hardly any spiritual (Satvic) status.    

Many Brahmans have already reverted to their original class as Vaishya and Sudra and they practice in those avocations as businessmen or clerks. They have lost any link with the priestly duty. Kokanastha Brahman who are actually of Kshatriya origin established power of rule as Pesewa during Maratha supremacy and proved their real colors. They no more work as priests. Most have lost any link with the Vedic learning and nearly everyone is actually averse to that teaching. However, they want to take full advantage of the Brahmanic tack and benefit from that. Cruelty and business like behavior (Tamas) of these Brahman clearly exposes their true line because true Brahman of Vedic origins were not as callous as these Brahmans, since they were Satvic by character; compassion and generosity were their characteristics. These characteristics are conspicuous by their absence in present day Brahman. Their business like attitude exposes them before keen observers.

Today we see Hindus celebrating their religious festivals such as Navaratri, Ganesh and Holi in very vulgar ways. This is primarily because that vulgarity is encouraged by the Brahman priests. We never see such vulgarity in other religious groups such as Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs who are part of Hindu family of religions. This one thing explains that present day Brahmans are not of true blood of Vedic Brahmans but of some unsophisticated back ground. 

This infusion of non-Brahman as Brahman is a continuous process. More and more of incompetent people getting into this fold has practically destroyed the character of Brahman class. The Gotra and Kulaswamini deity are primarily decided by the name of the original Rishi as Gotra and his deity as Kulaswamini. As we see that both these things are absent in these new Brahmans what Gotra and Kulaswamini, Brahman of today claim are doubtful.      

You may contact me on my Email ID given below, 

ashokkothare@gmail.com 

You are, invited to visit my other blogs if interested. 

Ashok Kothare for stories 

Ideas and tips on any subject for intelligent discussions.