Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v2.c4.s7.234

v2.c4.s7.234

1. *The Names of the Castes.*—The most regular names are Brāhmaṇa, Rājanya, Vaiśya, and Śūdra,⁴⁰ or later Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya, and Śūdra.⁴¹ There are many other variants: Brahman, Kṣatra, Śūdrāryau;⁴² Brahman, Rājanya, Śūdra, Ārya;⁴³ Brahman, Rājanya, Vaiśya, Śūdra;⁴⁴ Brāhmaṇa, Rājan, Viśya, Śūdra;⁴⁵ Deva, Rājan, Śūdra, Ārya;⁴⁶ and Brahman, Kṣatra, Viś, and Śūdra.⁴⁷ In other cases the fourth class is represented by a special member: Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya, and Cāṇḍāla.⁴⁸ Often only the three upper classes are mentioned, as Brāhmaṇa, Rājanya, Vaiśya;⁴⁹ Brahman, Kṣatram, Viś,⁵⁰ etc.⁵¹ Three castes—Brāhmaṇa, Rājan, Śūdra—are mentioned in the Atharvaveda,⁵² and two castes are repeatedly mentioned together, either Brahman and Kṣatra, or Kṣatra and Viś.⁵³