Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.549

c7.549

GUPTA. A caste appellation. In ancient India appellations to the names were put to distinguish one caste from another. So ‘Śarmā’ was added to a brahmin name, ‘Varmā’ to a Kṣatriya name ‘Gupta’ to a Vaiśya name and ‘Dāsa’ to a Śūdra name. Such appellations were considered to be a mark of nobility in those olden days. (Chapter 153, Agni Purāṇa).