❓ Does the caste system have religious sanction in Hinduism?

The hierarchical and discriminatory caste system as practiced today is a social distortion, not a religious mandate. The original Vedic concept of 'varna' was based on individual qualities and professions, not birth. The Purusha Sukta describes different segments of society as parts of one cosmic being, emphasizing interdependence rather than hierarchy.

The Bhagavad Gita (4.13) explicitly states that the four categories were created based on guna (qualities) and karma (actions), not birth. Many ancient Hindu texts feature respected sages from various backgrounds, like Valmiki and Vyasa.

Modern hereditary caste discrimination contradicts fundamental Hindu principles of divine unity and spiritual equality. Reform movements within Hinduism have consistently opposed caste-based discrimination.