done among the one hundred millions of men who are held in its bonds, we must know something of the nature and effects of this institution.
Caste is a Portuguese term adopted by the English as the representative of the native word Jathi—the term applied to the distinction of classes or tribes among the Hindus. They apply the same term to foreign nations, calling the English a Jathi, and the French another Jathi, or caste. Properly, however, you can only speak of four castes. These four were ordained of God, and all outside of these are casteless or no-caste. According to the received holy books of the Hindus, the four divinely instituted castes are, the Brahmin, the Kschatrya, the Vaisya, and the Sudra.
The Brahmins are said to have sprung from the head of the creator Brahma. Being thus born from his noblest part, they are, by birth, pre-eminent in dignity and holiness. They are the priests and lawgivers of the nation.
The Kschatryas sprang from the shoulders of Brahma, and fill the kingly and military offices.
The Vaisyas sprang from the body of the god. It is their duty as merchants and traders to care for the wants of the state.
