The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2616 page)

dra way of life, so that varna was excluded from the thread ceremonies.
The word varna means ‘colour’, hence the hypothesis that the system reflects an observed difference in appearance between the fair-skinned Aryan (‘noble’) invaders from the north and the darker skinned indigenous inhabitants (
d
sas
, ‘slaves’).
2
See
BINDU
.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

Var
ramadharma
.

The code of conduct by which a Hindu should live, according to his ascribed status by birth (
varna
), his stage of life (
rama
), and the
dharma
, or appropriate duty laid down for each of these. Interpretation of the four aims of life—dharma (moral righteousness),
artha
(prosperity), kama (pleasure), and
mok
a
(release from the cycle of existence)—will be influenced by varna and
rama. Conformity to var
ramadharma provides the ideal Hindu social order.
The most authoritative formulation is in the
Manusm
ti
. It remains the orthodox Hindu ideal, although it is seldom if ever followed exactly according to
Manusm
ti
.