Re: The Importance of Caste (or Why Wizards Don't Rule)

From: Jeff <richaje_at_37CWOQVUhgpNTW16kk0Zk0kpHYwfpIAa57kXtjYuZWGmlGcvPyGDScK2IO6gaY5kfxLg>
Date: Wed, 09 Feb 2011 06:15:57 -0000

> To draw real world analogies, albeit from a vastly different culture, there
> is a reason in the Four Varnas (Castes) of Hinduism, that the Brahmins, who
> are have religious/magical authority, are not the Kshatriyas, who are the
> warriors who rule the land.

I'm glad Santo brought this up: the Four Varnas are a better analogy for understanding Malkioni society than looking to medieval Europe. The biggest difference is the that Kshatriyas combine war and rule, and the Talors and Horals divide them.

> By necessity, ruling over lands, worrying about the material world,
> alliances, armies and war, distract one from becoming pure and spiritually
> educated. There are some cases were kshatriyas have rebelled against this,
> and wanted both spiritual ascendancy *and* material power, but it usually
> ends badly.. or you end up like the great sage Vishwamitra, who was born in
> one caste (warrior) and became acknowledged as a brahmin through epic
> penance.

Or Hrestol....

Jeff