What were the strategies used for enforcing the social norms of the varnas. Choose the correct statements from below:
(A) The Brahmans asserted that the varna order was of divine origin.
(B) The Brahmans advised kings to ensure that these varna norms were followed within their kingdoms.
(C) The Brahmans attempted to persuade people that their status was determined by natural aptitudes.
(D) These varna norms were often reinforced by stories told in the Mahabharata and other texts.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (A), (B) and (D) only
(A) The Brahmans asserted that the varna order was of divine origin. Correct. This was the first strategy the Brahmanas evolved for enforcing the norms of the varnas.
(B) The Brahmans advised kings to ensure that these varna norms were followed within their kingdoms. Correct. This was the second strategy.
(C) The Brahmans attempted to persuade people that their status was determined by natural aptitudes. Incorrect. The third strategy was to persuade people that their status was determined by birth, not by natural aptitudes.
(D) These varna norms were often reinforced by stories told in the Mahabharata and other texts. Correct. Since persuading people was not always easy, the prescriptions were often reinforced by stories told in the Mahabharata and other texts.
NCERT (2026-27): “3.1 The ‘right’ occupation … The Brahmanas evolved two or three strategies for enforcing these norms. One, as we have just seen, was to assert that the varna order was of divine origin. Second, they advised kings to ensure that these norms were followed within their kingdoms. And third, they attempted to persuade people that their status was determined by birth. However, this was not always easy. So prescriptions were often reinforced by stories told in the Mahabharata and other texts.” |