HistoryMedieval India: Through the Eyes of Travellers

Match List-I (Varna) with List-II (Part of Brahman from which it was…

Match List-I (Varna) with List-II (Part of Brahman from which it was created, in Al-Biruni's account).

List-I	List-II
(A) Brahmana	(I) Thigh
(B) Kshatriya	(II) Feet
(C) Vaishya	(III) Head
(D) Shudra	(IV) Shoulders and hands

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 1

The correct answer is Option (1) → A-III, B-IV, C-I, D-II

List-I	List-II	Reason
(A) Brahmana	(III) Head	The Brahmana were created from the head, the highest part, so they were held the very best of mankind.
(B) Kshatriya	(IV) Shoulders and hands	The Kshatriya came from the shoulders and hands, and their degree was not much below the Brahmana.
(C) Vaishya	(I) Thigh	The Vaishya were created from the thigh of Brahman.
(D) Shudra	(II) Feet	The Shudra were created from the feet, the lowest part of the body.

NCERT (2026-27): “4.2 Al-Biruni’s description of the caste system …
This is Al-Biruni’s account of the system of varnas: The highest caste are the Brahmana, of whom the books of the Hindus tell us that they were created from the head of Brahman. And as the Brahman is only another name for the force called nature, and the head is the highest part of the … body, the Brahmana are the choice part of the whole genus. Therefore the Hindus consider them as the very best of mankind. The next caste are the Kshatriya, who were created, as they say, from the shoulders and hands of Brahman. Their degree is not much below that of the Brahmana. After them follow the Vaishya, who were created from the thigh of Brahman. The Shudra, who were created from his feet . . . …”