In the Bhagavad-Gitā, the varna system of social-occupational classes is nowhere implicitly or explicitly tied to one's birth or parentage. This perspective aligns with what appears to be the original voice of the Bhāgawata Purāna, supporting the verse from the Holy Gitā. The Bhāgawata Purāna narrates an intriguing story involving a saint named Romaharshana, who was neither a Brāhmin by birth nor belonged to a high caste but was a Soot, often addressed as “Soot Ji” (with “Ji” as an honorific title). Soot was considered a “low” caste, not particularly favored by Brāhmins, the “highest” caste in the Hindu social hierarchy.

Traditionally, the privilege of delivering religious discourses from the elevated Vyāsa-pītha platform belonged to Brāhmins. However, Romaharshana, despite his low caste, possessed profound scriptural knowledge and exceptional oratory skills. Persuaded by the Brāhmins, he agreed to deliver a discourse from the Vyāsa-pitha. During his sermon, Balarāma, Sri Krishna’s elder brother, arrived and was displeased to find the high-caste Brāhmin sages sitting on the ground while Soot Ji spoke from the higher platform. In his anger, Balarāma threw a straw at Soot Ji, who fell dead instantly.

This story illustrates the deep-rooted bias of Hindu casteism, as even someone like Balarāma succumbed to it. Notably, the Brāhmin sages who had elevated Soot Ji to the higher platform regretted Balarāma’s action and told him that the one he had killed was, in essence, a Brāhmin. Consequently, Balarāma was deemed guilty of the sin of killing a Brāhmin and was urged to atone for it by embarking on a long pilgrimage on foot. In this episode, the view of the Bhāgawata Purāna regarding who should be deemed a Brāhmin resonates with the views of the Bhagavad-Gitā.

Despite such occasional instances, the vast majority of Hindu scriptures prominently feature the birth-based varna system and exhibit a strong casteist bias. However, the Bhagavad-Gitā takes a different stance, as it opposes these trends by linking the varna system not to birth but to an individual’s intrinsic nature, attributes, and their inclination towards particular types of work.