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History 8 India Ancient India Workbook 23. Castes were ranked by their supposed level of "spiritual pollution". What do you think this means?

I believe that "spiritual pollution" has to do with how spiritually active one is. For example, the Brahmans, priests, are at the top of the caste system. This is because they are the ones who are worshiping the gods everyday and carrying out religious duties. The caste system then goes down to the Kshatriyas, the nobles and warriors, and then to the Vaishya, the craftspeople, and then the Shundra, the servants. Finally, at the very bottom of the caste system you have the untouchables, the ones who merely do not exist because they are ranked so low. The amount of religion in the lives of these people most likely has everything to do with their rank in the system. Their "spiritual pollution" defines their part in the system, ranking at a top class if one is extremely religious and at the bottom if one is not.

CF Manual pg. 152

Louisa Morgan