Question on caste system

Namaste,
I came across the book Who Were Shudras by Dr.B.R.Ambedkar but never could finish reading it. I'm convinced that in the early versions of Vedas there must have not been any caste system. I have a book Uma Sahasranamam by Ganapti Muni (disciple of Ramana Maharshi) and he says in the Vedic system there isn't anything like caste.

My question is were ancient Brahmins or whosoever changed the content of Vedas to create hegemony were really smart and intellectual to do so?

I have very tough time believing any one would be so smart to do so.

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté

this question has come up multiple times over the years here on HDF... you may wish to do a search on it and see if it satisfies your interest.

That said, and for me only, I have found great insight on this matter from śrī siddharameśvara maharāj¹.

We know that the brahmaṇa-s, kṣatriya-s, vaiśya-s, and śudra-s can be found in society, yet here is a different view. I say different to one's current thinking. Just as this cātur-varṇyaṁ ( 4 levels) can be found in society it too can be found in our own selves.

• The śudra-s labor and toil - this is a function of the body. To work , act, move.
• The vaiśya-s apply the intellect, mind, etc for business and transactions - this is the function found in the subtle body and the realm of mind.
• The kṣatriya-s offer the 'field' and that of destruction of the other two levels ( śudra & vaiśya) - this is the function of the causal body some call 'void'.This 'destruction' comes every night with the advent of sleep - the mind and body is destroyed as it were, no ,longer exists in deep sleep.
• The brahmaṇa-s offer the highest, wisdom, knowledge. They are above and beyond the other 3 ( aloof as it were) and they do not dabble in the other 3's business. The brahmaṇa is consumed with the Supreme, (rāmaḥ) and let the world go on about its business - This is turīya the 4th , or turīyāvastha².

इतिशिवं
iti śivaṁ

1.Śrīsiddharameśvara maharāj is the satyavachāh (one who speaks truth) ; he was guru of śrī nisargadatta maharāj & śrī ranjit maharaj was a co-disciple. He lived 1888–1936. He offers 130 ~discourses~ in an offer put together by his disciples. I am a better person for reading this book, Master of Self Realization.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...haramphoto.JPG

1.1 More on this lineage from śrī nisargadatta maharāj here: http://nisargadatta.net/Navnath_Sampradaya.html

2. turīyāvastha - turīya + avastha or the state , condition, stability of turīya or the 4th.

Namaste realdemigod

May be this is an interesting article for you

http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=C...ArticleID=1211

Pranam