The four castes. As per the puranas, Brahma created brahmins, kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras and prescribed specific roles for each.

After Brahma prepared himself for creation, the first beings came out of his head and they were brahmins whose defining characteristic was satva. (divinity) Then, from his chest, emerged beings who had rajas (dynamic) and these were kshatriyas. From his thighs emerged beings with rajas and tamas (darkness) and they were vaishyas. And finally from his feet were created beings with only tamas and these were shudras, as per Vishnupurana Ansh 1 Chapter 6.

Many rules were applicable to all castes like being truthful, ahimsa, charity, revering elders and teachers etc but some were specific.

Brahmins were to conduct yajnas, study and teach vedas, be charitable etc. The mother’s caste decided the child’s, but this didn’t apply to brahmins. A child born to a brahmani and a  shudra was a chandala, that with a kshatriya was a suta, and from a vaishya, it was a Vaidehaka. A brahmin was allowed to grow crops or raise cattle, or lend money. If he was a farmer, he could till the land, cut herbs and kill insects, but should clean his soul with a yajna later. He is allowed to live on anything he gets by begging, or by consuming amrit. The brahmin children have ‘sharma’ attached to their name, and should have his upanayana in the eighth month of pregnancy or the eighth year of birth. There are specific materials to be used for the upanayana thread and even the clothes worn. A brahmin is allowed to have a wife each from each caste, but should conduct spiritual deeds only with his brahmin wife.

A kshatriya can learn vedas, give to charity and conduct yajnas. He is supposed to protect good people from evil. Kshatriya children have the suffix ‘varma’ to their name. Here too, there are specifications on clothes to be worn. He can marry one wife each from all castes except brahmins.

Agriculture, raising cattle, business are the prescribed occupations of vaishyas. The children’s names should be suffixed with gupta. He is allowed to have a wife each from among his own caste and shudras.

Shudras are supposed to serve brahmins and can also work on sculpting. His name was to be suffixed by ‘dasa’, and he could only marry from his own caste.  A son born to a kshatriya and a shudra woman is called a Pulkasa. A son born to a vaishya woman and a shudra is called Ayogavan.

The chandala is supposed to kill those condemned, and to live off women. The Pulkasa is supposed to hunt, and the Ayogavan, act on stage or be a sculptor. The chandala has to stay outside the village and cannot touch others. If he dies for a brahmin he attains salvation as per Agnipurana Chapter 151 – 155.