The ancient Indian term for the four broad social classes described in Hindu texts is varna. The four traditional varnas are Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, associated respectively with priestly and scholarly work, ruling and warfare, agriculture and commerce, and service or labor.
The idea is often linked to the Purusha Sukta, a hymn in the Rigveda that presents the four groups through a symbolic cosmic figure: Brahmins from the mouth, Kshatriyas from the arms, Vaishyas from the thighs, and Shudras from the feet. Later texts, including the Manusmriti and the Mahabharata, discuss the categories in greater detail.
Varna should not be treated as an exact synonym for jati. Varna is a four-part theoretical classification found in Brahmanical literature, whereas jati refers to the many localized, endogamous communities historically associated with caste in South Asia. Real social life was more varied than the fourfold model suggests.
Gotra identifies a lineage or clan tradition, and ashrama refers to the four stages of life. Neither term names the four social classes.