The ancient society in India was divided into four groups according to their capabilities, aptitudes, education, personal effort ( sādhanā), and function they performed in the society.
These were like the four pillars in four corners of a building supporting a roof overhead. All four groups were equally important and none was respected more than the other. People were able to move freely amongst the four groups according to their qualities and did not depend on the family they were born in. The greatest and most prolific contributor to poetic
& religious literature, Véd Vyās, was born to a fisher woman.
Neither birth, nor initiation, nor descent,
Nor bookish knowledge determines a person's merit.
Only their actual conduct, expressed qualities and virtues
determine one's merit.
There is no superior or inferior caste.
Shanti Parva, Mahābhārat
This system was called Varnāshram. Varn in Sanskrut means to describe. It means attributes like form, color or quality that describes something. When used for humans it may mean the person’s physical and mental ability, education, skills and the function performed in the society. Since there were four categories, this system of classification is also called Chatur (four) Varń. These four were called the Divine Varń-s.
कम ण िवभ ािन भाव भवैगुणैः ॥१८ :४१॥
Brāhmań-kshatriya-visham shudrānām cha Parantap
Karmaāni pravibhaktani svabhāva-prabhaivaihi gunaihi
O Parantap (Arjun), the responsibilities (duties)
of Brāhmań-s, Kshatriy-s, Vaishy-s, and Shudr-s
are assigned according to the qualities they are born with.
Bhagavad Gitā, XVIII.41