The Vedas also have a hymn to Purusha, a primordial deity who is sacrificed by the other gods: Purusha’s mind became the Moon, his eyes the Sun, his head the Sky, and his feet the Earth. In this same passage we have one of the first indications of a caste system with its four major divisions:
- The Brahmans, or priests, came from Purusha’s mouth
- The Kshatriyas, or warrior rulers, from Purusha’s arms
- The Vaishyas, or the commoners (land-owner, merchants, etc.), from Purusha’s thighs.
- The Shudras, or labourers and servants, from Purusha’s feet.
