In ancient period, which Varna was also called as ‘Sarthavaha’?
- (a)Brahmana
- (b)Kshatriya
- (c)Vaishya
- (d)Shudra
Correct — C, Vaishya. In ancient India a 'sarthavaha' (सार्थवाह) was the leader of a merchant caravan — a wealthy trader who guided groups of merchants along the trade routes. Long-distance trade and commerce were the domain of the Vaishya varna, so the mercantile Vaishya, especially the prosperous caravan-merchant, was styled a sarthavaha. (The head of a craft or merchant guild was similarly called a shreshthi / setthi.)
- (a)Brahmana — The priestly-scholarly varna, associated with ritual, teaching and learning — not with caravan trade.
- (b)Kshatriya — The warrior-ruler varna, associated with governance and defence, not with leading merchant caravans.
- (d)Shudra — The varna traditionally assigned service occupations, not the wealthy long-distance trade that 'sarthavaha' denotes.
The classical varna scheme divided society into four groups — Brahmana (priests/teachers), Kshatriya (rulers/warriors), Vaishya (traders, farmers, cattle-rearers) and Shudra (service occupations). Commerce and long-distance trade fell to the Vaishyas; their leading figures bore titles such as sarthavaha (caravan-merchant leader) and shreshthi (guild head).
'Sarthavaha' literally points to caravan trade, which places it with the trading Vaishya varna. The distractors offer the other three varnas, whose defined roles were priesthood, rule/war, and service — not commerce.
- 'Sarthavaha' = leader of a merchant caravan in ancient India.
- Trade and commerce were the traditional occupation of the Vaishya varna.
- A guild head was called shreshthi (Pali: setthi); a caravan leader, sarthavaha.
- These mercantile terms appear in Buddhist and Jain texts and in donative inscriptions.
Sarthavaha (caravan-trader leader) belonged to the trading Vaishya varna.
- Assuming any 'leader' title implies the Kshatriya (ruling) varna
- Confusing sarthavaha (caravan leader) with shreshthi (guild head) — both are Vaishya-associated
Term-to-varna or term-to-role matching — e.g., sarthavaha, shreshthi, shreni — usually mapping the mercantile terms to the Vaishya varna.
Which one of the following statements about Sangam literature in ancient South India is correct?
- (a) Sangam poems are devoid of any reference to material culture.
- (b) The social classification of Varna was known to Sangam poets.
- (c) Sangam poems have no reference to warrior ethic.
- (d) Sangam literature refers to magical forces as irrational.
Answer(b) The social classification of Varna was known to Sangam poets.
Both hinge on the ancient four-varna social classification — here, that varna was already known to Sangam-age society.
- practice — not a real PYQ
In ancient India, the head of a merchant or craft guild (shreni) was commonly known as:
- (a)Sarthavaha
- (b)Shreshthi (Setthi)
- (c)Gramani
- (d)Amatya
Answer(b) Shreshthi (Setthi) — the guild head, drawn from the trading community.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Trade and commerce were the traditional occupation of which varna?
- (a)Brahmana
- (b)Kshatriya
- (c)Vaishya
- (d)Shudra
Answer(c) Vaishya — the trading and agricultural varna.