The brahmins are the highest rank group in the ancient Hindu idea of the four main social groupings (varnas), based on the assumption that they are purer than all others.
This concept is based on the Purusha Sukta, a creation myth in which the brahmins are produced from the mouth of the Primeval Man.
The mouth is a portion of the head, which is the highest part of the body, and it is also linked to speaking, which is one of the distinctively human abilities.
Brahmins have been connected with speech and the holy word from the beginning of Hindu recorded history; they were academics, priests, ritual technologists, and guardians of sacred learning.
This is still the case in contemporary times, however many brahmins work in other fields such as commerce, business, and government service.
Aside from their historic connection with holy learning, their ceremonial purity, which is thought to be higher than that of all other humans, is another source of social prestige.
This ceremonial purity is innate and passed down through the generations.
Much an ignorant brahmin should be regarded a "god on earth," according to tradition, while a knowledgeable brahmin is even more holy.
Because brahmins are regarded the greatest mediators to "insulate" the gods from regular people, they are preferred for service to many of the gods of the Hindu pantheon.
Although brahmins as a whole hold the greatest rank, there are strongly defined subgroups (jatis) within the brahmin society, which are typically characterized by place of origin.
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