History
Most sampradayas (sects) of modern Brahmins claim to take inspiration from the Vedas. According to orthodox Hindu tradition, the Vedas are apauruṣeya and anādi (beginning-less), and are revealed truths of eternal validity. The Vedas are considered Śruti ("that which is heard") and are the paramount source on which Brahmin tradition claims to be based. Śruti texts include the four Vedas (the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda and the Atharvaveda), and their respective Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads.
In 1931, Brahmins accounted for 4.32% of the total population of the subcontinent. Today, it comprises 3% of the total population. In West Bengal the figures stand at 5%, whereas in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Orissa the Brahmin population is quite near 10%.
Megasthenes writes, that Brahmins are, "philosophers who are first in rank but form the smallest class in point of number."" He also compares the Brahmins to the non-Brahmin Shramanas. Megasthenes also writes, "The philosophers are of two kinds: (I) Brachmanes and (2) Sarmanes. The Brachmanes are the best esteemed, for they have a more consistent dogmatic system."
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