Final answer:
The four social classes in Vedic society are classified under the 'varna' system, which includes Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra, along with Dalits who are outside the system. These classes determine occupation, social duties, and are associated with religious beliefs of karma and dharma.
Step-by-step explanation:
The grouping called for the four social classes in Vedic society is known as the varna system. This system, as described in the Vedas, particularly in the Rig Veda, divides society into a hierarchy of four main categories:
Brahmin: priests, teachers, and judges, who were considered the highest class.
Kshatriya: warriors, rulers, or landowners, who were responsible for protection and governance.
Vaishya: merchants, artisans, and farmers, who contributed to the economy through trade, agriculture, and craft.
Shudra: workers and laborers, who served the other three varnas.
Additionally, there were the Dalits, also known as "Untouchables" or Harijan (a term popularized by Gandhi meaning 'children of God'), who were outside the four-tiered system and subjected to severe restrictions and social stigma.
The caste system in Vedic society was a rigid social order where one's varna was inherited by birth, and it determined one's occupation, duties, and societal position, with a strict prohibition against marrying outside one's caste. This system was underlined by religious beliefs, linking one's social status with karma (the results of one's actions) and dharma (one's duty within the cosmic law).