The clearest example of this is the ancient Indian creation myth, which states that man was created from various body parts of Purusa, an exalted being. The Brahmin priestly class sprang from his head, the Kshatryia warrior class from his hands, the Vaishya merchant class from his thighs, and the Sudra peasant class from his feet. The hierarchy outlined in this creation myth - the Brahmin class at the top and the Sudra class at the bottom - was rigidly followed in Indian culture and formed the basis for the caste system that still exists in India today. Thus, the stratification of Indian society arose from the sharp divisions between groups of people that emerged in the Indian creation