How to fight Casteism?

[reflections]

Namaste,
This is a long post. Please bear with me. I have a friend who belongs to a small village, he is very intelligent and made has made a good progress in his life. But, I was shocked by some of his attitudes. Please see our conversation.

he: I don't like new policies where education is accesible to all.
Our toilet cleaner's sons are having good jobs, so the mother have stopped working as a toiler cleaner.

me: Isn't that good?

he: No, but initially they were polite and always sat on the floor when they come to home as guests. Now they have started sitting on Chairs.

me: who so ever comes to my place receives a good hospitality. Why should a lower caste person should not sit on the chair?

he: Yes, but toilet cleaning, garbage collection etc. are also tasks to be done, and who will do that?

me: come on, if my son does not have brains, he will do menial works. If toilet cleaner's son has brains, he will do a reputed job.

he: No, but they are born to do that job.

I did not continue the discussion.

So, this is not to bash my dear friend, but there are many many people like him. How to change people's attitude where they think that they have God given right to treat other's as subhuman.

[TatTvamAsi]

Namaste,

Your friend is sorely mistaken not because he thinks that one born into a particular caste is most likely to do the job of his brethren, but because he thinks that he, as the doer, and others should & can enforce Varnashrama Dharma, which is completely natural!

Although Varnashrama Dharma is natural, when enforced by man becomes corrupted as ulterior motives and personal bias, agenda, and predilictions take over. When a sUdra, vaIsya, kSatrIyA, and brAhmanA act according to his svAdharmA, society as a whole benefits and is in perfect equilibrium. When this balance is disturbed for whatever reason, the consequences are dire and society as a whole breaks down.

Call it old-fashioned, Varnashrama Dharma, when naturally followed is the perfect form of governance (by GOD). However, this is a call in the wilderness these days as each person's "individuality" or EGO is so bloated that actions toward the betterment of society is seen as foolish and even as subjugation by others.

I do agree however that no matter what background one is from, if one has the aptitude, one must be given the opportunity to succeed.

Subham.

[saidevo]

In Tamilnadu, the political parties DMK and DK profess themselves to be atheists but are sickeningly perverse: the leaders of these parties spread canards against Brahmins (who is just 3% in Tamilnadu population), and about the Hindu Samskrta scriptures; yet the temples are under the control of the government (HR&CE department) though the churches and mosques are out of such control. The party leaders visit churches and mosques on festive occasions, be the first to criticize Hindus when they retaliate agatinst the evil deeds of the religious minorities and turn a blind eye when those acts are brought to their attention. Their hypocrisy is so worse that they would have only brahmin doctors, auditors and personal advisers for them and their family, their family members would surreptitiously visit temples, and some of them even practise yoga from a brahmin teacher!

One of their demands is to make people from the lower castes learn Vedas and be temple priests (though it would be against the Agama rules in the big temples) and also do the main worship in temples in Tamil. Long back they Tamilized all the names of Gods, prefixing the names with 'aruLmigu' for 'Sri'. For all such pampering, I am yet to see a genuinely interested man from the so-called lower castes to rise up to scholarship in Sanskrit and Scriptures and become even remotely qualified for the job of a priest, though many of them learn Sanskrit in the private schools they study.

And for all the rhetoric of the politicians, I doubt if a popular political leader or a celebrity from the cinema, sports and bureaucracy would admit a servant or a toilet cleaner or people of low castes into their own homes, and dine with them sitting on the same table. Thus it is such people--not the brahmins--and some misguided Hindus of other higher castes who harass the people of the lower castes, specially in villages. The very same leaders would not raise their voices against such harassment because if they did, they would lose votes of the higher castes.

The VarNa and even the Caste System that lends color and diversity to the Hindu culture cannot and must not be done away with. It is this system that has saved the Hindu culture and tradition from the Islamic invasion and the British colonnial rule.

This does not mean that deserving people from the lower castes should not progress and prosper, but only that they should not be unduly pampered for such progress. Hindu dharma has a system called 'vrAtyastoma' which absorbs and assmilates even the non-Hindus into the Hindu society, if they freely seek it, so why not a person of a lower caste move up the ladder, if and only if he/she has proven credentials?

[Sudarshan]

I think the caste system in its present form must be abolished. It should be abolished not by reducing everyone to the lowest level, but raising everyone to the highest level of morality and spirituality - yes, we need to make all Hindus Brahmins through highest instructions.

It is not sufficient for someone to claim himself to be a brahmin. He should prove his merit. A true Brahmin is a wall of fire - a storehouse of tapasya - he can burn dry grass by his mere penetrative looks. But is there a brahmin who can do that these days? When there is no difference between a brahmin and others why have this classification that divides our society. People hardly realize that this has helped our corrupt politicians to craftily implement the divide and rule policy. This has prevented Hindus from grabbing the political power at the centre inspite of Hindu majority.

Christianity is eating away the Hindu religion very fast, There are 28% of christians in Tamil Nadu now. It is rising steeply in both Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The temple lands of Tirupati Balaji are being sold on a large scale because of corrupt state govt in AP and this will cripple the temple in future.

Caste system in its present form is a weak point of Hinduism and is a target of missionaries. Brahmins dont have any spirittual power to demonstrate ( can they atleast do faith healing?) not even have the power to protect themselves and therefore all people are at the same level now and no need of discrimination.

All our Hindu leaders must act together and abolish it and make every Hindu a Brahmin and give them sacred threads. Each Hindu will then take pride in being a Hindu and will not sell his soul for cheap missionary tactics. Every Hindu must be taught the greatness of our religion and the hollowness of Adharmic religions such as christianity and islam. Then only we wiill surive. If you dont do this now, be prepared to become second class citizen in our own country in a christian/muslim majority India in future.

Sorry for being controversial but I am just thinking out loud! We have messed our society and exposed it to be exploited by mlecchas and asuras.

[saidevo]

Namaste Sudarshan.

Let me also try to do some loud thinking on what you have written. I totally agree with you, "We have messed our society and exposed it to be exploited by mlecchas and asuras", but don't honestly think that the solutions you offer could all be successful.

It is true that today's brahmins are turning more and more worldly, giving up their dharma. What is also true is that they don't voluntarily opt for such a life, only the circumstances force them to do it, in my opinion. The lack of opportunity and the lure of money are the primary factors that induce brahmins to choose professions and life that are un-brahminical.

But then it is also true that there are many brahmins who have chosen a life to follow their dharma, though this is a minuscule percentage of the brahmin population. Whatever little sustenance, maintenance and survival of the Hindu dharma we see is by and large due to them. Today's Vedic brahmins may not be able to 'burn dry grass' at mere sight, but they can and do bring in rain, peace and prosperity due to the innumerable yajnas that are taking place daily in Tamilnadu and other states of India, using the philanthropy of the nobles souls from other castes. A good percentage of today's householder-brahmins do follow their dharma, their 'nitya karmas', provide and partake 'satsangs', the brahmin women do daily pujas and conduct group chanting of stotras like Lalitha Sahasranama and so on, in spite of the situation that they get far less visiblity and respect in the current social and political set up. Therefore, in my opinion, we cannot discount the efforts of the nobles souls among brahmins as well as in other communities.

I think the caste system in its present form must be abolished. It should be abolished not by reducing everyone to the lowest level, but raising everyone to the highest level of morality and spirituality - yes, we need to make all Hindus Brahmins through highest instructions.

All our Hindu leaders must act together and abolish it and make every Hindu a Brahmin and give them sacred threads. Each Hindu will then take pride in being a Hindu and will not sell his soul for cheap missionary tactics.

You must be joking! In what way do you think sacred-threading every Hindu and making them brahmins would make them more religious than they are (capable of) and be immune to the conversion threats of the Christian missionaries? Even brahmins are converting these days! Is every Hindu in India and elsewhere who is not a brahmin, ready for the rigours of the dharma of Vedic brahminism, while you say that today's brahmins themselves are not ready for it?

Spirituality and religion are sought, not taught. Dharma must become karma, not goaded acts where there is no conviction. A Hindu who wants to be dhArmic, religious and spiritual, can be so, whatever the caste or varNa he/she belongs to. What can be taught is only the awareness and the spiritual advantages of being dhArmic, religious and spiritual, and even then the student has to practise what is taught, this must come from the very young age and the key people responsible for it are not the sages of religious institutions but the parents and educational teachers and to some extent the government.

Hindu dharma has given status that can be considered on par to all the varNas. For example, a man who is a barber in a saloon, when a festive occasion such as a Hindu wedding or some divine festivity in a temple comes up, closes his saloon for the day, thoroughly washes himself, wears the vibhuti, dons silk clothes and is present with all honours, there at the front, in the nAdasvaram-tavil orchestra group, to initiate the ceremony! In such a honourable social set up, why would a man of the barber caste and varNa want to become a brahmin?

Most people from the lower castes do not aspire for the position of brahmins or priests in temples; only the politicians say so. A brahmin purohit who lives his life from the Vedic ceremonies he conducts in (specially) brahmin homes and the puja he does to the gods in the temples, earns far little, specially in the suburban and rural areas, than a barber or a housemaid or a construction labourer does in their own jobs! This is the hard truth of how things are today, which is why the people of lower castes don't aspire to become brahmins. What they want is to be provided the equal treatment and opportunity in the society, specially to study the worldly education of science and arts on par with the people of higher castes and take up white color jobs. Here again, because of the government's quota system, the affluent and creamy layers among them corner all the opportunities and waste them with low-key performances. This means that the affluent among the lower castes care nothing for the poor among them, so why blame the brahmins for that?

It is NOT the brahmins today that harass the dalits and people of lower castes. It is the other high caste Hindus and their own affluent people who harass them. Politicians have vested interests in their vote banks, so turn a blind eye, only indulging in empty rhetoric against brahminism and Hinduism.

The ultimate solution would perhaps lie in an education and government that is really based on Hindu Dharma that provides fair opportunities for everyone and keeps the society in peace. I would even say that the Indian public are sincerely yearning for such a change. They are not united, however, so they cannot assert themselves. More than from the religion, the initiative of leadership should come from the politics: if there is one honest, popular and patriotic leader (possibly a man like Narendra Modi--I am not his fan or supporter) who can have his way, he would definitely change things permanently for the better.

[atanu]

Namaste saidevoji, TTA, Sudarshan and reflections,

Guru Ramana who was almost a Socialist in His approach, however, said: "It is dangerous to discard traditional rules of conduct. Try to think and understand their significance."

He also said: "To humble oneself more and more is good. Avoid contempt towards those who are low."

Below are my loud thoughts on the subject. I understand that similar to Varna, which cannot be same for all, a discussion on the subject will also have many varnas and not one.

Varna is a very deep spiritual truth that is not at all known/relevant for most people. If I am of Brahmin nature (varna-inner color), I will do good as a Brahmin. Any other calling would distort my life and my future. In today's society, ruled by blind desire for consumerism, everyone craves the greener grass elsewhere. Contentment, which actually is the goal of everyone, is pushed far by one's own actions. Jealousy, envy, and hatred control the actions rather than wisdom.

In addition to educating people on real significance of varna (as best as can be done), I agree to Sudarshan's view to the extent that a certain amount of reform is required so that the negative perceptions of caste system (which is perception and also real pain and shame to many low caste born) cannot be exploited by those who create divisions -- such as missionaries and some Hindus as well.

The shame of being a so-called low caste born should not be heaped upon some, as Narayana is manifest through all.

It is mind's nature to be divisive. If we remove all Muslims and Christians from the scene then also we will see Hindus fighting each other on some or other pretext. The problem is not in the varna itself, which is natural, but the problem is human ego and false idea of I-Me-Mine.

Yet, to foster Brotherhood and Goodness, IMO, a positive reform is called for. (And why restrict it to only the caste divisions -- all divisions are similar).

Om Namah Shivaya

[Sudarshan]

Namaste Sai,

You must be joking! In what way do you think sacred-threading every Hindu and making them brahmins would make them more religious than they are (capable of) and be immune to the conversion threats of the Christian missionaries? Even brahmins are converting these days! Is every Hindu in India and elsewhere who is not a brahmin, ready for the rigours of the dharma of Vedic brahminism, while you say that today's brahmins themselves are not ready for it?

I am not all joking. I am being proactive. On what basis can you justify the basis of the present form of caste system? Can you justidy it from the scripture - I mean the vedic corpus?

And even if you justify from the scripture why do you think it is applicable to the present day world? How would it be different from a christian or a muslim quoting from the scripture that we are all kaffirs?

You cannot get away with saying that it is due to one's karma that one gets to be born in a certain varNa because karma is an unproved axiom and not available to pratyaxa and anumAna. Our scripture does not support any divisions of varNa apart from being spiritual categories or those based on ones qualities ( as in the Gita). So the varNa a person belongs to is strictly a function of his characteristics and little to do with birth.

If brahmin's are not upto the mark we could strip them of their status? When has it been done and who will do it? How do you propose to do it?

This is why I mentioned about getting everyone to the equal level from a social point of view. Our spiritual caste is unknown to us as it is more deeper than our external appearance. Ultimately the Atman is casteless. After providing social equality to all this way, afterwards it is their own responsibility to either go up or down spiritually based on their actions. It is none of our business. One way we could equalize the society is by bringing eveyone to the same level - avatNa, shUdra, vaishya, xatriya or brAhmaNa. Which do you think is more suitable, think about it.

It is quite unfortunate that this system still has plenty of supporters. My aim in sweeping out the whole system is also to ensure that no injustice is meted out to brahmins and other forward castes due to reservatrions and all such nonsense which will cripple the economy in the long run. By giving jobs to the undeserving we are making our country progress in the reverse direction. The brahmins of today will become untouchables at a future date if you allow the system to exist - because everything is loaded against them. The govt should completely stop asking for religion, caste, subcaste etc in all application forms which can happen only when the system is no more. As long as Brahmins or anyone else wants this system in place, only they will suffer. Christians are even so clever that they are working quite actively to get reservations for the backward converts to christianity - this shows that their motive is not 'soul saving' but mere 'flock increasing'.

It is time the religeous leaders of India realize the non applicability of the divisions in the present day world that will only cause unhappiness to a lot of people. The varNa system is applicable only in a spiritual society where each person understands the spiritual truth and his own role in it. In a predominantly materialistic world, the discriminations will have more illeffects than their usefulness. All laws are man made - all have their time and place to operate. Almost every religion missed this subtle point and still keeps insisting on following rules written thousands of years ago. Can we deny education to women just because some smritis says so? Think about it.

[saidevo]

Namaste Sudarshan.

I can understand your frustration and urge towards proactive equalization of religions, castes and opportunities for worldly and spiritual progress in India. The only way people like you can make it happen is to form a political outfit, do the propaganda, contest the elections and win them and then do what you seek. Until then, the views such as you express can at best be social hypotheses.

Let me summarize my findings/views on what you have written in your post (#7). Since there are many points, I shall post them in convenient lots.

1. Is there (any) scriptural references to the varNAshrama dharma?

• There is this famous passage in the hymn PuruSha SUkta of Rg Veda (10:90) that describes the divine origin of the four varNas.

• Manu Smriti and other Dharma Shastras, of course, have elaborate descriptions of the varNashrama.

• There is a verse in Bhagavad Gita too:

chaturvarNayaM maya sRuShtaM guNakarmavibhAgaShaH |
tasya kartAramapi mAM viddhyakartAramavyayam ||

"According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the nondoer, being unchangeable."

2. Is there any justification for the varNas in today's social set up?

If for a Hindu, acceptance of the Vedas (and the Gita as the fifth Veda) is a must, then I wonder what objection could be there for the varNa system that has worked so perfectly in the social set up of the earlier three Yugas and why it can't work in the same way for this Kali Yuga.

Kanchi Paramacharya has a lesson for us on this subject. Commenting on Gandhiji's views on the varNa system, he says (quoted selectively):

Varnasrama is the backbone of our religion. If it is to be abandoned on the pretext that it is beyond repair, we do not require either a matha or a man to preside over it.
...

If the old system of caste is in reality extinct, there is no need for a matha and it should be disbanded. But I nurse the belief that such a thing has not happened yet. Nor do I think that caste will before long inevitably cease to exist. I am also confident that, if we are awake to the problem at least now and mobilise all our strength and resources to take the necessary steps, we shall be able to impart the varna system new life and vigour.
...

No matter how the varna system has become muddled with reference to other vocations, Vedic learning which is the life-breath of all occupations still survives in the pathasalas here and there. In these schools the scriptures are taught strictly in the traditional way.
...

Since Gandhiji believed that varnasrama dharma could neither be mended nor revived in its true form, he wanted it to be totally scrapped. I think otherwise.
...

We must learn the lesson from our history during the past fifty years that our society will have to pay dearly if it gives up varna dharma. You will learn this lesson from the fate suffered by the great civilisations that flourished in the rest of the world where such a system did not obtain.
...

The disintegration of the old system of hereditary vocations must be attributed to the introduction of machinery and the establishment of big factories. There is not much scope for machines in a simple life. The old varna system could be saved if poeple live a simple life and are occupied with the old handicrafts and cottage industries. Gandhiji spoke untiringly of his ideal that all work must be done by human power. He was against monstrous machines and urged people to live a simple life, eschewing all luxury. In this respect his views are in conformity with the ideals of varna dharma.
...

Why are people generally opposed to caste? Because they believe that caste is responsible for the differences and disparities in society and the quarrels arising from them. I have told you so often that in reality no jati is inferior to another or superior to it. However, critics of varna dharma argue that, whether or not in reality it has caused differences in society, an impression had gained ground that it has. As you can see for yourself, they add," There are quarrels arising out of them. We want to do away with the system of jatis because we don't want these fights to go on indefinitely and divide society."
...

To speak thus, however, is to suggest that we must cut of the head to cure headache. If the old dharma suffers from a headache in the form of quarrels in society, it is our duty to restore it to health. How? We must speak to the people concerned about the true principles and remove the misunderstanding that cause quarrels. This is the mode of treatment to keep the old system of varna healthy. It is preposterous to suggest that, because of the disputes, the dharma that is the root and source of our society should itself be done away with.
...

If there is something that is the cause of a dispute, it does not stand to reason to destroy this something itself. We cannot conduct the affairs of the world in this manner. There will naturally be people for this and against any question. Such differences are inevitable. Today there are two issues which have been the cause of a great deal of conflict. These are languages and ideology. It would be absurd to argue that we want neither any language nor any ideology because they are the cause of conflict.
...

Would it be right to argue that all ideologies must be scrapped merely because they lead to quarrels? Any government is constituted on some ideologies basis or other, is it not? No ideology would mean no government- is it not so? Are we then to abolish the institution of governments and be alike animals [in the absence of any authority to enforce law and order]? If languages are not wanted because they are the cause of trouble and if governments are not wanted because they lead to ideological wars, it follows logically that religions and jatis also are not wanted since they too create disputes. Going a step further we may ask: Is it not because we human beings exist that we keep quarrelling among ourselves? So should we. . . . [the Paramaguru just smiles without completing the sentence].
...

Modernists think that it is the varna system that is responsible for quarrels in society over questions of"high" and" low" among the various jatis. On the contrary, I think it is precisely for the purpose of ridding society of feelings of differences in status that we need the caste system.
...

If there is ill-will in society, it is because the concept of varna dharma is not properly understood. We must resolve right now to practise this dharma in its true spirit so that there will be no cause for society to be raven by bitterness.
...

With the decay of jati dharma, livelihood has become a major problem for everybody. The obsession with money is a natural consequence of this worry. Until 70 or 75 years ago, nobody had any problem about his means of sustenance. The worry or concern then was about one's duty. If obtaining the means of livelihood were the only goal of life, the less well-off would be jealous of those who are affluent and occupy high places in the society. It would also lead to misunderstanding and quarrels. If each man is concerned only about his duty and about doing it well, questions of status will not arise. But if money and status are the objectives, it will naturally mean that the man who has more money and occupies a higher place is superior to the man who is less prosperous and occupies a lower position. The point is such differences do not exist in true varna dharma. Even if the social order of jatis were abolished and together with it the quarrels among the various communities came to an end, society would have to face another problem, that is class conflict. We see this phenomenon all over the world today.
...

Our society must be one in which there are no differences of high and low. All will then live in harmony as the children of Isvara without fighting among themselves. They will live as a united family helping one another and spreading a sense of peace and happiness everywhere. I ask you to follow the old dharma so that we may achieve such an ideal society. If we take a small step now towards such a goal, Isvara will give us a helping hand for us to go further ahead. I keep praying to him.

Source:
Is Cutting off the Head a Cure for Headache?
(http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part3/chap9.htm)

References to talks on the subject by Kanchi Paramacharya:
Division of Labour
http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part3/chap1.htm

What is Varna Dharma?
http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part3/chap2.htm

Divided by Work but still of One Heart
http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part3/chap4.htm

Why only in this Country
http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part3/chap5.htm

Who is Responsible for the Decay of Varna Dharma?
http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part3/chap6.htm

The Least Expected of Brahmins
http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part3/chap7.htm

plus the other chapters in Part 3 of the compilation 'Hindu Dharma', hosted in the Kamakoti website.

[saidevo]

3. What could happen if the varNa and the caste system in India is abolished completely?

The lure of money brought in by industrialization, technology and the invasion of the western culture is the main root of all evils that threaten to shake the foundation of the varNa dharma in our Hindu/Indian society. Money in its current perception as accumulation of wealth, is the archenemy of Dharma.

The term 'wealth' in the western culture originated from 'weal' meaning a 'sound or prosperous state, well-being, welfare'. The well-being professed is obtained by the strife for happiness and comfort in the material, worldly life. The term 'money' itself has a root in 'mint' (there is this phrase 'minting money'). Ironically, the other root 'moneta' signified a 'warning' during the Roman days, from their goddess Juno of impending danger! (http://louisville.edu/~bmhawo01/econpage/meanings.html)

In Hindu Dharma, the equivalent of money and wealth is 'artha', whose primary meanings include 'aim, purpose, meaning, sense, object' and then only 'wealth, prosperity' etc. Seeking money that has a meaning and purpose in our life is one of the four 'puruShArtha's (objectives) of life. Though we have a term 'dravya' meaning 'substance', it is used much less than the term 'artha' for money. Even the word 'dhana' (wealth) is always paired with 'dhAnya' (grains) and 'dAna' (act of giving).

The system of 'varNas' automatically restrict the wealth and money-power of the people in the society, thereby giving a meaning, purpose and aim to the way people live their life. Thus, the king was the wealthiest person in the land, followed by the successful people in the business ('vaishya') class, but their chief dharma was exhorted to be charity; and the brahmins were the poorest of the people, always dependent on the other varNas, chiefly the king, for their sustenance in life.

Compare this system to the present set up wherein

• the political leaders amass wealth not just for them and their family but for ten generations of their family tree, and invest that ill-earned money in evil businesses or stash it away in Swiss Banks;

• the corporate businesses plunder the wealth and resources of nature, torment the working class and force consumerism down the throats of the gullible public;

• the internal security forces such as the police, and the people of governmental administration, all seek to amass wealth with ever-increasing greed, corruption and enmity, creating and manipulating dens of vices in the society.

Even though in later times castes were developed out of the varNa system, and many among the brahmins became wealthy landlords, and many more government servants and some of them even politicians and so on, those brahmins in their now affluent positions, kept the wheel of dharma revolving, by their propensity of being honest, compassionate, religious and patriotic, unlike the present society of landlords, merchants and the ruling people.

The point is that 'brahminism' which is based on the Vedas, is the root of Hindu Dharma, that nourishes and sustains the growth of the tree of life whose branches are honesty, compassion, devotion, nationalism and patriotism. Not everyone can do it, if people of all castes are uplifted to the social status of being brahmins by sacred-threading and teaching them the Vedas.

The efforts of thus 'levelling up' everyone is bound to backfire as 'levelling down', with even the dharma-conscious brahmins getting allured to ways of wealth and comforts, frustrated by the loss of standards, and this could result in the destruction of the study, teaching and chanting of the Vedas. The rigours of life in the study and practice of the Vedas are so tough (as you know) that only the most spiritual among even the brahmins opt for that kind of life.

Vedas have been guarded and preserved in their form ONLY BY THE BRAHMIN FAMILIES in all the Yugas, an unenviable task that none else can do as successfully. Normalization of the fields of study, teaching and chanting Vedas by opening them to everyone, specially to the unqualified people (even if they are brahmins by caste) would be the beginning of the end of the Hindu Dharma which is based on Vedas.

If the study and practice of the Vedas, which is currently the exclusive purview of most qualified and spiritually inclined brahmins is to be normalized and thrown open to everyone, we should also do it for the other 'professions':

• Let everyone who wants to study medicine and engineering be given a seat in those colleges and become doctors and engineers?

• Let everyone who wants to earn wealth in shortcut be given a chance by rotation in politics or the film industry?

• Let everyone who works in a piece of land own it--why should only wealty landlords own massive tracts of land--and have his/her own cultivation?

• Let every worker in the corporate business share the wealth generated by the companies they work in?

Destruction of the Vedas would be destruction of the Sanatana Dharma, which is precisely what the politicians, Christian missionaries, Muslims and other vested interests in India and abroad are seeking desperately. I am sure that caste and varNa normalization would not just facilitate but accelerate that process.

[reflections]

Namaste,
Thanks a lot for all the replies. The replies are very informative,.
So again one simple question:
Is varnashram Dharma based on Birth or based on nature, aptitude and actions of the individual?
If a person with different aptitude and action is born in different caste, shall he/she be considered to belong to that varna?

E.g. If a born brahmin starts dairy business, shall he be considered Vasihya?
If a born Shudra has intelligence, purity, self control and wants to study vedas, shall he be allowed?

I understand that heriditary factors and samskars given be parents play a vital role, but still there is no guarantee that a person might not have different nature.

Thanks.