dharma_seeker
Member
I understand the difference between the caste system and varna system.
I believe that Caste system that is present in the current indian society is based on BIRTH and is man-made.
Many non-Hindus have this misconception that There is a caste system in Hinduism. There is no caste system in Hinduism but a Varna System. Caste system as non hindus and westerners think is based on Birth...someone born in a Brahmin house will be Brahmin or someone born in a shudra will be a shudra.. This is absolutely wrong and Sanatana Dharma has never prescribed this type of Caste System.
Varna system is based on one's thinking, characteristic and actions. Someone who does pious deeds for the welfare of the other is surely be considered good. And someone does something bad to others just to get personal gains is surely be considered evil or Tamas guni. Hindusim differenciates people not by his birth but by his thinking, actions and personality.
Basically, all those people in India who are called Dalit, Harijan etc are not Shudras since one can not differenciated based on their birth according to Hinduism. It is just people made up their own castes post Mahabharat period due to lack of knowledge in Vedas.
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Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita clarifies (Chapter 4 verse 13) states "catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah tasya kartaram api mam viddhy akartaram avyayam" meaning that the fours varnas were established based on ones karma/duties.
An individual should be classified in a particular class (varna) irrespective of his birth if he possesses the decisive characteristic of that class. One's class should be decided considering the holistic picture of the qualities of the class of the person and those of the other classes. - Shrimadbhagvat 7.21.35
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MY QUESTION: (answer if you agree with above)
IN THIS KALI-YUG (MODERN AGE), how do one get to be in a VARNA according to Sanatana Dharma? How do you decide your own or other's Varna? If you cannot decide your own Varna then who does? Is there a procedure for this in Sanatana Dharma for Kali-Yug since it is not based on birth?
The answer to this question is not quite clear to me.
I believe that Caste system that is present in the current indian society is based on BIRTH and is man-made.
Many non-Hindus have this misconception that There is a caste system in Hinduism. There is no caste system in Hinduism but a Varna System. Caste system as non hindus and westerners think is based on Birth...someone born in a Brahmin house will be Brahmin or someone born in a shudra will be a shudra.. This is absolutely wrong and Sanatana Dharma has never prescribed this type of Caste System.
Varna system is based on one's thinking, characteristic and actions. Someone who does pious deeds for the welfare of the other is surely be considered good. And someone does something bad to others just to get personal gains is surely be considered evil or Tamas guni. Hindusim differenciates people not by his birth but by his thinking, actions and personality.
Basically, all those people in India who are called Dalit, Harijan etc are not Shudras since one can not differenciated based on their birth according to Hinduism. It is just people made up their own castes post Mahabharat period due to lack of knowledge in Vedas.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita clarifies (Chapter 4 verse 13) states "catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah tasya kartaram api mam viddhy akartaram avyayam" meaning that the fours varnas were established based on ones karma/duties.
An individual should be classified in a particular class (varna) irrespective of his birth if he possesses the decisive characteristic of that class. One's class should be decided considering the holistic picture of the qualities of the class of the person and those of the other classes. - Shrimadbhagvat 7.21.35
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MY QUESTION: (answer if you agree with above)
IN THIS KALI-YUG (MODERN AGE), how do one get to be in a VARNA according to Sanatana Dharma? How do you decide your own or other's Varna? If you cannot decide your own Varna then who does? Is there a procedure for this in Sanatana Dharma for Kali-Yug since it is not based on birth?
The answer to this question is not quite clear to me.