Future

Justification for change

  • jAti-varNa system emerged as a social convenience, and hindu-s are free (and happy) to change it after the need for it has expired.
    • As shrI-golvAlkar said: “varNa-vyavasthA is a social vyavasthA, not an avasthA”.
    • “The two occasions on which the Purusha Sukta is invoked in its first chapter there is a rider attached to it – “for the sake of prosperity and flourishing in the worlds” in the first case (../1.31) and ‘‘in order to protect this universe” in the second (1.87). There is no such condition attached to the formulation of the four classes in the Purusha Sukta itself. Manu, unlike the Purusha Sukta, makes the doctrine of the four varnas accountable in terms of human flourishing. And what if the condition is not fulfilled? According to the Manusmrti (4.176), it should then be given up.” [(AS18)[https://swarajyamag.com/ideas/gender-caste-and-sanskrit-theres-space-for-a-multitude-of-views-and-none-need-prevail]] (See quotes in varna-theory page)
  • The jAti/ varNa system (as classically concieved) no longer benefits the society without modification.

Current maladaptiveness of varNa by birth

In this post-industrial world we have:

  • mass quality education being feasible.
  • there is better sanitation, and jobs hitherto considered “unclean” are mechanized away.

Degradation

brAhmaNa and kShatriya jAti-s have already degraded from their roles/ expertise, observance and character, with the exception of small groups of brAhmaNa-s specializing in vaidika priesthood.

  • One might experience puzzlement and irritation at seeing all these त्रिपाठी, पण्डित, त्रिवेदी, चतुर्वेदी, वाजपेयी, भट्ट, (गङ्ग/चट्ट/वन्द्य)उपध्याय etc.. who are nothing of the sort, and are in fact stridently against everything they don’t even understand. It must be some cruel joke the universe is playing on their ancestors .. Like a chalk screeching on the blackboard - perhaps as punishment for wanting their kids to have these exalted titles while simultaneously failing to strongly establish the ritual-systems in their bloodlines that might have obviated such degradation.
  • Modern day jAti-brAhmaNa-s who don’t care for refinement are like people emptying the bank account of their ancestors without replenishing it. Indeed we soon see that there is no difference of note between dvija and non-dvija performance in a variety of fields, and this will only increase.

A point of attack

The jAti-hierarchy has become a point of attack on hindu society by various streams of thought including inimical abrahamisms and communists. Many of the formerly untouchable jAti-s have been converted.

Kerala
  • One aspect where the jAti-system was completely rotten - especially in the madhouse of keraLa, is where a low-jAti person converted to a muslim or christian would be treated much better. This contributed to their increase in numbers. अश्वं नैव गजं नैव व्याघ्रं नैव च नैव च | अजापुत्रं बलिं दद्याद्देवो दुर्बलघातक: || applies to these idiots as well.
    • Portuguese quotes about KeraLa here [WP16].
Exceptions and consequences
  • Pathinalu desam in Walluvanad and Kavalappara [TW17.]
  • Though Travancore Maharajas & court Brahmins maintained good alliance with Europeans, they built special place to meet them. They would change sacred thread & take bath to purify themselves after meeting Europeans whom they still considered as mlechchas. Only later this changed.

Unoptimality

  • The unmodified jAti-varNa system does not optimally model the distribution of skills among our human resources. There are better models available, which may be adapted to increase the fitness of our society.
  • There is genetic basis for differences in abilities (cognitive and otherwise). That said, it is also true that there are very significant non-genetic factors influencing the development of intelligence (look up the Flynn effect). There may be further epigenetic factors.
  • This is especially true given the fact that the old varNa-s did not perfectly match the available human resources (It was in the interest of powerful jAti-s to maintain their power by denying others a fair chance to compete in their specialized role, and they did not exclude their own unworthy members from their varNa). It is at best a crude approximation.

The way forward.

  • Every hindu must be ennobled, rather than “noble” jAti-s loosing their noble traditions. For example, devoted and eligible people born in shudra jAti-s should be bestowed with saMskAra-s like the yajjNopavIta. We must not fall into ridiculousness analogous to: “organising a beauty contest is an affront to unattractive persons. A music concert is an offensive show-off stunt against the deaf community.”
  • A modified varNa-vyavasthA could be adapted - varNavatI.