FWIW, I respectfully disagree with nILA on several points. (Though I could not get in a word sidewise yesterday, it would be remiss not to clarify.)
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It is crucial that young children should be exposed to diverse thought-steams from a very young age. This includes evil ones including those that say “Your Gods are false” or “We will destroy your religion”. Just as with vaccination, early exposure to germs prevents future disease (and death), so too exposure to mind-germs. Further, children are naturally curious about everything. So, the idea “don’t tell him all this till he’s older” is wrong.
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As per the shAstra-s and AchAryas (including the jIyar who gave samAshrayaNa to nILA doDamma), it is important to preserve dharma - including varNAshrama dharma to the extant possible. Only thence will we together attain victory. This includes conservation of brAhmaNya, kShatriyatva, vaishyatva and shUdratva. Of course, it is up to each family (and to a lesser extant - individual) to decide the extant to which can or will conserve such standards. Adherence to the rules of sages to the extant possible should not be considered an affront to others who can’t or won’t.
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Introduction to sadAchAra at a young age is no impediment for future professional or social success. I have been in close contact with successful sadAchAraniShTha-s from around the globe. As a matter of fact, more people from distant parts have visited, helped and hosted me than either of my parents.
Needless to say, divine minded shUdras, vaishya-s etc. should be honored. Indeed, shrI vedAnta-deshika quotes: “स्मृतस् संभाषितोऽपि वा”(इतिहाससमुच्चयम् 31-55) ऎण्ड्रुम्, or “The caṇḍāla who has devotion to Bhagavān - to think even by mere chance, of this chanḍāla, to talk to him and to treat him with respect - these purify the man who does so, O, Brahmin " etc.. This does not mean that brAhmaNa-s should start acting like kShatriya-s, vaishya-s or shUdra-s (or vice versa). We are truly fortunate to have encountered such great shUdra-s (even last week on the street) and vaishya-s; but it is a matter of fact that there are people of all varNa-s who have been subverted and are now evil minded. We should learn and teach about them and their PoV as well.
All these matters should be considered carefully with a cool mind, considering shAstra-s, consulting AchArya-s and - equally importantly - observing the world. One should not make up one’s mind about it in the grip of some emotion. Our natural instinct (though very useful) by itself is not always correct, and we have evolved intellect with good cause.
Each person has individual beliefs, own thoughts, ideas, ideals, way of understanding and adjustung and to some extent compromise with the present day situations and trends. Needless to say there are few who have ldeals and ideas and conservative thoughts like yours. Nothing wrong as long as they are not forced on others. No hard feeligs whatsoever. 😇
Agree with that. A couple of qualifications:
- Though modern conservatives are currently fewer, we are more determined, strongly connected and fertile. Demographically speaking, we are the future of (what will be left of) hindus.
- I am strong believer in family level autonomy. As such learned elders should judiciously use both persuasion and force to inculcate sadAchAra, as ordained by the Gods and sages.
- Of course, it makes no sense to “force” beliefs and practices upon people one does not “control”. (pseudo-)“liberals” are guilty of that. They tend to be unable to accept even personality diversity and force “equality” and “normalcy”. In contrast, conservatives accept diversity of nature + outcomes and would say - “if the Gods built you to be a plain speaker, circumspect person, psychopathic killer whatever, good - don’t fight it - just channel it towards dharma.”