Talk:Varṇa Dharm for Universal Well-being:The Ultimate Purpose of ''Varṇa Dharm''

By Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swami

When factories took the place of handicrafts and cottage industries, the small village communities became urbanised. The needs of people multiplied—and so too the number of occupations. Today, when the old way of life is gone, it seems impossible to revive the system of hereditary vocations. Is it any longer practicable to insist that only Kṣatriya-s ought to man the defence services, that only Vaiśya-s can transact trade and business, that the members of the fourth varṇa must continue to remain labourers?

"Is it at all possible to revive the old system?"

I am not unaware of the state of affairs now prevailing. If so, why do I keep extolling varṇa-dharm? There are two reasons.

First, whatever be the situation today—and whether or not we can return to the old order—it is not right to claim, as people nowadays do, that the old order was utterly unjust, or that it was created by the vested interests for their own good and convenience. We must be able to convince the critics that the old order was not unjust at all. There is nothing like varṇa-dharm to help people to attain inner purity. This dharm, apart from helping society to function in a disciplined and harmonious manner, also brings well-being to all and gives an impetus to culture.

There is an even more important reason. Today the functions of the Kṣatriya-s, Vaiśya-s and Śūdra-s have changed and become mixed. Even so, the work of the government goes on somehow. Defence, the manufacture of various articles, trade, and labour—all these go on somehow. But, unlike in the past, there is jealousy as well as rivalry in all fields. Even so, the duties of the three castes are carried out despite the fact that varṇa-dharm has broken up. These functions are a practical necessity for day-to-day life as well as for the functioning of the government. So they are performed, albeit unsatisfactorily.

There is, however, a function higher than all these. It is that of taking all of them—all these functions—to their ultimate point. And this function belongs to the brāhmaṇic way of life, and it has become almost extinct.

To teach dharm by precept and practice, the dharm that is the foundation of all activities, to invoke the divine powers through the Vedic chant for the good of all mankind, to create high ideals through their own austere life, to nurture the ātmic strength of the community, to promote the arts, to nourish culture—these embrace the dharm of brāhmaṇa-s and it is now on the verge of extinction.

The need for the brāhmaṇic dharm is not widely recognised because of its subtle and intangible character. There is no realisation of this among the other three varṇa-s. Indeed, it is this dharm that gives meaning to life and creates a path for its fulfilment. We ignore it and devote ourselves solely to the functions of the varṇa-s. If any improvement is made in them, we are happy. But what use is material prosperity without ātmic and cultural advancement? Material progress is no progress at all.

"Americans have realised this truth—we ought also to realise the same."

So, however confusedly the functions of other castes are carried out, the brāhmaṇa must function in the right manner—as a pathfinder for others by living a life of simplicity and sacrifice, performing Vedic rites and creating worldly and ātmic well-being for mankind. In this way the soul of India will be kept alive.

If the brāhmaṇa caste is restored to order, it might well be the beginning of the end of the confused state of the other castes. In this land alone has there existed—and existed for ages—a jāti for the protection of dharm and the ātmic uplift of all. If this jāti becomes extinct there will be all-round decay.

"If I have spoken at length I have this purpose in view, that this jāti must be revived in its true form so as to prevent the general decline of the nation."

The brāhmaṇa jāti must not live a life of self-indulgence. On the contrary, it must perform rites all through the day for the welfare of society. Brāhmaṇa-s must live austerely, with love for all in their hearts. If they are restored to their dharm, our society in its entirety will be brought to the path of dharm and will be saved.