Thoughts on Varna Jaati and their being birth and/or karma based

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1. The status of varNa as “गुणकर्मविभागश:” is clear and old. Here karma implies both sanchit (past life) and kriyamāNa (what you do this life). Since very few people do such a vigorous karma in this life that it overcomes purva-sanchit, for most people varNa is birth based.

2. Varna is linked with āshrama. A brahmachāri and a sannyāsī has no varNa. For all practical purposes, only gruhasthāshrama person gets a varNa. This is case at least for those born in first three varNa families.

3. Varna is also linked with purushārtha.

3.1 A gruhasthāshrama brāhmaNa has to pursue dharma+moksha.

3.2 A gruhasthāshrama Kshatriya naturally pursues (owing time purva sanskāra) artha and dharma/moksha too it good sanchit and born with that sort of inclination

3.3 A gruhasthāshrama vaishya pursues kāma and artha predominantly. If born with past relevant sanchit then they also pursue dharma-moksha.

3.4 One outside these are those who only wish to pursue kāma. Monetary status aside, all those who “enjoy life”, “dil ki suno”, “You only live once”, etc are never initiated into varNāshrama dharma and are shudra.

Caveat : 

There are quite a few born in such shudra families too who showed spark/inclination towards dharma-moksha. They have shone time and again with help of Bhakti-yoga. Either straight Mukti or good gati and then formal initiation in subsequent births-

Example of Kunbi-maratha dichotomy of MH

Maratha = kshatriya

Kunbi = vaishya or shudra.

Elevation of shudras/Vaishyas to Kshatriyas is common. Holkar etc are examples. While their jāti remained dhangar, varNa became Kshatriya. All contemporary dharma-pandits have certified that. In any era (except modern), everyone has been wanting to move up.

That is human tendency. तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय.

But in era where there are material benefits to call oneself backwards, kuNbi identity became strong and Marathas too demanded and got reservation. Heck, even a section of Brahmins are now demanding the same looking at success of Marathas.

In era when reservation won’t matter and if dharma survives, everyone will return of earlier order. So in summary - while most of get varNa at birth owing to Purva-karma, it is possible to change varNa and move up (or down) by one’s relevant and vigorous karma.

Jāti is physical. You cannot change it. It is like skin colour. You are born with and die in your jāti. So you may be a chitpāvan. But you need not necessarily be a Brahmin.

Yes due to your ancestors you will be initially accorded some respect and privileges. But if your conduct is not according to how it should be, that goes away with time/generations. Since so many among us now a days want to be shudra live life to fulfill kāma (desires, not just sex), I will be keenly observing how the subsequent generations of these “you only live once” people born in privileged jāti fare!!

Not just materially. But holistically. I have already seen how sharp the fall of some of these people born in Brahmin jāti many living in gated communities of cities like puNè.

If you don’t try to swim this bhavasāgara and put some efforts you are destined to drown!!