'Varnas' are 4 major divisions of labour or profession, within a typically Hindu society.
They don't exist on a hierarchy, with brahmins at the top and shudras at the bottom.
They exist side by side, with no one being supreme and no one being mean or despicable.
Varnas are not acquired by birth alone.
Voluntary inter-change of varnas is permitted, but due to rigidities in the present day's Hindu society and several misconceptions surrounding the basis of division of these varnas, this inter-change does not happen.
(Chanakya was brahmin by birth, but kshatriya by choice; Drona also ditto. Sage Yagnyavalkya says he brought up one of his sons as a brahmin, one as a kshatriya and so on).
Varnashrama Dharma as described in Manu smriti etc. is neither practical nor acceptable, with the ever-changing society and its culture.
I am a strong votary of Thiruvalluvar (Pirappokkum ella uyirkkum),
Avvai (Sathi irandozhiya verillai) and Bharathi (sathigal illaiyadi paappa; endha niramirundhalum, avai yavum ore tharam andro) in this matter.
I will post more in the following days/weeks, upon seeing the responses from other members
They don't exist on a hierarchy, with brahmins at the top and shudras at the bottom.
They exist side by side, with no one being supreme and no one being mean or despicable.
Varnas are not acquired by birth alone.
Voluntary inter-change of varnas is permitted, but due to rigidities in the present day's Hindu society and several misconceptions surrounding the basis of division of these varnas, this inter-change does not happen.
(Chanakya was brahmin by birth, but kshatriya by choice; Drona also ditto. Sage Yagnyavalkya says he brought up one of his sons as a brahmin, one as a kshatriya and so on).
Varnashrama Dharma as described in Manu smriti etc. is neither practical nor acceptable, with the ever-changing society and its culture.
I am a strong votary of Thiruvalluvar (Pirappokkum ella uyirkkum),
Avvai (Sathi irandozhiya verillai) and Bharathi (sathigal illaiyadi paappa; endha niramirundhalum, avai yavum ore tharam andro) in this matter.
I will post more in the following days/weeks, upon seeing the responses from other members
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