Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha Dear Shri Vimal, Here are my answers. "You" is a second person usage as usual and is general. > So, what exactly is your point with respect to > Varnashrama Dharma (specifically: casteism) in the > curent day SriVaishnvasim?? Do you say that those who > are born as SriVaishnavas are definitely superior to > those who are not but still practise SriVaishnavism?? The "BODY" of one who is born as a brahmana is superior to that of others as per the shruthi/smruthi/ithihasam. So, even if a brahmana does something wrong, do not criticize him. Whatever mistakes he does let him bear it as a consequence in his next births. Shri Vaishnavam talks about atma ujjeevanam - self realization. And hence, once a person realizes that, does not talk about the caste. BUT, when it comes to marriages, it is a better idea to keep the culture in place by not indulging in inter-caste marriages(our purvacharyas have maintained this). Whether you are a brahmana and a vaishnava and you marry a brahmana girl who is not a Vaishnava, it does not matter. A true Vaishnava can change anyone and everyone. > Given that you stick to the importance of > Varnashrama Dharma, how would you advocate practising > it today?? Do you advise all of us born in the > "Brahmin" families to start leading a "vedic" life > like in the olden days?? May I add that no matter > what, we all belong to the "fourth caste" for the only > reason that we are serving people who are not even > interested in God, but only interested in making more > money?? If one can practise good old vedic life, that would be great! If one cannot, be open to accept that it is you who chose to be so. Please do not propogate that Shrivaishnavam encourages to drop off Varnashrama Dharmam. If you want to mix up all the castes and creeds, then please feel free to do so. But kindly don't involve Shri Vaishnavam into that. That is all my request is. Vaishnavam is realization. When one attains that, one will not see any caste or creed. Until one reaches that level it is better to maintain the basic integrity of the deha-dharmas to the level best possible say by performing one's nithyakarmas(at the least), prabandha recitations, maintaining food habits, madi/acharam to the best possible etc. I will stop with this post(moderator - this is a promise:) on this subject. Kindly talk to the appropriate acharyans to find out more details. Yatheendra Pravanam Vandhe RAMYA Jamataram Munim Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan, Lakshmi Narasimhan
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