D.: If varnasrama dharma be meant, such dharma prevails only in India. On the other hand the Gita should be universally applicable.
M.: There is varnasrama in some form or other in every land. The significance is that one should hold on to the single Atman and not swerve therefrom. That is the whole gist of it.
One visitor asked Bhagavan if it was not necessary that the varnasrama differences should go if the nation was to progress.
Bhagavan: How can one say whether it is necessary or not necessary? I never say anything on such subjects. People often come and ask me for my opinion on varnasrama. If I say anything they will at once go and publish in the papers, ‘So and so also is of such and such an opinion.’ The same scriptures which have laid down varnasrama dharma have also proclaimed the oneness of all life and abheda buddhi as the only reality. Is it possible for anyone to teach a higher truth than the Unity or Oneness of all life? There is no need for anyone to start reforming the country or the nation before reforming himself.
Each man’s first duty is to realise his true nature. If after doing it, he feels like reforming the country or nation, by all means let him take up such reform. Ram Tirtha advertised,‘Wanted reformers — but reformers who will reform themselves first.’ No two persons in the world can be alike or can act alike.
External differences are bound to persist, however hard we may try to obliterate them. The attempts of so-called social reformers, to do away with such classes or divisions as varnasrama has created, have not succeeded, but have only created new divisions and added a few more castes or classes to the already existing ones, such as the Brahmo-Samajists and the Arya-Samajists.
The only solution is for each man to realise his true nature.
Sources:
1) DAY BY DAY WITH BHAGAVAN From the Diary of A. DEVARAJA MUDALIAR
2) Talks With Ramana Maharshi Book
