[Advaita-l] Eligibility of Shudras & Outcastes to learn Hinduism

[Venkata sriram P]

There is an apavAda on the statement that shUdrAs are required to 
serve the brAhmaNAs.  Straight away this is lifted as it is and 
was thrust on shUdrAs saying that *you must serve a brAhmaNa*.
 
At the same time, one must also see that what sort of brAhmaNa
was he asked to serve.  He should be sadAchAri, shrOtriya who 
should perform all the shaTkarmAs.  And above all, devoid of 
superiority complex that he belongs to brAhmaNa varNa.  
 
If one serves such a brAhmaNa, naturally, he would be blessed with
kalyANa only because such a brAhmaNa only performs his 
anuSTAna for lOka kalyANa by offering his tapObala. 
 
People tend to forget this *extra responsibility* having taking birth in
brahmin families.   They should perform sandhyavandana, devatarchana,
brahma yajna, aupasana etc.  The thread they are wearing on the left shoulder
should remind them of their kartavya that they are born for anuSTAna only
not for *eat, drink and be merry*.  
 
Hope the philosophy behind chAturvarNa is clear now.
 
regs,
sriram