While I am writing this post to attract non-Hindus into this endeavor, I will write as if I am speaking to non-Hindus so as to avoid an explanatory tone, assuming the Westerner or simply non-Indian will pick up on the conversation naturally. As we progress through our Hindu quest each of us will take different paths to the Vedas, become involved in different organization and ideas, and follow various gurus at some time or another, until we either find our true way (dharma) within the Arya fold or some of us will never stop searching from place to place. I have written on this blog before about my support for eugenics (here) and how I have integrated this belief nearly seamlessly with the Hindu concept of varnashram, or what has been distorted into what most know as the "caste system". Because of this interest in eugenics, I eventually became shortly involved in an organization called "Satsang" which follows the guru Shree Shree Thakur Anukulchandra. Satsang's ideology is vast, however, the founder Anukulchandra also took a Kean interest in varnashram (caste) and preached a doctrine which was explicitly based upon eugenics.
While I became interested in Satsang, I eventually had a falling away with the organization as they made it clear they were "not Hindus", even though their entire philosophy was based upon Hinduism. But they were also too dogmatic in that if their guru said it, it must be so, and if their guru didn't say it, it was not so. For example, when I told them I was a vegan at the time I was told Anukulchandra spoke of drinking milk and so there could be nothing wrong with drinking milk and therefore my veganism was not necessary. This dogmatism reached their implementation of eugenics as well which explains why even though they are strictly dedicated to the philosophy they have never been able to implement it. First, all of Anukulchandra's writing on eugenics are in Bengali and I was told that to read them I would have to learn Bengali as they did not want to taint their guru's words by translating them into English. Worse than this, I was told that if I were to get involved in this endeavor I would have to follow Anukulchandra's exact prescription for eugenics or nothing at all, it was a crystalized system in theory and so therefore totally impractical when it comes to modern day application. It was because of these differences that I eventually left Satsang.
While I was unable to obtain Anukulchandra's eugenic philosophy in its totality due to the language restriction placed upon the science, I did pick up on a few theories which intrigued and stimulated me, and I am certain that if I could read all of Anukulchandra's works on eugenics I would be stunned and surprised by its depth and insight. There were two systems of his which I was able to ascertain, and they both dealt with the biological "Aryanization" of the human race. The first concept was that women should marry men who were one caste rank above them, this was done to slowly push more "Aryan" genes down the gene line and thus over time evolve the population into an Aryan mold. The second concept involved our modern science of epigenetics. Modern research has shown that our life experiences actually edit parts of our DNA called epigenetics, this means that behavior engaged in one's lifetime can be transmitted to future generations. For example, it is believed that many of us have unexplained phobias because one of our ancestor experienced negative interactions with the object or situation that we fear. If a tribe is caught up in war for several generations it could eventually transmit this skill into future progeny and create an ethnicity with superior army skills. If a breeding population is involved in any sort of honed activity over generations, Anukulchandra believed that this activity would become an instinct within the gene line, an inborn trait, and this seems to correlate with modern science. What is a Hindu Rakshasa, a line of humans who have practiced demonism for several generations until they have acquired a demonic countenance and even certain siddhi ("magic") powers.
But if the varna system is about moving biology, in which direction are we supposed to be moving, what is the biological goal of this "Aryan" eugenic program? Many Westerners believe that the ideal is for the system to move toward lighter skin, hair, and eyes, but is this prescription alone enough to build an "Aryan" society? What if they are dumb blondes or blue-eyed devils or ill-tempered redheads, or green-eyed monsters? Light colored people can be just as lazy, ignorant, stupid, wicked, criminal, useless and otherwise adharmic as any other race, so how could skin color be the requirement for Aryanization? Are darker whites less Aryan than lighter whites? Do we need to take this racial varna system to the point that we choose blondes over brunettes? This ideal is likely impossible since the varna system is encoded within the Vedas, and when these were written they likely pertained to one single tribal type, skin and eye color and other physical features; the varna system was likely set up originally to work within races rather than between them. The "caste system" was probably not originally set up to sort races by colors, even if there was an "Aryan invasion" as some believe. A single race of one color has Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Sudras within it, the Vedas say they are all of one body.
The Brahman was his mouth, of both his arms was the Kshatriya made. His thighs became the Vaisya, from his feet the Sudra was produced. - Rig Veda 10.90.12
So if the original purpose of the varna system was not necessarily color sorting than what was it all about? The distinctions of the varna system have nothing to do with coloration but occupation. The varna system is a division of labor within a race. Brahmins are the scholars and scientists, Kshatriyas the rulers and politicians, Vaishyas the merchants and administrators, and Shudras the landowners and laborers. Now within each varna their is furhter division of labor known as jati, jatis are more specific occupations like scribe, archer, accountant, and farmer; these are classified under their respective varnas. Why does varna sift us by labor more so than by color (though this is also possible if desired)? The science of epigenetics and the theories of Anukulchandra give us some clues. If vanas and jatis practice endogamous reproduction (not even necessarily marriage) within an occupation, than over time the occupation would become innate within the blood of the tribe or ethnicity; they would be biologically crafted for their occupation wich would give them almost guaranteed income through their varna or jati's guild and they would experience happiness and fullfilment as they are exactly where they need to be. Women within the varna guild would pair for reproduction with men who had been in the program perhaps a generation or two longer then them, and by this system the tribe would be slowly evolved into its occupation.
Now, this is not to say that occupation is the only criteria for which a jati guild can be bred for, there are of course physical, mental, emotional and spiritual traits which can be considered. If a tribe desires to have a certain racial appearance, there is no problem with them breeding this appearance into their people over time as they simultaneously breed them into their respective occupations, the same could be done with mental and emotional traits. But what would make them "Aryans"? When people speak of "Aryans" they are usually not speaking of one's occupation but rather their spiritual essence, and what other test is there for the selection of Aryan qualities then affinity to the Samhita Vedas? These Samhitas, the oldest parts of the Vedas, are relatively acultural, or at least they are acultural enough so that they can be readily consumed by other cultures just as the Bible has been. Isn't affinity to the Koran the mark of a Muslim? Isn't affinity to the Talmud the mark of a Jew? Without using the Vedas as our benchmark we have nothing but subjective markers by which to go by and thus there is no universal system, only individual quests for racial purity, and this can go in any direction; of course some would prefer to breed simply for physical strength, or intelligence, or even criminality, without the Vedas there is no standard for who is an Aryan and who is not.
Many Hindu believe in the coming Messiah, the Kalki, the one who will end the Kali Yuga and usher in the golden age, but what is the mark of this Messiah, how can we tell it is him. The Kalki Purana states that the initiation of the golden age is the re-establishment of the varna (caste) system, the dark age produced by neglect of this system. But the secular establishment of biological guilds and division of labor could not be the sign of the golden age as this system, without the Vedas, could be used in any direction, especially an adharmic direction. We must not only select for occupational skills but also one's affinity to the Vedas, the greater the affinity, the greater the Aryan. Rather than establishing castes between races, each race is asked to create a varna system internally, within itself, and by following this system and the Vedas they would gain power and preeminence over those who don't, and of course they are free to additionally include other physical, mental and emotional qualities, but these should be guided under Vedic ideals rather than pure whimsy. Under such a system, not only are humans diversified by occupation, they can also be diversified by race, but without the Vedas, it's not Aryanization.