Page 24 - MTYOI - Eng

2 A Message to the Youth of India

civilization and happiness, the process of change in
India has been one of gradual degradation.
Since the beginning of Kali-yuga, five thousand
years ago, ungodly forces have been eroding India’s
religious sanctity from within. Kali-yuga’s influence
began with the downfall of the once saintly brähmaëa
community. The original varëäçrama system allowed all
classes to be trained according to individual qualities
and abilities, and thus even persons from lower
families, if possessing an intellectual and virtuous
disposition, could be trained as brähmaëas. But later,
the distinguishing of caste merely on the basis of birth
led to exploitation, instead of the cooperation for
which varëäçrama was intended. Consequently, Hindu
society became pervaded by empty ritualism within the
upper castes, discontent among the lower castes, and
lack of genuine spirituality throughout.
A thousand years ago, Bhärata, which had once
ruled the world but was now internally sick and weak,
fell to invaders. The aggressors, having gained political
control by rule of arms, solidified their position by
promoting their own faith, especially among the
oppressed, lower-caste Hindus, many of whom readily
abandoned the religion of their forefathers to instead
eat cows and hate Vedic deities.
Later on, the British intelligently ascertained
that the Hindus’ tremendous cultural strength derived
from their implicit faith in brahminical sanctity and