Are we Sankaras ( संकर according to Bhagavat Geeta Chapter 1).?

Question

In the first chapter of Sri mad Bhagavat Geeta, Arjuna said to Sri krishna that if this war happens then everyone in the world will become Sankara ( संकर)(Bhagavat Geeta 1.41-44) And later war occurred. Does it mean that we all are Sankara ( संकर).?

Answer 1

Varṇa-saṅkara means mixing between different varnas. It essentially means the collapse of varṇāśrama-dharma. It is true that most people in the modern day are a result of varṇa-saṅkara due to the mahābhārata war that happened about 5000 years ago. It also increased due to huna, yavana/mleccha invasions that happened in bhārata. In modern-day India, it is happening freely. The solution is the re-establish the varṇāśrama-dharma in society on the basis of guṇa-karma as śrī-kṛṣṇa teaches in Bhagavad-gītā 4.13.

catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah tasya kartaram api mam viddhy akartaram avyayam

TRANSLATION

According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.

Once the varṇas are re-establish then people marrying within the same varṇa will attract a same-varṇa soul in the mothers womb.

Answer 2

There is no pure endogamous jati today. Name based varna and associated Gotra is a fantasy. No Hindu today really knows his varna.

For example, take a look at this shloka from Garuda Purana.

Brahmana-hood is rare

The soul obtains human body after passing through series of births. O bird, in human body too, his birth as a Brahmana is rare event.

Garuda Purana, Dharma Khanda, Chapter XIX

Most of the people who think they are Brahmana because of a Brahmana name is not really of Brahmana Varna.

Why is this so?

Hindu scripture says that this is due to intermarriage between people with different Varnas. This is the reason why conduct should be used to determine Varna and not name.

Yudhisthira’s view on Varnashram dharma

Yudhisthira said, " In human society, O mighty and highly intelligent serpent, it is difficult to ascertain one's caste, because of promiscuous intercourse among the four orders. This is my opinion. Men belonging to all orders (promiscuously) begat offspring upon women of all the orders. And of men, speech, sexual intercourse, birth and death are common. And to this the Rishis have borne testimony by using as the beginning of a sacrifice such expressions as -- of what caste server may be, we celebrate the sacrifice. Therefore, those that are wise have asserted that character is the chief essential requisite .... Whatsoever now conforms to the rules of pure and virtuous conduct. Him have I ere now designated as Brahmana.'

(Mahabharata Aranya Parva Section CLXXIX)

Puranas complain about intermarriages.

Said the Fire God: Pusakara narrated to Parashrama (the tenets of faith and the laws of conduct to be observed by the different castes of people as laid down by the different Manus, which were disclosed to him by the god Varuna and a knowledge whereof imparts enjoyment of good things in this world and salvation in this next. Puskara said: "I shall presently discuss the articles of faith and the laws of conduct which should be adapted and observed by the four castes of people in their every day life, which were approved of, even by the god Vasudeva and which carry the sanction and authority of the different Manus. Cessation of all killing propensities, truthfulness, mercy, kindness toward all created beings, serving god, Brahmins and one's own parents and respectable relations, worship of one's ancestors, veneration towards the King, perusal of good and pious literature, forbearance, fortitude in suffering and theism are the virtues which should be cultivated by members of the four castes and by men in general.

Since the investiture with the holy thread, a member of the twice-born caste is supposed to take a second spiritual birth and I shall describe the castes which children born of parents not members of the same caste, would respectively belong to. A child born of parents belonging to different castes would get the caste of its mother, but on the contrary a child born of a Sudra father by a Brahmin mother would be candala. Similarly a child born of a Kshatriya father by a Brahmin mother is called a Suta, while one born of a Vaisya father by a Brahmin mother would belong to a Devala caste. Similarly a child born of a Sudra father by a Kshatriya mother is known as a Pukkasa, while the one born of a Vaisya father by a Kshatriya mother is known as a Magadha. A son born of a Sudra father by a Vaisya mother is called a Ayogava and thousands of different castes have been known to have originated out of intermarriages between Vaisya girls and youths belonging to the above said hybrid castes. ............................ Thousands of hybrid castes have arisen out of intermarriages between Vaisya men and brides of other Pratiloma castes. A member of the Dashika community should earn the livelihood by means of women or by serving as a guard of the female apartments..... A man by renouncing this life (or the welfare of a Brahmin or for the forbearance of the common weal, becomes exempted from all subsequent re-births. The hybrid races should be looked upon as the off-springs of the cravings of flesh of their respective parents.

Agni Purana Chapter 151