some quotes from dharma saastras.

आपो नारा इति प्रोक्ताः आपो वै नरसूनवः।
ताः यदस्यायतनं पूर्वं तेन नारायणः स्मृतः॥
ब्राह्मण्यां ब्राह्मणात् जातः संस्कृतो ब्राह्मणो भवेत्।
एवम् क्षत्रिय वित् शूद्रः ज्ञेयाः स्वेभ्यः स्वयोनिजाः॥
अध्यापनं च अध्ययनं यजनं याजनं तथा
... दानं प्रतिग्रहश्चैव षट्कर्माण्यग्रजन्मनः॥
तपो विशेषैः विविधैः व्रतैश्च विधि चोदितैः
वेदः कृत्स्नोऽधिगन्तव्यः सरहस्यो द्विजन्मना॥
aapo naaraa iti proktaaH aapo vai narasuunavaH.
taaH yadasyaayatanaM puurvaM tena naaraayaNaH smR^itaH..
braahmaNyaaM braahmaNaat jaataH saMskR^ito braahmaNo bhavet.
evam kSatriya vit shuudraH j~neyaaH swebhyaH swayonijaaH..
adhyaapanaM cha adhyayanaM yajanaM yaajanaM tathaa
daanaM pratigrahashchaiva SaTkarmANyagrajanmanaH..
tapo viesheSaiH vividhaiH vrataishcha vidhi choditaiH
veadaH kR^itsno.adhigantavyaH sarahasyo dwijanmanaa..
waters are called naaraas because the waters are the children of Nara an incarnation of Vishnu.. That Vishnu who made his resting place the Naaraas or waters is called Narayana.

A child born to a brahmin woman on a brahmin male and is purified by the necessary samskaaraas is brahmana. Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra are also determined by the yonis in which they are born.

Teaching, studentship, doing yajnas, performing yajnas on behalf of others, giving gifts and receiving gifts are the six functions of a brahmin.

The Vedas are to be learned and practices by brahmin after learning it through strict observation of penances, rituals, fastings, all prescribed by shastraas, and such 

Vedaas are to be learned with precision and  utomost care to maintain its secret nature by the Dwijas.

These are some quotations from traditional dharmasaastras.. to accept  those beliefs or not is left to  the choice of the learned and the discerning people ..

the real law of Aarshabharatham

the real law of Aarshabharatham

श्रदधदानाः शुभां विद्यां आदेयादवरादपि।
अन्त्यादति परां धर्मं स्त्रीरत्नं दुष्कुलादपि।।


sradhadhadhaanah shubhaam vidhyaam aadheyaadhavaradaadapi
anthyaadapi param dharmam sthreerathnam dushkulaadhapi

ശ്രദ്ധദാനാഃ ശുഭാം വിദ്യാം ആദേയാദവരദാദപി
അന്ത്യാദപിനപരാംധര്‍മ്മം സ്ത്രീരത്നം ദുഷ്കുലാദപി

we in India have always learned to decry all our old thoughts as conservative, pro-elite, and inflexible.  This edict one from one of the master lawmakers, (I find from my references) 
Aapasthamba.

those who have intense yearning and interest in learning should not hesitate to go and learn from a person with knowledge in the field even if he is not of matching caste, status etc.,  the ultimate dharma of life should be begged and acquired even if the source for such knowledge is the lowest born human being if the latter is capable of imparting it. And one should not consider about the bad name or status of the family while accepting a gem-like girl in marriage

What else can you expect from the most mature civilization in this world?  We have heard only about jathibhedam and mathadwesham but ours was always a country without such discrimination as proclaimed by the greatest Narayana guru.  If the evil souls manipulated the noble thoughts and law to suit their ulterior motives it was only the failure of the system.  
Not the noble preceptors. 
All know the experience of sankara before a chandala  with four dogs who appeared before him in his path and Shankara asked Him to move away from the path because the Chandalas proximity was polluting. Then Chandala asks about who was impure, whether the body of the Chandala or the Atman residing inside him.Shankara is humbled and it so happens that the Chandala was Lord Shankara Himself, and the four dogs he was leading were the four Vedas..

Friends, I would request you to forward this one to every friend of yours who  loves India and I may be given a copy of it.  I am sure such simple bul unadulerated law can arise only in this great sacred land

the real law of Aarshabharatham

श्रदधदानाः शुभां विद्यां आदेयादवरादपि।
अन्त्यादति परें धर्मं स्त्रीरत्नं दुष्कुलादपि।।


sradhadhadhaanah shubhaam vidhyaam aadheyaadhavaradaadapi
anthyaadapi param dharmam sthreerathnam dushkulaadhapi

ശ്രദ്ധദാനാഃ ശുഭാം വിദ്യാം ആദേയാദവരദാദപി
അന്ത്യാദപിനപരാംധര്മംസ്ത്നീരത്നം ദുഷ്കുലാദപി

we have alway learned to decry all out old thoughts as conservative, pro-elite, and inflexible.  this is one from one of the master lawmakers, i think aapasthamba.

those who have intense yearning and interest in learning should not hesitate to go and learn from a person with knowledge in the field even if he is not of matching caste status etc.,  the ultimate dharma of life should be begged and acquired from even the lowest born human being if the latter is capable of imparting it. And one should consider about the bad name or status of the family while accepting a gem like girl in marriage

What else can you expect from the most mature civilization in this world.   We have heard only about jathibhedam and mathadwesham but this was always a country without such discrimination as proclaimed by the greatest Narayana guru.  If the evil souls manipulated the noble thoughts and law to suit their ulterior motives it was only the failure of the system.  Not the noble preceptors. All know the experience of sankara before a chandala

Friends, I would request you to forward this one to every friend of yours who  loves India and I may be given a copy of it.  I am sure such simple bul unaulerated law can arise only in this great sacred land