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Q & A: caste system
 From Vedics Mag: Volume1, Issue 2
http://vedics.net/magazine/index.html
Mukundan Pattangi

The truth about Varna (Occupation) and JAti (Caste)

Question: What is VEDICS view on Caste system? Is it true that the Vedic 
religion divides people based on birth?

Answer:  Popular misconceptions say that the Vedic religion encourages 
division of human beings based on one's birth. As a result, some people 
have abused these misconceptions and misinformation for personal 
gains.  Much of this misconception can be attributed to the use of the 
words 'Varna' and 'JAti' interchangeably.  A closer analysis will reveal 
just how wrong these misconceptions are.

Question:   What is Varna?

Answer:  The root word for Varna is 'Vri' which means one's occupation. The 
Varna system was hence originally based on division of labor. Those whose 
duties were to protect the men, animals and properties were called as 
'Kshatriyas', the warriors.  Those who had skills in teaching and scholarly 
thought were 'Brahmins' and so on.

The Varna system was solely based on the attitude of an individual and 
his/her propensity for performing certain duties. The source of these 
identified in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita as being the gunas, or inner 
qualities, that were the result of the karmas of each individual from 
previous lives.  Those who had more of Sattva guna were Brahmins, those who 
had Rajasic Guna were Kshatriyas and so on.

Question: Is that just your opinion or there is any proof for this?

Answer: To quote from Lord Krishna?s words in Chapter 4, Verse 13 of Sri 
mad Bhagavad Gita:

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

The Lord says that according to the three modes of material nature and the 
work associated with them, He created the four divisions of human society.



Question: Are there any examples of great scholars who were not born in 
Brahmin families?


Answer: We have instances from purAnas of many who were not born from 
Brahmin parents actually teaching Brahmins and Kshatriyas. For example, Sri 
Vedavyasa was the one who actually compiled 4 Vedas. But he was not born to 
Brahmin parents

At some time, many many thousands of years ago, people had some right to 
choose over their Varna based on their karmas and their 
interests.  However, over time, fathers began to expect their sons to take 
over the duties of their specific calling. Due to the continual aspect of 
the son taking over father's duties in the society,  the 'work associated' 
became a matter of birth and in later days, became identified as a birth 
right.

Question:   And what is jAti?

Answer:  The root for jAti is 'jan', which means birth. It might have 
happened that due to a continual devolution of one's father's duty to his 
son over many years, Varna became confused with jAti and we know where we 
are now.

Instead of having four divisions of labors, we now have several dozen 
jAtis, each competing with one another for special rights, and each blaming 
the other for the problems of society. So, even though two jAtis may 
actually belong to one varna, they may see each other as being two 
different castes.  It is this which has led to the degradation of the varna 
system and a general disrespect for the Vedas.

While it may not be possible to move completely away from the equating of 
varna and jAti, we must recognize that when our pUrvacharyas referred to 
Varna, they literally meant two things:
    * One's attitude (Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasa Gunas)
    * The duties the individual held in the society.

What is important to recognize that, in line with Vedic teachings, our 
pUrvacharyas refused to acknowledge one Varna as being greater than 
another, or one being lower than another. All people, irrespective of their 
Varna are equal in their ability to do Good for this world, and in their 
ability to obtain salvation through surrender to the Lotus Feet of Sriman 
Narayana.

In many of the Sri Vaishnava works such as Sri Vachana Bhushanam, it is 
clearly emphasized that a Sri Vaishnava , irrespective of  race, caste, or 
gender should be revered and respected as 'ThirumAl adiyAr' (a servant of 
the Lord of Lakshmi)

Consequently, while we must respect and perform the duties and obligations 
of our specific varna, we must not divide ourselves by jAti.  We are all 
one family bound together by Sriman Narayana and His Unconditional Love for 
each and every one of us.



Question: In recent years are there examples of Non-Brahmin born Scholars 
who in turn had Brahmin born students?


Answer:  BCE 3102, about 5100  Years ago: Svami Satagopan (Nammazhvar) was 
born into a family belonging to   4th Varna, Sudra.  He is  regarded to be 
the greatest among the 10 Azhvars and is also the "most important" AchArya 
of our lineage of teachers, who revealed the essence of the Vedas and 
Upanishads to all of us.  All Srivaishnvas including BRAHMINS OFFER PRAYERS 
TO HIM DAILY.

Our Azhvars time periods are given below.

Mudal Azhvars: Dwapara: 8,62,900        same as BCE 4202
Thirumazhisai   : Dwapara: 8,62,900     same as BCE 4202
Nammazhvar      :  Kali: 001            same as BCE 3102
Madhurakavi     : similar time period as Nammazhvar.
Kulashekara             : Kali 027 same as BCE 3075
PeriAzhvar              :  Kali 046 same as BCE 3056
Andal                   :  Kali 097 same as BCE 3005
Thondaradipodi  :  Kali 288 same as BCE 2814
Thiruppan               :  Kali 342 same as BCE 2760
Thirumangai             :  Kali 397 same as BCE 2706

According to the Vedas, time is given in cycles of four yugas:

Krutha Yuga             17,28,000 years
Thretha Yuga            12,96,000 years
Dwapara Yuga    8,64,000 years
Kali Yuga               4,32,000 years

Most of the Azhvars are not born in Brahmin families, but we keep their 
Vigraha in the temple and homes and worship them. This clearly shows that 
in Sri Vaishnava tradition, caste is irrelevant; being a devotee of the 
Lord is what matters. (Any living being is equally qualified to be His devotee)



Question:  Are there any examples in the last few hundred years?

Answer: Yes, there are many examples in Sri Vaishnava Acharyas.  The noted 
scholar Sri Pillailokacharya lived in Srirangam throughout his life and was 
a strong believer, preacher & propagator in equality of various varnas in 
the eyes of God. One of his foremost disciples was a Harijan, called 
vilAncolaippiLLai, who became very learned and, in his turn, had many 
Brahmins as his disciples.  In the eyes of the Lord all are same and 
everyone has been given this blessed birth. This is an opportunity to fall 
in love with God, and realize our true purpose of life, irrespective of 
race, caste, or gender.

===================================================================
Please note
1=> Purvachayas taught Samskritha Vedas ONLY to Dwijas.
2=> They never appointed non-brahmins as archakas.
3=> They preached compassion to all beings at all time.
4=> They appointed many non-brahmins for other (non-archaka) services in 
the temple for the LORD.
5=> They have had thousands of Non-brahmin sishyas and moved closely with them.

Caste is irrelavent for Sri Viashnavas,
but for Veidhika Karmas,
Vedas is needed and to learn and chant Vedas, its rules must be followed.


adiyens appeal to the followers of the religion not go against our 
Purvacharyas ways, (1 and 2)
Purvacharyas have had the utmost intelligence and education, on top of the 
being in HIS grace,
and have thought of everything possible and given the answers to everything 
that we may ask.

Let us "never" ever think that we, with this very limited knowledge can ever
do better than them. Let us pray to the lord that all the believers stay in
this path and not try to create new rules and religions
under the guise of SriViashnvam.

I end this thread in the words of Mamunikal,

"MunnOr mozhinda muRai thappAmal kETTu
pinnOrndhu thAm adanaippEsAde * tham nenjil
thORRinadhE solli ? idu suddha upadEsavara
VARRadenbar ? mUrkarAvAr      -  (URM 71) "
==============================================


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






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