VarnA & Its DharmA - 2

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Sri :

 

Srimate Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Para Brahmane Namaha

 

Srimate Sri Lakshmi - Nrusimha Divya PAdukA Sevaka -

Srivan Shatagopa Sri NArAyana Yateendra MahAdesikAya Namaha

 

 

Dear bhaktAs of Sriman NArAyanA,

 

Namo NArAyanA . kindly accept adiyen's pranAmams.

 

-- cont --

 

Now , the question arises as to how to deal with those born in a

BrAhmanA family & doesn't perform karmA according to that varnA .

Enough PramAnAs are present (some already quoted) which verily chastises

such persons. If a BrAhmanA is not a devotee of Sriman NArAyanA , he has

to be considered a chandAlA only ie. no more can he be respected as a

BrAhmanA .

 

A very popular quote from DakshaSmruthi : "The man (whomsoever are

ordered to perform ) who doesn't perform the rites pertaining to sandhyA

is ** always impure ** & is * unfit * for the performance of any

other rite. Whatever other rite or karmA he may perform , he will not

obtain the fruit thereof " .

 

Such men who doesn't perform SandhyAvandanam eventhough born in a

BrAhmanA family can't enter perumAL sannidhi , can't enter temples , can't

prostrate to elders , perumAL & the like , can't dine with other BrAhmanAs

etc , since they are always impure ( nithya theetu ie. permanant Asoucham

) . A dhoora strI (ladies in menstrual cycle) is prohibited to do certain

activities because of the theetu . Similarly , the men who according to

their varnA should perform SandhyAvandanam , somehow doesn't perform it ,

gets theetu & is thus forbidden from performing many activities .

 

Thus , by "BrAhmanAs" sAstrAs mean those born in BrAhmanA family & live

upto the standards of BrAhmanA & likewise.

 

Now let us see the Ultimate Analysis by which all the previous

discussions would become very clear :

 

Sathvam Of the Body & the Sathvam of the Mind :

---------------

 

SwAmi Desikan explains the difference between the sathvam of the body &

the sathvam of the mind.

 

MahAbhArathA :Aswamedhika ParvA (40.11) states " Tamas (ignorance,

sloth etc) is found in great measure in the sUdrA , rajas in the kshatriyA

and sathvam in the BrAhmin " .

 

The qualities of caste pertaining to the body which are due to the

special qualities of the body ,arise even at the time of birth & remains

until death. Thus , the varnA is fixed by birth , due to the type of body.

These qualities of body which can't be observed by naked eye , somehow

make the body either pure or impure for the performance of certain karmAs.

 

But, a sUdrA eventhough has the predominance of Tamas in the

composition of his body , can very well obtain the quality of sathvam

in his mind. It is because of the preponderance of sathvam in the minds of

sUdrAs & the like , the sAstrAs eulogize them & instructs everyone to

respect them highly for their devotion to Sriman NArAyanA. For great

devotees like PrahlAdA , the preponderance of sathvam in the mind was

present from the very birth. Anyone can obtain the preponderance of

sathvam in one's mind by the mercy of a SadAchAryA .

 

It must be noted that if a man born in other castes acquires the higher

virtues , he will be extolled highly as stated in the Vishnu PurAnA slokA

6.2.6 : " Men are to be honoured in the following order of preference -

for the possession of vidyA (J~nAnA) , of right karmA , of age, of

relatives & of wealth . Even a sUdrA possesing these is fit to be honoured

in old age " .

 

It is ** very very important ** to note that the excellence arising

from the body & from qualities of the mind were to cause pride or

arrogance , it would lead to evil consequences . One should for certain

develop Akinchanyam ( feeling of lowliness / lack of virtues) in the lines

of AzhvArs & AchAryAs who have set the right example :

 

Tirucchanda Viruttam (90) : " I was not born in any of the four castes

where dharmA could be practised "

 

Stotra Ratnam (61) : "I was born in a family renowned in the world

wherein everyone was pure & performed yogA (upAsanA) , where everyone knew

the truth about prakruti with its three qualities and the jIvAs , where

everyone had their mind firmly fixed at Your (Sriman NArAyanA) Lotus Feet

& yet I inclined to commit sin & am now sunk in samsArA, O Saviour ".

 

KArpanya (deep humility , lowliness etc) is very essential for a

PrapannA , since it forms as one of the angAs of Prapatti .

 

Thus , though there are regulations regarding castes and the code of

conduct pertaining to each caste, there is nothing to prevent a person

from being honoured "in the mind" .

 

-----

 

Exceptional cases / Doubts :

 

a. What about AzhvArs from lowly castes ? : AzhvArs as true devotees

of Sriman NArAyanA lived according to the varnAshrama dharmA. They never

violated it. No one can even be compared for the exaltedness of their

supreme devotion unto Sriman NArAyanA . Anyway AzhvArs are certainly

exceptional cases . The point is that , they are Nitya SoorIs having taken

the incarnation out of their mercy to preach to the suffering jIvAtmAs .

 

b. VidurA : VidurA himself says "As I was born a sUdrA , I can't teach

any further " (MahabhArathA:Udyoga ParvA 41.5 ) , since initiation into

vidyAs (upAsanAs) , mantrAs and the like should be only from a BrAhmanA.

But Sri KrishnA ate at his house because he was certainly a premier

devotee .

 

Anyway ApasthambA in his dharma sootrA (2.2.4) states that SUdrAs who

are under the supervision of AryAs are competent to cook for AryAs . In

yugAs other than kali , sUdrAs having great qualities were permitted to

cook the food for AryAs under their own supervision. MahAbhArathA:

UdyogaparvA 91.43 says " The pure VidurA having the qualities necessary

for it , brought the food ".

 

c. VisvAmitrA : He became a BrAhmanA after being a kshatriyA because of

the special causes , as the charu ( oblation of grain cooked in milk and

other things) eaten by his mother without knowing that it was intended for

producing a Brahmin child .

 

There are some more episodes which may seem to be contradictory , but

actually they aren't .

 

 

Performance of Rites according to VarnA & AshramA :

-------------------

 

Lord KrishnA in His GIta Upadesam says "One shouldn't give up karmA

ordained for the varnAs & the AshramAs .Their omission arising from

ignorance is renunciation due to tamas " & "He who gives up karmA because

it is painful & fatiguing to the body - he renounces owing to rajas and

does not obtain the fruit of renunciation " (Bhagavad GItA 18.7,8 ).

 

Rather , one should perform the prescribed karmAs with sAthvIka

tyAgam ( kartrutva tyAgam ie. without the doership attitude + mamatA

tyAgam ie. without the attitude of "mine" + phala tyAgam ie. without any

want of fruits / solely for the pleasure of Sriman NArAyanA) .

 

"To perform the karmA ordained for a man with the thought that it is

an end in itself and that it ought to be done without the desire for gain

of any kind - this is O ArjunA , tyAgam (renunciation) due to sathhvam " (

Bhagavad GItA 18.9 ).

 

 

Glories of VarnAshrama DharmA :

--------------------------------

 

Some of the pramAnams that glorify VarnAshrama dharmA are as follows .

 

Vishnu PurAnA (3.8.9) : "BhagavAn who is the Supreme Person is adored by

the man who performs the duties and rite of his varna and his AshramA

..There is nothing which delights BhagavAn other than this "

 

Vishnu PurAnA (3.7.20) : "The man who doesn't deviate in the least from

the karmAs ordained for his caste , who considers alike those who wish him

well and those who wish him ill and who never deprives another of what

belongs to him and never does any action of violence (himsA) - know that

this man who has a mind free from faults like desire , is a devotee of

Vishnu "

 

No one has right to violate sAstrAs :

-------

No one has any right to violate sAstrAs . SAstrAs are the only guiding

light for the baddha jIvAtmAs . If someone does contradictory to what

sAstrAs says , it will not be pleasing to the divya dampati . For instance

, if a BrAhmanA forfeits the performance of SandhyAvandanam (*) it is

certainly an act that won't please the Divya Dampati .

 

Note : SandhyAvandanam is a mahA yogA combining karma , jn~Ana & bhakti

yogA , filled with their aids such as japA , dhyAnA , prAnAyAmA etc . But

, a prapannA does not perform this as an angA of Bhakti yogA , but rather

to just please Sriman NArAyanA . SandhyAvandanam is anyway filled with

Holy Names of Sriman NArAyanA & is a very great way of worshipping Him .

Even a casual understanding of the meanings of the mantrAs & slokAs

recited during SandhyAvandanam would make one deeply devoted to Sriman

NArAyanA & would love to perform SandhyAvandanam regularly . What to speak

about those who understands the deep imports of GAyatri mantrA ,

AshtAksharam etc ?

 

Following is the quote from Lakshmi Tantram (17.93-97) , wherein

PIrAtti is saying the following :

 

" In order that there may be no violation of dharmA , for the

protection of family , for keeping ignorant men in right path by setting

them an example , for the preservation of the moral law as defined in the

sAstrAs , for My satisfaction & for the satisfaction of the Lord armed

with sArngA who is god of all gods , the prapannA who is wise shouldn't

even think of transgressing the ordinances of vedA. Even a king's

favourite , who because it serves no purpose of his own destroys the bund

of a river dug by the king's order , which is of great use to the world ,

is beautiful in itself & causes abundance of crops , - even he will be

impaled for having done so. So also , though he may be dear , the man who

violates the ordinances of the vedAs is no favourite of mine - in as much

he violates My commands "

 

Another famous quote from VishnuDharmA (6.31) , wherein Sriman

NArAyanA says : "Sruti & Smruti are indeed My commands . He who

transgresses them violates My commands . He is My dhrohi. Though he may be

devoted to Me , he shouldn't be called a VaishnavA "

 

Let us meditate on the following verse as the conclusion :

 

Jitante stotram : "I may be born to anyone in whatever family

(wherever I may be born) , may I have the eager longing to enjoy the

pleasure of rendering service to You (Sriman NArAyanA) ! I will never do

anything on behalf of any other deity with my body , mind, speech or head"

 

Note : All the pramAnams are taken from Srimad Rahasya Traya SAram

(SRTS) of SwAmi Desikan. Almost all the explainations too are from that

granthA only . SwAmi Desikan anyway deals with this topic very

elaborately.

 

The posting is just on what the sAstrAs say about VarnA & its

dharmA. The prevailing situations make many a persons unable to follow

their dharmA properly . Its upto one to realize one's inabilities

to follow the sAstrAs & develop Akinchanyam , & mentally acquire

the angAs of prapatti & proceed in that direction to finally perform

prapatti & lead a life of a prapannA with atleast minimal anushtAnams .

One must atleast repent mentally over one's transgressions of the sAstrAs

, as taught by our AzhvArs & AchAryAs .

 

 

Srimate NigamAntha MahA DesikAya Namaha

 

Namo NArAyanA

 

Adiyen

 

Anantha PadmanAbha dAsan

 

 

Sarvam Sri KrishnArpanamastu