Guest guest Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 Pranamams to all, I think this question may have been asked by many earlier. Please pardon me if this is a repeated one. In Bhagavad Geetha, Sri Krishna says "Chaturvarnyam Maya Shrushtyam Guna Karma VibhAgashaha" Can anyone please give the meaning of this Shloka. Is Krishna telling that Varna or Caste is not by birth but by Guna/Karma(Character/Work)? What is Shri. Ramanuja's Bhashya on this. It would be great if any one gives the link to Sri. Ramanuja's Geetha Bhashyam translated to English. Shri Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum Sampige Srinivasa Iyengar Bengaluru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 Sir, > Is Krishna telling that Varna or Caste is not by birth but by Guna/Karma(Character/Work)?< "Guna" here is one's natural/inherent inclinations (traits or nature); in modern terms referred to as "aptitude". It is a fundamental biological truth, rightly recognized (only) by Sanatana Dharma and wrongly interpreted down the road (by both learned and the common folks). "Karma" here is work (that is intended to be in conformity with Guna to bring out the best: As per GitA- svE svE karmaNyabhiratah sam siddhim labatE narah). Karma is influenced by the surroundings and upbringing (nurture). This is what happened to a large extent in the Hindu society. Irrespective of the inherent varNa of a child, Karma of a presumed varNa (presumed based on one's ancestors, which was also presumptious) was imposed on the child. Not only that, while God/Nature created 4 varNAs, we created the avarNeeya (Panchamaas!). This itself shows taht majority of us did not understand varNa. How can anyone be born and be branded as not belong to any varNa? I can imagine belonging to many varNas (mulrtiple traits)- however no trait? Everyone of us is in short a combination of Natur and Nurture. For example an artist obviously is influenced by the surroundings. A person with scholarly traits in Karnataka will most probably communicate his scholarship in Kannada, Sanskrit, Tamil , English, or Telugu. Rarely woul dthat person write in Swaheli or Bengali. Actually, Varna is determined by birth (nature)and influenced by surroundings or upbringing (nurture). However, MOST IMPORTANT TO NOTE is that it is not completely determined by who one is born to. Thus, if someone has 4 children, they may as well belong to 4 different varNAs. However, often they all can be groomed more or less to one varNa (as has happened in our society). dAsan K.S. tAtAchAr Sampige Srinivasa <sampiges Srirangasri; parakalamatham Wed, 04 Jan 2006 13:34:55 +0000 Guna Karma vibhAgaShaha...??? Pranamams to all, I think this question may have been asked by many earlier. Please pardon me if this is a repeated one. In Bhagavad Geetha, Sri Krishna says "Chaturvarnyam Maya Shrushtyam Guna Karma VibhAgashaha" Can anyone please give the meaning of this Shloka. Is Krishna telling that Varna or Caste is not by birth but by Guna/Karma(Character/Work)? What is Shri. Ramanuja's Bhashya on this. It would be great if any one gives the link to Sri. Ramanuja's Geetha Bhashyam translated to English. Shri Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum Sampige Srinivasa Iyengar Bengaluru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 Dear Sir, Thanks very much for your explanation. Sri Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum Sampige Srinivasa Iyengar >tatachar >sampiges, Srirangasri, >parakalamatham >Re: Guna Karma vibhAgaShaha...??? >Wed, 04 Jan 2006 16:08:46 -0500 > >Sir, > > > Is Krishna telling that >Varna or Caste is not by birth but by Guna/Karma(Character/Work)?< > >"Guna" here is one's natural/inherent inclinations (traits or nature); >in modern terms referred to as "aptitude". >It is a fundamental biological truth, rightly recognized (only) by >Sanatana Dharma and >wrongly interpreted down the road (by both learned and the common folks). > > "Karma" here is work (that is intended to be in conformity with Guna to >bring out the best: >As per GitA- svE svE karmaNyabhiratah sam siddhim labatE narah). > >Karma is influenced by the surroundings and upbringing (nurture). >This is what happened to a large extent in the Hindu society. >Irrespective of the inherent varNa of a child, Karma of a presumed varNa >(presumed based on one's ancestors, which was also presumptious) > was imposed on the child. Not only that, while >God/Nature created 4 varNAs, we created the avarNeeya (Panchamaas!). >This itself shows taht majority of us did not understand varNa. >How can anyone be born and be branded as not belong to any varNa? >I can imagine belonging to many varNas (mulrtiple traits)- however >no trait? > >Everyone of us is in short a combination of Natur and Nurture. >For example an artist obviously is influenced by the surroundings. >A person with scholarly traits in Karnataka will most probably >communicate his scholarship in Kannada, Sanskrit, Tamil , English, or >Telugu. >Rarely woul dthat person write in Swaheli or Bengali. > >Actually, Varna is determined by birth (nature)and influenced by >surroundings or upbringing (nurture). >However, MOST IMPORTANT TO NOTE is that it is not completely >determined by who one is born to. Thus, if someone has >4 children, they may as well belong to 4 different varNAs. >However, often they all can be groomed more or less to >one varNa (as has happened in our society). > >dAsan > >K.S. tAtAchAr > > >Sampige Srinivasa <sampiges >Srirangasri; parakalamatham >Wed, 04 Jan 2006 13:34:55 +0000 > Guna Karma vibhAgaShaha...??? > > >Pranamams to all, > >I think this question may have been asked by many earlier. Please pardon me >if this is a repeated one. > >In Bhagavad Geetha, Sri Krishna says "Chaturvarnyam Maya Shrushtyam Guna >Karma VibhAgashaha" > >Can anyone please give the meaning of this Shloka. Is Krishna telling that >Varna or Caste is not by birth but by Guna/Karma(Character/Work)? What is >Shri. Ramanuja's Bhashya on this. It would be great if any one gives the >link to Sri. Ramanuja's Geetha Bhashyam translated to English. > >Shri Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum >Sampige Srinivasa Iyengar >Bengaluru > > > Links > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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