Guest guest Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Dear Shri Sudheesh, I fully agree with all that you have said. We have to keep in mind the social and cultural environment of the time and accept the fact that women were not allowed to study the Vedas and that was the reason why the sloka refers only to men. There is no point in trying to wish away facts by far-fetched explanations. S.N.Sastri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Pujya Aadrineeya Shastriji : How would you translate this verse from the Srimad Bhagvat gita ? vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini suni caiva sva-pake ca panditah sama-darsinah ( chapter 5 . verse 18) along the same lines , how would you interpret this verse from Jivan mukthi viveka ? Ishwaro jIva-kalayA pravishto bhagavaan iti danDavat praNamed bhUmau ashva-chandAla-go-kharam and last but not least , this verse from Manisha panchakam brahmaivaahamidaM jagachcha sakalaM chinmaatravistaaritaM sarvaM chaitadavidyayaa triguNayaa.asheshhaM mayaa kalpitam.h . itthaM yasya dR^iDhaa matiH sukhatare nitye pare nirmale chaaNDaalo.astu sa tu dvijo.astu gururityeshhaa maniishhaa mama .. and finally , here is what Gandhiji said " The story of a shudra having been punished by Ramchandra for daring to learn the Vedas, I reject as an interpolation. " Ps : Btw i am a brahmin lady only by birth but by actions i am lowest of the low . Harihi aum! 2.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 3, 2007 Report Share Posted October 3, 2007 Dear Shri Sudheesh, I fully agree with all that you have said. We have to keep in mind the social and cultural environment of the time and accept the fact that women were not allowed to study the Vedas and that was the reason why the sloka refers only to men. There is no point in trying to wish away facts by far-fetched explanations. S.N.Sastri praNAms Sri Sastri prabhuji Hare Krishna That is really very well said...Shankara being a strict saMpradAyavit and saMpradAyavAdi, strictly adhered to the excisting dhArmic practices at his time. It is clear from his sUtra bhAshya (reference : apashudrAdhikaraNa) that only brAhmaNa, kshatriya & vyshya have the eligibility to undergo upanayana saMskAra & after that saMskAra, they have eligibility / rights to do vEdAdhyayana. Since shUdra & stree donot have eligibility for this upanayana saMskAra, they are barred from doing any vEdAdhyayana. Shankara, following the verdict of dharma shAstra clearly says shUdra is not suppose to listen to vEda maNtra-s, if at all he does that boiling lead should be poured into his ears & vaidika should not recite vEda maNtra when shUdra is there beside him..etc..From these part of bhAshya bhAga it is quite evident that shankara, a sanAtana vaidika dharma follower, strictly followed the *rules* of dharma shAstra & written his commentary strictly within the frame of permitted parameters of dharma shAstra & concluded that *vEda pUrvakastu nAsti adhikAraH shUdrANAM iti stithaM*. However, this does not imply that shUdra & stree have been excluded from the *vEdAnta vAkya janita brahma jnAna*..shankara says through the studies & contemplation of smruti texts one can attain the same result (i.e. Atma jnAna). From this we can say that though shUdra & stree donot have the rights to do vEdAdhyayana (since they are not dvijA-s), they are eligible to get *vEdAnta Atma jnAna* with the help of smruti texts like itihAsa, purANa. So, conclusion is : vEdAdhyayana - eligibility restricted to brAhmaNa, kshatri & vysya (dvija-s) vEdAntajnAna / Atma jnAna - all are eligible irrespective of their cast & creed...apEtabrhmakshatrAdhi bEdham... It is because of this reason, even today in traditional orthodox vaidika mutts, there is no provision for stree-s & shUdra-s to do vEdAdhyayana..However, they are encouraged to chant vishNu sahasranAma, lalitAsahasranAma (in stOtra rUpa without praNava & namaH) & studies of bhAgavata & gIta etc. Kindly pardon me if I hurt the sentiments of some mAtAji-s & prabhuji-s of this list...Since this is very delicate & sensitive issue & topic, as such, is out of the scope of this list, this is my first & last post on this subject... Hari Hari Hari Bol!!! bhaskar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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