Topic started by Chandra on Sat Dec 11 22:38:56 .
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From Chapter 1 of "Bhagavad Gita":
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[source: "Srimad Bhagavadgita" (with English translation & Transliteration)
by Jayadayal Goyandka, Published by :Govind Bhavan Karyalaya Gita Press, Gorakhpur, Seventh Edition 1996.]
Seeing all the relations and kinsmen arrayed for the battle and filled with deep compassion, Arjuna addresses Krishna in verses from 28 through 46.
Relevant excerpts:
verse 41:
"With the preponderance of vice, KrsNa, the women of the family become corrupt; and with the corruption of women, O descendant of VrsNi, there ensues an intermixture of castes."
verse 42:
"Admixture of blood damns the destroyers of the race as well as the race itself. Deprived of the offering of rice and water (sraddha, tarpaNa etc.), the manes of their race also fall.
verse 43:
"Through these evils brining about an intermixture of castes, the age long caste-traditions and family customs of the killers of kinsmen get extinct." (43)
verse 44:
"KrsNa, we hear that men who have lost their family traditions dwell in hell for an indefinite period of time."
...
Then Sanjaya who relates in real-time to the blind and old Dhrtharastra the events at the battlefield says:
(verse 47):
Sajaya said:
"Arjuna, whose mid was agitated by grief on the battlefield, having spoken thus, and havng thrwon aside his bow and arrows, sank into the hinder part of his chariot."
Now if you ask, "well, after all those utterance on casteism were attributed to Arjuna, who first of all was not the Lord KrsNa only whose words are the reference and second of all he was speaking in them confusion.".
Let us fast forward...all the intervening 16 chapters (of the total of the 18) of the Bhagavad Gita and onto the very final chapter, viz., chapter 18th. One would think that the words in that chapter, after the breathtaking revelations in the preceding chapters including the visva roopa dharsanam and all, would be the words of the highest wisdom, morality and compassion for all humanity and the essence of all that was spoken and shown in the preceding chapters.
Here is verse 41 of chapter 18
in the words of the Lord krSNa:
"The duties of the BrAhmaNas, the KSatriyas, and the Vaisyas, as well as of the SUdras have been divided according to their inborn qualities, Arjuna. "
Verse 18:42-48 specify the typical duties of each caste and why following varnasrama dharma is teh way to realization of God.
verse 18:42:
"Subjugation of the mind and senses, enduring hardships for the discharge of one's sacred obligations, external and internal purity, forgiving the faults of others, straightness of mind, sense and behavior, ....- all these constitute of the natural duties of a BrAhmaNa.".
verse 18:43 for KSatriya
verse 18:44 for Vaisya and SUdra:
it says:
"...And service of the other classes is the natural duty even of a Sudra (a member of the labouring class)."
verse 18:45:
"Keenly devoted to his own natural duty, man attains the highest perfection in the shape of God-realization. Hear the mode of performance whereby the man engaged in his inborn duty reaches that highest consummation."
verse 18:47:
"Better is one's own duty, though devoid of merit, than the duty of another well-performed: for performing the duty ordained by his own nature man does not incur sin."
verse 18:48:
"Therefor Arjuna, one should not abandon one's innate duty, even though it may be tainted with blemish; for ven as fire is enveloped in smoke, all undertakings are clouded with demerit."
Now, recalling again that the above words are attributed to (rather blamed on!) Lord Krsna and in the final chapter of the gita supposed to serve as the essence of all that has been said the 17 chapters preceding it,
consider this thirukkuRaL: 972:
¾¢ÕìÌÈû:
"À¢Èô¦À¡ìÌõ ±øÄ¡ ¯Â¢÷ìÌõ ..."!
"All beings are equal by birth"!
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