Varna and one more, Question by Ravi Chandrasekhara MD

[K. Sadananda]

Vaidya wrote:

>
>namaskaram.
>  I hope that even by taking only sections of your post, I still retain
>the context ... I believe you are making an implicit statement that
>gunas are fixed in the person, and hence his birth is determined by
>that - I belive it is not; guna is only an attribute of the state of
the mind ... in a discourse,
Vaidya - What I worte - the vasanaas which belongs to prakR^it is
triguNaatmikam - Vasanas constitute all the three - sanchita-
prarabda and aagami - What one has is prarabda and what one acquries
in this life is aagaami and total account is sanchita.  There is no
beginning for vaasanaa-s since it is cyclic and ignorance is anaadi.
Vasanaas are dynamic and not fixed and once can chage ones texture of
vaasana-s. And that is precisely the point - where as caste based on
birth is fixed but what Vedanta points out that the texture of
vaasans can be altered by one karma - where purushaasrtha is
involved.  Hence Krishna's statement - guNa and karma. - the
conclusion is they are not fixed but dynamic altered continuously by
ones purushaartha - Hence one can grow in the process from tamasic to
rajasic and saatvic - that is the role of sadhana.  I hope I am clear.
>
>>  Ones birth is related to ones vaasana-s.
>
>  If the guna had determined his birth, in your example of Vidura, he
>should have been born a brahmana - he was not; although not considered
>a brahmin by birth, he was certainly one of the wisest and noblest in
>the entire epic; hence I fail to see how the vasana will determine
>birth.

I said Birth is only one factor dictated by ones vasana-s. Being born
to Vyasa he has the appropriate vasana-s too to grow up in the
environment to have a capability to become wise. I used the example
precisely to show that although the father is the same, the caste was
not determined by father's caste but by mother.  In the case of
vyaasa himself, mother is a fisher-woman but father was parashura,
the great sage.
>
>>  we have started a poor Brahman Vasati
>>  Gruham. The construction of the building was completed three years
>
>  In response, Sada-ji, I hope I can make a comment in reply, nto as a
>moderator, but a reader - without sounding hypocritical! By building a
>"Brahman Gruham" are we not propogating more of the same divisions in
>society - would it not be sufficient to build a house for them to stay,
>let others stay if they are needy as well, and provide the education
>for all ?? Just my 2 cents ...
>
>bhava shankara desikame sharaNam
>Vaidya.

Vaidya - you are absolutely right and your comments are well taken.
But there are hostels already for others but not for Brahmins and
they do not want to take Brahmin boys even if they have a place only
becouse they do not belong that caste.  I agree that student should
be taken independent of what caste he belongs - But I am being
practical and to fulfill the urgent need.  I wish there is no
discrimination any where based on once caste.  Our next project is to
provide a similar hostel for girls who need help.   I do support many
students at Chinmyaranyam where Swamini Saradapriyananda has started
many years ago foster student program for all poor children to
provide education and shelter.  There the need is the other way
around.  If any one is interested to support a student there I will
be happy to provide the information needed.

Hari OM!
Sadananda
--
K. Sadananda
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Naval Research Laboratory
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