[Advaita-l] RE: Vedic Shakhas for kshatriyas and vaishyas?

[Sanjay Srivastava]

On Tue, 18 Jan 2005, Jaldhar H. Vyasa wrote:


>So appealing to Gurus will not ease the crisis of authority.  It will just 
>lead to people
>picking and choosing which "authority" suits them and said 
>authorities
>pandering to their "customers."

I agree this approach is fraught with danger. However when even the people 
well versed in dharmashastras have differing opinions, it only shows that 
this not a black-and-white case. I will therefore refrain from passing any 
judgement.


>And it is based on an incorrect understanding of Smrti.  Manusmrti for
>example, is not authoritative because Manu wrote it.  Manu is
>authoritative because he wrote the Manusmrti.  I.e. the tradition came
>first and the recording later.  It seems odd to us because modern culture
>is so based upon the written word.  But pandits traditionally distrusted
>it.  That's why there is such an emphasis on memorization.  That which is
>"in the throat" (kanthastha) is reliable.  Books may be a 
>necessary crutch
>for the mentally inadequate but they are not the source in the way the
>Bible or Koran is a source.  Smrti means memory.  The real Smrti is what
>is remembered through the ages not any particular volume.

Excellent point.

>Your point is flawed but I'm not going to address this right now as I'm
>researching a full examination of this issue.

I am glad if you did. Everytime I go back to India, my parents insist on 
organizing a brahmabhoj as part of shuddhi/prayaSchita to mitigate the sins 
of crossing the sea. I'll save lot of money.

>But I would like to point out that if one parks illegally and doesn't get a 
>ticket, it does not give
>him a license to start robbing banks.

I am not sure here who is the parking rules violator and who is the robber. 
I think someone who violates a rule as apad-dharma would be a minor violator 
than one who commits it as a meditated act out of greed.

Regards,
Sanjay Srivastava

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