[Advaita-l] Re: Question: Swadharma

[ravi chandrasekhara]

Dear Ram and All,

Could it those passages re: dignity were applicable
because morality was held at a high standard; but
really not meant for one to cause harm to another.

Some passages in the dharmashastras are offensive to
Brahmins (esp those that dont practice their dharma or
those that even mildly transgress it).

Kanchi periacharya in "Hindu Dharma" at
www.kamakoti.org does not dwell on these issues.

One is clear is that, anyone is eligible for
moksha/Brahma-gyana, but methods are different.

Persecution that has ocurred "in name of jati/varna"
is actually more based on economics and power abused
by those in power.

Ram's statement re: violation of dignity whether by
birth or qualities is an important issue.

I've asked questions along the same line to Chinna
Jeeyar Swami of Srivaishnava Sampradaya and Jay
Nelamengala (Dvaita scholar), and I'm awaiting their
responses. I dont have a method to contact any of the
Shankaracharyas.

Dhanyavaad, Ravi Chandrasekhara

--- Ram Garib <garib_ram at yahoo.co.in> wrote:

> Thanks Krishnan, Sanjay, Ravi and Rishi for your
> thought provoking inputs.
> 
> --- Krishnan Sundaresan <krish.sundaresan at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
>  
> > Are/Were occupations really decided by birth? This
> > is an erroneous thought
> > that is perhaps the bane of our society today. The
> > Bhagavad Gita clearly
> > mentions that varnas are to be decided according
> to
> > an individual's guna and
> > karma (4:13). Swami Chidbavananda further
> qualifies
> > this by saying that
> > varnas are based on quality of mind alone (also
> > quite clear from 4:13 that
> > birth has nothing to do with caste) and that any
> > human seeking realization
> > shall have to pass through these varnas during his
> > quest.
> 
> Sir! Swami Chidbavananda was a great soul. Like him
> many have interpreted scriptures out of compassion.
> With due regards to him, let me submit that
> historical
> and scriptural evidence is quite otherwise. If I
> start
> giving contrary evidence, it will fill volumes and
> may
> be inconsistent with the list policies. Suffice it
> to
> say that interpretation where caste is based on
> birth
> is much stronger and more universally accepted.
> 
> Secondly, what was the basis of caste in some
> ancient
> time can at best be of academic interest now. Much
> more important is the issue of how it is iterpreted
> and implemented tody? 
> 
> Thirdly, even assuming that caste was based on
> guna-s
> and karma-s and not birth, does not solve the issue.
> As I said, many scriptural passages violate the
> basic
> human dignity of non-dvija-s. Surely, we do not want
> to argue that violation of basic human dignity is
> not
> permissible for non-dvija-s based on birth but is
> acceptable for non-dvija-s based on guna-s and
> karma-s?
> 
> With regards,
> Ram Garib
> 
> 
> 		
>
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