[Advaita-l] varnasramadharma - 3

[Abhishek Madhyastha]

Pranams,

I have a small doubt. According to the jati vibhaga which varna would
lingayats and other such communities fit in. By karma and Guna, I
understand that they can fit in but what about jati vibhaga?

On 7/19/12, vadhula at yahoo.com <vadhula at yahoo.com> wrote:
> According to this, what is role of jati? I don't think a Janma Shudra who is
> a guns Braahmana can wear yagnopaveeta and recite Gayatri as that is against
> shastras, shistachara, and sampradaya. However shud be respected like Vidura
> or Alwars. In addition nowadays regardless of Janma varna many/most of us
> follow karma of other varnas but may not always be in accordance with
> Shastras.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jul 18, 2012, at 8:35 PM, kuntimaddi sadananda <kuntimaddisada at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
>> 3.2 Which is the best ?
>>
>> Next we will discuss the gradation. Do we have any gradation in the Varnas
>> ? Is
>> any Varna superior or inferior to the other ? In Sanskrit this is called
>> Tāra
>> Tamyam. Now we say, that as far as Jāti Vibhāgaha is concerned i.e. birth
>> wise
>> division is concerned, all the four are equal by birth. Birth cannot give
>> superiority to anyone or inferiority to anyone. Jātitaha Sarve Api Samāhā
>> Eva.
>> Therefore nobody should claim superiority from the standpoint of Jāti.
>> Caste
>> system is the problem caused by the Tāra Tamyam attributed to Jāti
>> Vibhāgaha.
>> In Jāti Vibhāgaha there is no superiority.
>>
>> Then what about profession ? Karma Vibhāgaha wise, is anybody superior ?
>> Karma
>> Vibhāgaha wise also, all are equal. No profession is inferior or superior,
>> all
>> jobs are equally important. And it is from this angle, the well known
>> Purusha
>> Sūktam mantra occurs,
>> Brahmanosya Mukham Āsīt,
>> Bahurajanya Krutaha
>> Ūrutadasya Yad Vaishyaha
>> Padbhyagum Shudro Ajāyata
>>
>> The above is for Karma Vibhāgaha only. Just as four organs have four
>> different
>> functions, the four Varnas have four different functions. The above mantra
>> means :
>>
>> Brāhmanaha : Teaching professional scriptural teaching.
>> Kshatriya : Maintenance of Law and Order
>> Vaishya : Taking care of the economic strength of the society, support
>> system
>> Shūdra : All forms of labour, more of running around and less of head
>> usage
>>
>> And by saying that all these four are the four parts of the Lord, we say
>> that
>> all of them are equally sacred. You cannot say that the feet are less
>> sacred
>> than the Mukham. In fact we worship the feet of the Lord. Shankarāchārya
>> is
>> called Bhagavadpādaha and not Bhagavadshiraha. We talk about Pāda Pūja and
>> not
>> Ūru Pūja or Hasta Pūja. Therefore profession wise, there is no Tāra
>> Tamyam. So
>> Jāti Tāra Tamyam Nāsti, Karma Tāra Tamyam Nāsti.
>>
>> Whereas in Guna Vibhāgaha, there is a gradation. A Guna Brāhmana is
>> certainly
>> superior to a Guna Kshatriya is certainly superior to Guna Vaishya is
>> certainly
>> superior to Guna Shūdra. Because Guna Shūdra is closer to animals and Guna
>> Brahmana is closer to God. And therefore character wise superiority we
>> have to
>> accomplish and whoever has got the higher character deserves Namaskāram .
>> Even
>> though Prahalāda is a born Rākshasa, he can become the most reverential
>> person
>> in our culture. Prahlāda, Nārada, Parāshara – early morning, we are
>> supposed to
>> remember Prahlāda even before Nārada. Therefore birth does not matter,
>> character alone matters.
>>
>> Therefore there is no gradation in Jāti and Karma Vibhāgaha but gradation
>> is to
>> be recognised in Guna Vibhāgaha.
>>
>> 3.3. Is there a choice ?
>>
>> The next topic is Choice. Do we have a choice in determining our group ?
>>
>> 3.3.1.Jāti Vibhāgaha
>>
>> As far as Jāti is concerned, we don’t have choice with regards to this
>> birth,
>> because we are already born. But the scriptures say, we do have a choice
>> with
>> regards to the next birth.
>>
>> Shuchīnām Srīmatām Gehe Yogabhrashto Abhijāyate.
>> (Bhagavad Gītā 6.41)
>>
>> This birth we have already chosen, the next we can choose by our
>> lifestyle.
>> Therefore this only a partial choice.
>>
>> 3.3.2.Karma Vibhāgaha
>>
>> As far as profession is concerned, Karma Vibhāgaha, we do have a choice.
>> And we
>> can choose our profession from any angle. I can choose my profession based
>> on
>> my
>> · Svabhāva or character – character or trait based choice of profession.
>> Or I
>> can base it on
>> · Heredity – birth based or family profession. Or the choice is
>> · Money based – where there is income.
>>
>> Our scriptures based on ideal is character based choice. Because you will
>> love
>> your profession and it will not be a burden. Even salary will not matter
>> then
>> because you will love the very work itself. In fact Karma Yoga can be
>> ideally
>> practiced if you love what you do because the very performance gives you
>> satisfaction.
>>
>> Character based profession is ideal, but if you are not sure about
>> character,
>> then the next best is family based or hereditary profession. There will be
>> no
>> competition or over crowding of certain fields and then some fields will
>> not be
>> neglected. Thus all professions will be protected and there will be no
>> competition.
>>
>> The worst and negative approach is money based choice of profession. This
>> is
>> the most terrible one because, when money becomes important, corruption
>> will be
>> inevitable in a society where money is God. Hence either go by character
>> or by
>> family. An in fact to a great extent our society was heredity based. Now
>> alone
>> it is gradually changed.
>>
>> 3.3.3.Guna Vibhāgaha
>>
>> With regards to Guna also, we do have a choice. And all the spiritual
>> Sādhanāni
>> Sādhanā are to improve our Gunāhā to Guna Brāhmanatvam. We all should
>> become
>> Guna Brāhmana ultimately, whatever be our birth or profession. Therefore
>> there
>> is choice in this also. Also note, only because there is choice, it is
>> called
>> Varnaha. Vriyate Iti Varnaha. You can choose your (next) Janma, profession
>> or
>> character, but the choice of character is ultimately important
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