[Advaita-l] Govardhan mutt

[Venkatesh Murthy]

Namaste Sir

We have to remember that Hinduism as projected, presented, propagated and
protected today is different from Sanatana Dharma in one very important
aspect. In the ancient times, medieval times and even some hundreds of
years ago what we today call Hinduism was 100% based on caste or Varna
system and the Ashrama system. The Varna and Ashrama systems were rigid and
strict. The punishment for breaking the system was severe and many Brahmins
faced excommunication. But today many organizations representing Hinduism
are relaxing the rules or they even reject the Varna and to some extent
Ashrama system. Anybody can become an Archaka in a temple. Anybody can
become a Sanyasi or Sanyasini.

The Varna and Ashrama system was the backbone of Sanatana Dharma. In the
Gita Krishna repeatedly appeals to Arjuna about his Kshatriya Dharma. He
does not ask him to accept Sanyasa and realize Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya.
The effects of Varna and Ashrama are very deep. Most Samskaras are meant
only for Dvija males. Restrictions are in place for Mantras, and learning
Vedas and Vedanta. Brahmins are clearly treated as superior and Shudras
clearly as second class citizens.

The organizations trying to protect Hinduism argue if we follow caste
system it becomes a dividing factor and Hinduism will die out as large
numbers will convert to Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. Recently hundreds
of Dalits converted to Buddhism because of severe discrimination by upper
caste Hindus. The invaders in history  were successful because Hindu
socoety was divided and not united against the invaders.

Therefore we are facing a BIG dilemma. The dilemma is - If the Varna system
is followed we lose Hinduism and Hindutva. If we reject the Varna system we
are not following the Sanatana Dharma of the ancients. It becomes some
other religion in the name of Sanatana Dharma.

I don't know the solution. All the Mathadhipatis and leaders of Hindu
organizations should come together to discuss this problem. Will it happen?

One more thing. I heard an old Hindutva Vadi say the reservation system
saved HINDUISM. Without reservation system, Hindus would have converted to
other religions and Hinduism would have been a small minority by now in
India.

On Mon, Oct 17, 2022 at 9:16 PM Aravinda Rao via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Dear Kaushik ji,
> I too was not convinced by the logic in  the apashudradhikaranam, but I too
> am a brahmin. I am not a woke brahmin but a sincere student of advaita. I
> do observe the forces in
> history and I believe that the contribution of Vivekananda was
> unparalleled in modern times. But for his forceful presentation, the Hindu
> point of view would not have been taken note of. The greatness of
> Upanishads became known to the educated Hindus because of these new swamis
> and but for them, I think, Hinduism would have been dismissed by the
> non-brahmin elite in India itself, resulting in cataclysmic changes in
> society.
> It is true that even prior to Vivekananda the American thinkers were fully
> aware of the Gita and the Upanishads. They were known as the Boston
> Brahmins. But with all that, the philosophical doctrine of Hinduism could
> have been absorbed or 'digested' (to use the phrase of Rajiv Malhotra) by
> the western thinkers/academics. Even today it is the English-knowing swamis
> of various schools who are actively propagating Advaita to our own Hindu
> diaspora. I do have respect for all of the traditional swamis for a lot of
> good work being done in a different direction, that is, preserving the
> shastra tradition.
> Aravinda Rao
>
> On Mon, Oct 17, 2022 at 8:57 PM Kaushik Chevendra <
> chevendrakaushik at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > The "rk mission" was established by Swami Vivekananda. He has criticised
> > shankaracharya in his works regarding the apashudradhikarana. Also he is
> > well known to eat beef when he visited USA. I don't see how we can
> consider
> > "rk mission" as a authentic advaitic parampara when the jagadguru himself
> > is criticized by them. They have no following of vidhi or vidhana.
> Neither
> > do they abide by the rules specified by Shankaracharya. While having the
> > stamp of Neo-advaita, lord knows what they preach.
> >
> > On Mon, 17 Oct, 2022, 8:51 pm Aravinda Rao, <karavind09 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> >> It is very unfortunate that our traditionalists are not living the
> spirit
> >> of Advaita and also not seeing the social change. Are they dismissive of
> >> the RK mission and Chinmaya mission too?
> >> Aravinda Rao
> >>
> >> On Mon, Oct 17, 2022 at 8:22 PM Kaushik Chevendra via Advaita-l <
> >> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Namaste sir.
> >>> What is the contention about?
> >>>
> >>> On Mon, 17 Oct, 2022, 8:20 pm VTCS Rao via Advaita-l, <
> >>> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> > I don't think whatever this swami is worth translating.
> >>> >
> >>> > Before being critical, this Swami should understand and digest what
> us
> >>> > conveyed through Manisha panchakam. So sad disappointed to see such
> >>> > sanyasis commenting and challenging Sringeri math.
> >>> >
> >>> > Best Regards/  VTCS
> >>> >
> >>> > VTCS Rao, Dean L&T IPM
> >>> > ________________________________
> >>> > From: Advaita-l <advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> on
> >>> behalf
> >>> > of Aravind M via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
> >>> > Sent: Monday, October 17, 2022 8:01:38 PM
> >>> > To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta <
> >>> > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
> >>> > Cc: Aravind M <aravindeie13 at gmail.com>
> >>> > Subject: [Advaita-l] Govardhan mutt
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>>
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> >>> >
> >>> > Can anyone translate  what he speaks??
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-- 
Regards

-Venkatesh