[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Varna-system and Hinduism - as seen by missionaries

[sunil bhattacharjya]

Dear friends,

This is just to remind you that Lord Krishna had told about the Varna
system, most appropriately in the Bhagavad Gita,  as follows:

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप |
कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणै: || 18:41||

*BG 18.41*: The duties of the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and
Shudras—are according to their qualities (and has nothing to do with birth).

Jai Shri Krishna

My 2 cents
Sunil K B


On Sun, Apr 23, 2023 at 9:56 PM putran M <putranm4 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Namaskaram,
>
>
> Varna dharma is an integral part of traditional Hinduism and advaita
> sampradaya. Therefore this remarkable article is relevant to us.
>
>
> https://pragyata.com/christian-missionaries-on-caste/
>
>
> It lets us see through the words of 19th and early 20th century
> missionaries how “caste” was “a singular insurmountable hurdle between the
> heathendom and its Christianisation.”
>
>
> “Caste gives form and life and strength to the Hindu religion. Hinduism
> would soon be shivered to atoms if it were not for caste. This is Satan’s
> masterpiece.” - Rev. Myron Winslow
>
>
> The kanchi paramacharya or mahaperiva also opined similarly of the varna
> dharma, albeit in a positive light:
>
>
> “If some faiths in India itself and outside have declined and if our
> religion alone has survived for ten thousand years, does it not mean that
> it has something that is lacking in others? This something is the varna
> system. Our present-day reformers argue that the varna division is
> responsible for the disintegration of our society. The fact is it is
> precisely this division, varna dharma, that has sustained it and kept it
> intact. It follows that this dharma has features that are superior in
> character to concepts like equality, features that are vital to the very
> well-being of people. Our society is divided on the basis of it, but it
> must be noted that this division has helped our religion to preserve itself
> successfully against all onslaughts.”
> https://kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part3/chap2.htm
>
>
> My thought/opinion:
>
>
> I would say differently from Mr. Winslow, that Satan’s masterpiece is the
> abrahamic who has managed to get the Hindu to imitate him, to think of
> himself and his traditions like the abrahamic wanted him to think, and to
> actively destroy the foundations of what held him to his Dharma. “We’ve
> been played” is a feeling I got when reading the article. Unlike the Hindus
> described in the article however, today’s Hindus need hardly care when they
> throw their “caste” and custom to the dustbin - for both family and society
> look past such acts, condone or even approve them for it. Hindu parents
> plan ahead to minimize the ‘stigma’ of traditional svadharma in their
> toddler’s growth and existence, either because they themselves think it
> wrong or because they think it hinders blending and succeeding in the
> modern world.
>
>
> The missionary’s objectives have largely become accomplished that we have
> turned into a tribe of trishankus, with our heads hanging upside down. Some
> in this state I am sure will become easy plucking for the missionary as he
> hoped for; but it is unclear what the long term trajectory for the Hindu
> civilization will be. Perhaps with greater knowledge and awareness, there
> will also be a shift back to traditional (orthodox) religion of which
> birth-based varna dharma is an integral part.
>
>
> Hindus should read the article and introspect.
>
>
> thollmelukaalkizhu
>
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