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

[sunil bhattacharjya]

Dear Mr. Kaushik,

If you think Lord Krishna was wrong in his statement in the Bhagavad Gita,
you have every right to have your own interpretation.

I can't agree with you. Brahmarshi Vishvamitra was born a kshatriya and he
could change his varna because he knew that to become a brahmin he needed
to develop the brahmanical  qualities. Similarly one born in a brahmin
family, may not remain a brahmin, if one does not maintain the brahmanical
qualities.

Jai Shri Krishna

My 2 cents
Sunil K.B.

My 2 cents,

S




On Sun, Apr 23, 2023 at 10:18 PM Kaushik Chevendra <
chevendrakaushik at gmail.com> wrote:

> Namaste sir.
>
>
> 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).
>>
>
> This interpretation is wrong. The caste has to do both with karma and
> janma. They aren't independently capable of deciding caste. This view is
> against the vedas, dharmashastras and shankaracharya.
>
>
>> 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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>> >
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>> > <
>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/advaitin/CAKqm3-pY-bKsd_UjraBhsBwRUU3tWWwcJx0S512NqAKNX1CMWA%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer
>> >
>> > .
>> >
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