Sanathana Dharma & Classification of Caste - What Bhagavad Gita says
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2023
- Sanatana Dharma, often referred to as the Eternal or Universal Dharma, is not a religion in the conventional sense. Instead, it embodies the timeless principles and values that guide individuals towards righteous living and spiritual evolution. The Bhagavad Gita emphasizes that Sanatana Dharma is not bound by any particular creed or dogma; it transcends the boundaries of time and place.
In the context of recent discussions and political arguments around what Sanatana Dharma stands for, and how the principles apply in today's evolving world and lifestyle, I found it imperative to present a renewed version of a video from my archives. If you have been engaged in the contemplation about Sanatana Dharma recently, here is a segment of Bhagavad Gita that provides important insights about the subject and what it has to offer about the origin of the Varnashrama practices. Watch the video on my UA-cam channel - Temples, Books and Science.
I hope you find this video enlightening and gain clarity on the subject.
This video is a part of my series on Bhagavad Gita, " Lessons from Gita". You can watch the entire series here : • Lessons from Gita
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Namaste. 🙏
Excellent interpretation May God bless you to continue your services
Great presentation!
Thanks
I have watched all your videos on a loop, much better than my playlist
Awesome ma'am 🙏🙏🙏
Very well explained
Excellent comparison right at the end. 🎉
Thanks! 👍
you will soon have a million subs. Great work and very sensible.
Thank you. Hope you lr words come true
A scintillating exposition 🦢🦢🦢 Thank you 🙏
Thank you very much
Wonderful explanation Archana. God bless you. Vaidehi
Thanks a lot
In the Mahabharata santhi parvam " Mocha Dharma" clearly state that In the begging of the creation There is only one varna over course of time one group who left their vedic practice and interested in adventure, pride, worldly desire they became "Kshatriya", the other group who left their vedic practice and interested in money, sophisticated life style, etc., they became "Vaisiya" one who left vedic practice and doesn't have any moral, lying and interested in other things became "Suthdra"
I really like that story of Satyakama Jabala from the Chandoyga Upanishad.
A very clear and enlightened information madam thank you so much
Most welcome
Best discoure on Dharma and Karma
Excellent! Bramha jananti brmamhanah. Any one on the earth having bramhajidnyasa is Bramhan.
Would also love to hear your thoughts on endogamy and varnashrama
I have never understood why there was a need for four varnas in the first place. For occupation? Were there only four occupations in those days or even now? According to gunas? Are the three gunas so exclusive that we can classify people on their basis? Isn't it true that human beings are a mixture of both good and evil, sometimes good predominating and other times evil predominating? Moreover, is it too difficult to visualise that the varnas themselves visualise or presuppose birth-based varna system?
The fact that no one responded to ur question or even liked your question ( except myself) speaks volume. It reminds me of the emperor’s new clothes.
@@Alephkilo Thank you. Varnas are basically unreasonable, illogical and unrealistic; they are the basis of institutionalised injustice and inequality. People who still believe in varnas must realise that the intrinsic value and worth of a human being does not depend on one's occupations, gunas and karma.
This video only get 100 likes!! This is our irony..😢😢
The ignorance of Politicians show their Varna. And those who blindly follow their messages are equally ignorant. Best ignored by the Wise ones.
It is not the ignorance of the politicians but the masses who live a lie and defend the Varna system as something that was based on skills and guna.
Super explanation of Varnashrama dharma and trigunas. My suggestion is you can start correlating the principal upanishads and quantum physics since you're proficient in both. The reason is the younger generation can understand spirituality and science much better and their moral values might boost their self confidence and success rate. Thanks a billion for the video. Let all beings live blissfully
While i respect your rendering of particle physics and Vedanta, I disagree with your explanation of caste or varna as per Gita.
The Gita says it is better to perform
Sva dharma imperfectly, then to perform another’s dharma perfectly. Then one does not incur sin.
BG 18.47: It is better to do one's own dharma, even though imperfectly, than to do another's dharma, even though perfectly. By doing one's innate duties, a person does not incur sin.
This contradicts Bg 9:27/28.
BG 9.27: Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as oblation to the sacred fire, whatever you bestow as a gift, and whatever austerities you perform, O son of Kunti, do them as an offering to Me.
By dedicating all your works to Me, you will be freed from the bondage of good and bad results. With your mind attached to Me through renunciation, you will be liberated and will reach Me.
Finally, it the classification of caste/ varna is based on Guna, then how does it makes sense for sons of Brahmins to be Brahmins and sons of Sudras to remain as Sudras ? Even on r Mahabharata, such classifications are common.
Are gunas then hereditary ?
śhreyān swa-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣhṭhitāt
swa-dharme nidhanaṁ śhreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ
This verse appears in the 3rd chapter titled karma yoga. It is told in the context of Arjuna wanting to give up on the war and become an ascetic. Krishna says it is better to do your duty rather than someone else's. You are a warrior and fighting the war is your duty,it is your Dharma. This is not said in the context of varnashrama at all.
With regard to your second question. As I mentioned in my video, the classification of varnas based on vocation tended to be hereditary. People in each field trained their children to continue their profession. Every profession was considered important for the society. I gave the example of God as a cosmic being containing everyone in him.
However taking on hereditary profession was not mandatory. In the Mahabharata drona was a Brahmana, he was trained in warfare like a kshatriya. His son aswakthama was a practicing kshatriya.
@@templesbooksandscience8697
Yes Krishna was telling Arjuna to stand up and fight, but at Kurushetra, Arjuna wasn’t professing to choose “ another Dharma” as Kshatriya’s can chose Vana Prastha and sanyasa at a later stage..but simply refusing to perform the dharma bcoz he didn’t want to kill his relatives, teacher and grand sire, which prompted Krishna to say that the atma never perishes and that he who thinks he kills is mistaken.
So the point about performing another person’s dharma becomes a moot point. Also the verse has been used as a justification for caste discrimination, which i am sure you are well aware of.
As for the second part of ur response, u gave the example of Drona and his son who took arms despite being Brahmins. ( Kripa too) but these were examples of Brahmins trading down and they didn’t loose their right as Brahmins. Nowhere in the Mahabharata is there any example or justification of lower castes moving up, so to speak. Am sure u r well aware of the example of Karna. ( and of coz his charity was only towards Brahmins)
Next, u have not addressed the point that I was trying to make, that Gunas cannot be transmitted purely on hereditary basis and if that be the case Brahmins would all be pure and loving while vaishyas or a Sudras will be evil or tamasic.
About 70-80% of Hindus belong to the lower class.. are u saying then that all of them
Are tamasic ?
That is exactly what I did not say in my video. I gave examples of veda vyasa who was not a Brahmana and ravana who was a Brahmana. The only thing that can possibly be inherited is the karma or vocation..not the Guna. I gave the example of Sathya kama.
@@templesbooksandscience8697
The example of Satyakama was an exception to the rule. This only happened bcoz Gautama rishi was enlightened and to one such as that, all is Brahman, but the criterion for Brahma jnana was seen to be present in Satyakama, ie truth and vairagya.
However, when Karna was taunted as a Suta Putra by Bheema, no one spoke up for him, except Duruyodhana. Not the virtuous Vidura, nor Bheeshma, and certainly not even Yudhishtra.
This proves that caste has been determined by birth rather than guna and is the case for thousands of years.
If indeed it was based on Guna, who determines what Guna one is, and when and how is it determined ? You know very well, that isn’t the case.
In Kerala, as early as 70 years ago, a shifts should not come close to a Brahmin, not even his shadow. Else he would have been punished. Women’s were not even allowed to wear upper body garment as determined by the Nambuddri Brahmins. They were not even allowed access to temples.. which was why Narayana Guru built his own temple for the lower caste.
Vivekananda mentioned that Kerala was a mad place of casteism. You gave the example of Shankara in Viveka Chudamani, but the same Shankara avoided Shudras, prior to being enlightened.
If indeed varna was based on Guna and not birth, how many Brahmins have critiqued Manu Smriti, the dharma shashtra written and adopted by Brahmins?
In this day and age, caste remains a blot on Hinduism and let it not be eternal or sanatana dharma as you proudly declare.
I like ur explanation of gita verses which is very appropriate but I disagree on ur point on varn system . Varn system is based on birth becoz ones swabhaav is based on birth and people at that time preferred to get married in same varn becoz the resulting ofspring will be of same nature and nurturing will be of same varn.onlh when varn sankar started varn was classified on action becoz ones action will be reflection of ones swabhav and lastly shudra cannot become brahmin.
That’s exactly what I mentioned too.. you and I are the only ones who pointed that out.
@@Alephkilo yes it is only accurate description of varn system. It is even mentioned in bhagawta puran, mahabharat etc. Shudra being tamogun dominant cannot become brahmin all of sudden there is becoz gyaan, vairagya cannot come without indulging In material desire which is born of rajo gun.higher varn means higher on spiritual path to realise god. And lower varn means u are at lower standard on spiritual path.
@@rajpandey7722
Agree that one’s swabhava is based on birth but bcoz of karma. I disagree though that a Brahmin is born with greater Satva guna than other castes and vice versa.
If it were so, then why is the Brahanical establishment so desirous of protecting the status quo of superiority. That is not indicative of satva guna.
In any case, this so called 4 fold division of caste is only found in India . Thank God for that. Sikhs and Buddhists do not follow that.
@@Alephkilo past karmas are reflected as ur swabhaav of present bith also the genes of mother and father counts hence brahmin born of brahmin mother and father is born with satva gun and has inclination towards satvick karmas. Definition bof brahmim itself is one who is satvaguna dominant, kshatriya is satva gun and rajo gun dominant and so on. A person with no satvick quality is not called brahmin although he is born in brahmin family . That is why people used to marry in same varn to preserve their genes so that offspring born carries same brahmin genes and has satvik quality dominant. And varn system is governed by nature itself it is not made by any sect or religion and is practised by entire world .
@@rajpandey7722
The only part I agree with you is that the parents genes also pay a part in the eventual karma of the child, but not necessarily svabhava.
There are no caste “ preferences” for marriage.. or has been unthinkable for castes to marry outside of their caste in India for centuries.
Next, a Brahmin does not have more satvic Guna then a Kshatriya or other castes, else Brahmins would not have created or abused by the many Smriti. There are also many cases of temple thefts by Brahmins..
is there any proof that Brahmins are more virtuous than non Brahmins or vaidhya bei g inferior . Absolutely none.
Finally, the whole world doesn’t practice varna system as you claim and is not governed by nature but by man. Only Hindus do it. Please be truthful and look beyond ur border.