Varna

[Guest guest]

HinduThought, Srinivasan Kalyanaraman

<kalyan97@g...> wrote:

Varna is NOT a category based on birth.

Varna is a category based on professions (karma) and proclivities

(guna).

See Bhagavadgita 18.42 to 18.44.

(18.42): Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance,

honesty,

knowledge, wisdom and religiousness -- these are the natural

qualities by

which the Brahmins work.

 

(18.43): Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in

battle,

generosity and leadership are the natural qualities of work for the

Kshatriyas.

 

(18.44): Farming, cow protection and business are the natural work

for the

Vaishas, and for the Shudras there is labor and service to others.

see chandogya U.

(Chandogya Upanishad 4.4)

Once Satyakam went to his mother and said: "Mother, I wish to enter

upon the

life of a student. Of what family am I?"

 

To him she answered, "I do not know, my child, of what family thou

art. In

my youth, I was poor and served as a maid (dasi-- a Shudra

profession) to

many masters, and then I had thee, therefore I do not know of what

family

thou art. My name is Jabala and thy name is Satyakam. Thou mayest

call

thyself Satyakam Jabala."

 

The boy went to the Master Haridrumat Gautam and said, "I want to

become a

student of sacred wisdom. May I come to you, Master?"

 

To him the Master asked, "Of what family art thou, my son?"

 

"I do not know of what family I am," answered Satyakam. "I asked my

mother

and she said: 'I do not know, my child, of what family thou art. In

my

youth, I was poor and served as a maid (dasi) to many masters, and

then I

had thee, therefore I do not know of what family thou art. My name

is Jabala

and thy name is Satyakam.' I am therefore Satyakam Jabala, Master."

 

To him Master Gautam said, "Thou art a Brahmin, since thou hast not

gone

away from the truth. Come, my son, I will take thee as a student."

So what is varna and varna sankara?

Varna is a calling based on one's aptitudes. Varna sankara is a

mixing up

of professions and aptitudes. Relating varna sankara to the

emergence of

jaati or kula will be an error in interpretation. Varna is more like

a

cluster of gan.a-s and vra_tya-s.

Jaati is based on the root: jan 'to be born'. Jaati refers to living

species, living space in Patanjali's usage in the phrase jaati-des'a

(meaning: living space, region). Kula is a kinship group, an

extended family

with commonly accepted samskaara and family traditions.

Dhanyavaadah.

K.

 

 

 

--- End forwarded message ---