HINDU RENAISSANCE - PART IV - THE CASTE SYSTEM - 2 - REFORMS NEEDED

HINDU RENAISSANCE

PART IV

THE CASTE SYSTEM - 2

In the previous essay on Hinduism - Caste system, I had given my views on - how the present day caste system can be modified to accord with the definition given by Lord Krishna – that he divided people into Varnas based on “Guna and Karma”.

This means – Varna should be based only on GUNA and KARMA and should not be based on Birth. It should be based on who you are, and not based on who your father and mother are. Therefore, If you change your Guna and Karma, It should be possible and it should be necessary - to change your Varna. That is how it should be. 

Today, the constitution of India guarantees religious freedom to all as a fundamental right. In respect of Hindus, this religious Freedom should actually mean – the right to choose one’s caste. A Hindu today, can get out of Hinduism altogether, but cannot change his caste. This is ridiculous interpretation of religious freedom. Caste stigma is the only reason why a Hindu is often compelled to change his religion – whereby he gets rid of his Caste as well as his religion. You can change your religion whereby your caste also goes – but you cannot change your caste within your religion. This is just ridiculous, atrocious and meaningless.

Many erstwhile systems which were permitted in Hindu system have changed in Hinduism, either by social reform or by Law. Sati sahagamanm – wife burning herself along with her dead husband, either voluntarily or by force of others, has been abolished by Law. It is not permissible any more. Widow marriage is now permitted and is becoming more and more acceptable with increasing male and female education. Child Marriages have been totally abolished. Today, all these are punishable crimes. Just one more major reform is needed in Hinduism to make it a Great, wonderful, admirable religion – namely,  the REFORM OF CASTE SYSTEM.

Caste was just an identity for what one does – i.e., what is one’s profession. That was what Lord Krishna said. But, it has degenerated into severe, abominable, atrocious compartmentalization of the whole Society. In place of the four  inter-linked, inter-dependent Varnas, we have over 4000 castes, differently named in different parts of the country and each living within the egg shell of his caste structure. There is no strong bond uniting all of us today. Somewhere down the line, this superiority – inferiority complexes have also arisen and grown all out of proportion. Hinduism talks a lot about  Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavanthu, God resides in all, love all, be compassionate, take care of all – and so on – but all this vanishes into thin air, when the holier than thou attitude gets into the heart. Heart becomes heartless and this has weakened the whole Hinduism out of shape.

With the entry of external religions like Christianity and Islam into India, the complexes got compounded. These external religions came with their  motto of vigorous conversion of all Hindus into their religions, as, they assumed that their religion only was supreme and nobody other than them was going to heaven ! So, the Hindu was subjected to several onslaughts. Many were converted under threats. Many were converted under several lures. Many were  and are converting to other religions on their own – to avoid caste stigma, to benefit from love marriages and so on.

For many people in Hinduism, there is now – no real incentive, no benefit, no purpose even – to stay in Hinduism. If I can be better off, more respected by my fellow religionists and can be devoid of any caste stigma there, why should I be here? This question comes naturally in the minds of many people who are subjected to caste stigma in Hinduism.

We can’t shut our eyes to this real suffering of people who face caste stigma, untouchability and other problems in Hindu society. These are just not ignorable or tolerable. The Constitution also says that. Most Political leaders also say that. But, how to root out these social evils totally and IMMEDIATELY – nobody is clear about this and nobody is willing to act on this. Frankly, nobody knows how.

We must be Human and treat all Humans as Humans. We can’t treat any innocent, helpless individual inhumanly.

Can we abolish caste system altogether? Even if abolish caste system altogether, we still need some priestly class, some warrior class, some trader class and some services class. These exist everywhere – in all cultures, in all nations and even among remote region tribals with no religion. The Only point to note is – nowhere is it resulting in any stigma by birth. Nowhere is the father and mother a cause of stigma for a person. This stigma should go completely. Yes. Your own Guna and Karma must decide your place in society. Not those of your father and mother. 

Also, Hinduism must create a strong incentive, strong benefit and a strong inner urge for everybody to remain in Hinduism. Also, those outside Hinduism must feel that deep inner urge to join Hinduism by themselves. That is the purpose and need for grouping ourselves as a religion. If that is absent, people will naturally migrate to those religions where these possibly exist for them. We can’t prevent it. 

Are other religions BETTER than Hinduism? I don’t think so. Hinduism only contains immense variety of religious thought processes and solutions to most human problems. All other religions talk of Heaven and hell. Hinduism also talks of rebirth and Moksha. Hinduism supports most of its systems through extraordinary LOGIC and not just faith and Belief. For instance, Karma theory is extremely scientific and lucid in Hinduism – when properly understood.  

But, most people understand it in parts. Many avoid Karma and excellence in karma – and get into laziness and inaction. But, Lord Krishna has said plainly that you cannot avoid Karma and you must indulge in it. In fact, you must seek to achieve excellence in whatever Karma you do – said Lord Krishna. The very purpose of Bhagavad Gita was to make Arjuna fight for Justice and not to go back on his duty. Lord Krishna’s life itself was a brilliant example of the best of Karma theory.  Apart from Karma theory, there are many real sciences in the Gita like, for instance, Guna thraya Vibhaga Yoga, which require extensive research even now.

Let us get back to our discussion on the four Varnas. Lord Krishna was born in a Kshatriya family but from the day of his birth, he was brought up in a Yadava family. All this was done as per divine dispensation or God’s own will and advice. Why did Lord Krishna choose a Yadava family instead of a Kshatriya family? Is it to show us that all Varnas and Jatis are equal in his view? To me, it looks like that.The Lord, by his actions, showed that every caste was noble in this culture. 

Whenever Lord Krishna went to Hastinapur, he chose to dine with Vidura and Sanjaya who were said to be of Sudra Origin and refused to dine with either Brahmin or Kshatriya Hosts.

Sage Veda Vyasa was born of a Fisher-woman called Sathyavati and a Brahmin Sage called Parasara. He has himself recorded all the details of his birth in his Mahabharat and was in no way ashamed of his birth  to a Sudra woman in those days. Nobody in those days ridiculed him for his birth in a Sudra woman’s womb. So, why are we so ridiculously rigid today? Why are we not following the Lord’s example at least or of Veda Vyasa’s example? Which Hindu Swamiji will permit or approve these today? They should. But will they?

I think, it is time to resurrect Hinduism of the Veda Vyasa’s days as the world’s best, most humane, most versatile, most enlightened and most virile culture. We can of course, reform it further, in the light of modern advancements in education, technology etc.

We must necessarily question ourselves extensively and intensively on the present day Caste system in which we are living, because, it is not prevailing according to the Guna and Karma criteria that Lord Krishna prescribed. There are some Questions Arjuna failed to ask and we can ask them and seek answers for them.

Let us ask one more pertinent question. Does the caste system created by God include only the people, residing south of Himalayas, or does it include people outside also, all over the earth? Let us come to TODAY and ask – does the system include the  Muslims, Christians, Jews, and so many others in all parts of the earth? 

All people are created by God only and therefore the Guna and Karma based division applies to ALL people all over the earth. If we assume like this, the caste system definitely makes sense. Probably, this is what Lord Krishna meant also. Gunas and Karmas are detailed wonderfully, elsewhere in the Bhagavad Gita itself.

Among people of all religions – we definitely find – 

(a) people who are peace and love oriented and who advice others on Dharma,  a priestly Class generally, whom we may call ‘Brahmins’,

(b) people who are born to protect others by fighting evil,  people who train in martial arts and warfare, whom we may call ‘Kshatriyas’,

(c) traders, manufacturers, farmers etc who create and sell goods and services whom we may call ‘Vaisyas’ and

(d) people who perform various services in the society either through manual labour or through technology - whom we may call ‘sudras’.  

There are no outcastes or Panchamas or untouchables in Lord Krishna’s system. There are no other Varnas in God’s own creation, according to this verse. This broad classification of people  seems perfectly reasonable and every society has these Varnas. We may call them by these names, or by any other names, but these categories of people exist in every Society. Today, we can change any or all of these names, if we want.

Now, this system is OK, if it is based on our own Guna and Karma – and not based on the birth or Guna and Karma of my parents and their parents and their parents and so on. Some genetic similarities may be there in me with the ancestors, but I can be entirely different from them in Guna and Karma. I can change my Guna and Karma by my conscious actions or by my unconscious actions also.  That determines my Varna and not who was my great grand father.

Lord Krishna has given enough description of the three Gunas of Sathva, Rajas and Tamas. He has given enough description of Karmas also. In all these, people can change. A fisher woman can be the founder of a Kshatriya clan and in that clan, can be born Brahmins , Viasyas and Sudras – taking their individual Gunas and Karmas into account.

People often quote a Purusha Sukta verse for the Varna system. It says, the Purusha was the embodiment of all people. Brahmins form his mouth, the Kshatriyas form his strong Arms, the Vaisyas form his waist and upper legs and the Sudras form his feet. This too makes perfect sense if – we take this division purely based on Guna and Karma – excluding the criterion of Janma. 

Some people severely object to the idea of anybody forming the Purusha’s feet. This criticism is meaningless. Without feet, Purusha cannot stand, run, sit, do war, do business, perform sex or give birth  or do anything worthy.  Feet are an important part of the body, support all organs of the body and, in the context of the Individual or the Society,  represent the all-important services sector. Now, when you are doing a service, you represent the feet of the Purusha but you can become a Business man or a warrior or a priest too. 

If this option is available, then, there should be no criticism at all on this score. In any case, if God presents himself before us as Purusha, what do we do? Do we do Namaskar or pranam at his feet or at his face, arms and waist? At his feet only. Feet are an important and integral part of the body. So, this criticism is unjustified to ourselves and to our feet. Let us not demean  or degrade our own feet.

When the classification of Varnas is based on purely one’s Janma or birth and not based on One’s Guna and Karma – the division becomes wholly unjustified and illogical. If it is based on Guna and Karma, and if one can change his Guna and Karma and thereby his Varna, it becomes perfectly logical.

How did the system work in Mahabharat day’s?

We have already seen how Veda Vyasa himself was born. Veda Vyasa was the Greatest Author , the earth has ever seen. His Mahabharat is undoubtedly the largest, the most vivid and the most beautiful chronicle of contemporary History of his time and of all time.  People of his time were far more liberal than us of the 21^st Century AD. That is what we understand from the Mahabharat itself.

Though Lord Krishna told the Gita to Arjuna on the battle field., it was Vyasa who finally wrote it and gave it posterity. Gita is the greatest scientific treatise – if properly understood and interpreted. It needs to be studied in greater detail and greater scientific spirit. We just don’t have another such magnificent scientific treatise, which is over 5000 years old anywhere on the earth. Unfortunately, we recite its verses, mostly when somebody dies only, near his corpse!  That is not its purpose. Even reciting is not its purpose. 

Gita must be understood, explored and practiced. We must make more scientific advancements on its basis. There are many sciences in the Gita which need further exploration. That exploration is its real, proper purpose. Question it with a positive spirit. Krishna won’t mind. Arjuna questioned him so many times in so many ways. He answered. There is no other religious scripture on earth – in which anybody questioned God in so many ways and the God patiently replied to every query and every doubt. 

I have no doubt that Gita is the most brilliant, logical, scientific and yet somewhat brief (in our context) explanation of many sciences. I would have liked more questions from Arjuna and more answers by Lord Krishna. Probably there were and probably these were lost to us over a period of time. It happens to many Great Books and cannot be ruled out. I have heard, though I am not sure, that Gita was originally far bigger than what it is now. It could well be. Probably, the Lord had clarified many more of Arjuna’s doubts. That said, what is now available is available. 

Let us not discard or dismiss Lord Krishna’s words. Let us explore and find a positive meaning, a meaning that is acceptable in contemporary context,  for the verses. Let us go beyond them. Let us ask questions which Arjuna did not ask but which we may feel justified to ask and seek positive answers for them from Lord Krishna himself. Let us accept Lord Krishna as a Friend, Philosopher and Guide and ask. He was the greatest and wisest person who trod on earth.  I have absolutely no doubts about that. But, we must have an exploratory mind and not a rejecting, negative mind when seeking answers from him.

Vyasa was also a most respected Sage and contemporary of all Mahabharat characters. When sage Parasara loved Sathyavathi or Mathsyagandhi, the daughter of a fisherman, Veda Vyasa was born to them. Everybody in those days knew these facts well and yet respected all three of them. Nobody boycotted or belittled any of them. So, what is our problem with such marriages today? If we sit on a water-tight Caste system today and are afraid of permitting inter-caste marriages, who is at fault? They or we?

Their life history did not stop there. Parasara gave Sathyavathi a child, blessed her and left for his Tapasya. The Child, Veda Vyasa, a child prodigee, also bowed to her, asked for her permission to go for his own Tapasya and left. He promised her to come and help her whenever she needed him. 

The lady then went back to her father as if nothing happened. Thereafter, the kshatriya King Santana finds her on the Ganges, loves her and wants to marry her. Unlike Sage Parasara who loved and married her without her Parents’ permission, Santana duly asks her father for permission.

Once asked, her father puts a condition – my daughter’s son should be the King. If you agree, yes, marry her. Not otherwise. Santana already had a wife, the divine lady of Ganga who left him after giving him a son, Devavrata and that son was now a highly educated and highly skilled person eminently deserving to be the next king after Santana. Santana also loved him a lot. 

So, he came back love-stuck and love-sick for Sathyavathi. His first son from Ganga, Devavratha arranged the second “inter-caste marriage” of Sathyavathi with his father now. Nobody objected to this second inter-caste marriage also in those days. This incident was also recorded by Sathyavathi’s first son, Veda Vyasa himself. If you feel odd about it today, you have a sick mind, not they.

Sathyavathi begets sons and they grow up. She wanted Devavrata’s help for fixing a girl for the marriage of Vichitraveerya, her son born of Santana. Devavrata abducts Amba, Ambika and Ambalika from their Swayamvara site – 3 girls for his brother. But, Amba says, I am in love with Salwa and she is allowed to go back to Salwa. Salwa refuses to marry her now as she was abducted by Davavrata. Now, she goes back and asks Devavrata to marry him, as Salwa is refusing to marry her. Devavrata politely refuses, saying, he has taken a vow not to marry. Now, she goes to Parasurama, the Guru of Devavrata, who is also unable to make Devavrata agree. Now, Amba could not marry anybody! She becomes furious. She goes away to plan for her revenge on Devavrata.

Now, let us move to the next stage of evolution of the clan :

Vichitraveerya dies without begetting any children from either of his 2 wives, Ambika and Ambalika. With Devavrata”s approval(now called Bhishma), Satyavati summons her first son Vyasa, tells him the need for male children for the 2 widows, Ambika and Ambalika of her second son and asks Vyasa to ensure the birth of children for them. Vyasa agrees. Ambika begot Dhritarashtra and Ambalika begot Pandu through the help of  Vyasa. A servant woman begot Vidura in the melee, through the same process. Vidura, though born of the servant maid, became the Chief Minister of the state. Nothing of this was hidden by Vyasa. He wrote all this as if it was perfectly normal, natural and acceptable. And, it was acceptable and accepted in those days. We are the great folks not mentally willing to accept such things today – as natural.

Dhritarashtra later on, married Gandhari. Pandu married Kunti and Madri. Gandhari got a boon from Vyasa to beget Kauravas. 100 sons and one daughter were born to her through the blessings of Vyasa. Kunti and Madri got 5 children through the blessings of some Gods. Look at all the processes adopted for child birth in Mahabharat. They had much broader social outlook than us. Do you agree? If you can’t agree, it is your problem; not of Vyasa or of the Kauravas and Pandavas. 

Today, through Genetic science, some of our generation are doing the same thing. We may not even know the donor of Genes for our children. We haven’t seen them. But, yet, we go for Children through unknown genetic material sources. Mahabharat’s model of procreation is now coming to us through western science. Inter-caste marriages and inter-racial marriages (even between Devas and humans) was an approved method in Mahabharat days. They did not say – caste was a bar. They selected the best possible and safest Genetic source, if the husband or wife was unable to procreate.

My purpose here is not discussing Mahabharat per se or criticize its culture, which anyway is better than ours, in my opinion. We are not fit to criticize that culture in any way. I wish to point out the mental freedom, people enjoyed in choosing their partners, their children and so on. Yes. There were some instances in which this was given up for good reasons. When Draupadi’s Swayamvara (choice of Husband)  was arranged, she refused to accept Karna – and that was her considered choice. But, at the behest of her mother in law, Kunti, she was willing to marry all the five brothers. We can’t really fault her choice. Woman must have her well considered choice of a Husband. Man must not force himself on her.

Lord Krishna himself married 8 women and not all were kshatriyas. 16,000 women are understood to have loved him – and they belong to different castes. Pandavas married one more wife each and Bhim married a Rakshas woman. Arjuna married a few – and one was a Nag Kanya (Uloopi) – whatever it meant in those days.

I can go on and on. But, this is probably enough of the description of caste freedom in those days. Today, we must have more freedom and not less and this should be based on well reasoned, well understood, well accepted, flexible systems – far away from today’s rigid, suffocating systems, which is driving away many Hindus into the fold of other religions.

We will examine the Hindu caste system a little more – to reform it and make it an intelligent, logical, scientific, acceptable system, and make it universally acceptable all over the earth.  My intention is not to hurt any person or group of persons in any way. I seek pardon of any such person(s) who genuinely and justifiably feel so. My obvious intention is to remove all injustices in the existing system as smoothly as possible and wholly optionally in the beginning and thereby enable Hinduism to become a universally acceptable, world religion to which everybody would like to proudly belong. Our religion must be dynamic and must accept all truths that are obvious to us. We can’t ignore any injustices in our system any more. We will continue in this mode further.

*   *   *   Will Continue   *   *   *