[Reader-list] Caste System, Dalits and Hinduism

[Shivam Vij शिवम् विज्]

You might want to read the Annihilation of Caste:
http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/mmt/ambedkar/

best
shivam

On Sun, Oct 19, 2008 at 11:42 AM, Aditya Raj Kaul
<kauladityaraj at gmail.com> wrote:
> The following is from a document by Dhirendra A Shah …
>
> SECTION – I
>
> Caste System, Dalits and Hinduism
>
> "There is a misconception in some minds that Hindu scriptures
> sanction the caste system. But being based on Vedas, Hinduism does
> not permit any caste system, whatsoever.
> Vedas, the proud possession of mankind, are the foundation of
> Hinduism. Vedas are all-embracing, and treat the entire humanity
> with the same respect and dignity. Vedas speak of nobility of entire
> humanity (krinvanto vishvam aryam), and do not sanction any caste
> system or birth based caste system. Mantra number 10-13-1 of Rig
> Veda addresses entire humanity as divine children (Shrunvantu vishve
> amrutsya putraha). Innumerable Mantras of Vedas emphasize oneness,
> universal brotherhood, harmony, happiness, affection, unity and
> commonality of entire humanity. A few illustrations are given here.
> Vide Mantra number 5-60-5 of Rig Veda, the Divine Poet
> declares, "All men are brothers; no one is big, no one is small. All
> are equal". Mantra number 16.15 of Yajur Veda reiterates that all
> men are brothers; no one is superior or inferior. "Mantra number 3-
> 30-1 of Atharva Veda enjoins upon all humans to be affectionate and
> to love one another as the cow loves her newly born calf.
> Underlining unity and harmony still further, Mantra number 3-30-6 of
> Atharva Veda commands humankind to dine together, and be as firmly
> united as the spokes attached to the hub of chariot wheel.
>
> Bhagvad Gita, the essence of Vedas and Upanishads, has many Shlokas
> that echo the Vedic doctrine of oneness of humanity. In Sholka
> number V (29), the Lord declares that He is the friend of all
> creatures ('Suhridam Sarva Bhutanam') whereas Sholka number IX (29)
> reiterates that the Lord has the same affection for all creatures,
> and whosoever remembers the Lord, resides in the Lord, and the Lord
> resides in him.
>
> Hindu scriptures speak about 'Varna' which means to 'select' (one's
> profession etc.); and which is not caste; and which is not birth-
> based. As per Sholka number IV (13) of Bhagvad Gita, depending upon
> a person's Guna (aptitude) and Karma (actions), there are four
> Varnas. As per this Sholka, a person's Varna is determined by his
> Guna and Karma, and not by his birth. Chapter XIV of Bhagvad Gita
> specifies three Gunas viz. Satva (purity), Rajas (passion and
> attachment) and Tamas (ignorance). These three Gunas are present in
> every human in different proportions, and determine the Varna of
> every person. Accordingly, depending on one's Guna and Karma, every
> individual is free to select his own Varna. Consequently, if their
> Gunas and Karmas are different, even members of the same family will
> belong to different Varnas. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the
> differences in Guna and Karma of different individuals, Vedas treat
> the entire humanity with the same respect; and do not sanction any
> caste system or birth based caste system.
> Being divine revelation, Shrutis (Vedas) are the ultimate authority
> for Dharma, and represent its eternal principles whereas being human
> recapitulations, Smritis (Recollections) can play only a subordinate
> role. As per Shloka number (6) of chapter 2 of Manu Smriti, "Vedo
> akhilo dharma mulam" (Veda is the foundation of entire Dharma)
> whereas Shloka number 2(13) of Manu Smriti specifies that whenever
> Shruti (Vedas) and Smritis differ, stipulation of Vedas will prevail
> over Smriti stipulation." (J. G. Arora – Organizer Weekly)
>
> "A Brahmin boy who had developed more of the Tamsic Guna was not
> allowed to remain a Brahmin in his adult age. In the same way, a
> Shudra boy could become a Brahmin if he had developed more of Satvic
> Gunas. Let us look at the history of Vedic period. Vedas were
> codified by Ved Vyas who was a son of a fisher woman. Valmiki who
> wrote Ramayana was of a Shudra Class. Guru Dronacharya was a Brahmin
> but he took up weapons and faught as a Kshatriya in the Mahabharat
> war. One can give many such examples of how this Varna system
> worked. For a long period of time this system worked reasonably well
> which is why the Hindu civilization was the most prosperous in those
> days as compared to other civilizations.
>
> It is a fact that the type of caste system (with its present
> rigidity) we today talk about came into being only after the British
> census. When the British began to conquer India, the majority of the
> kings/rulers in different parts of India had been from amongst such
> castes which have been placed in the sudra varna. Chandra Gupta
> Maurya was from a Shudra class The British demonized caste because
> it stood in the way of their breaking Indian society, hindered the
> process of atomization, and made the task of conquest and governance
> more difficult. The word 'Caste' comes from the Portuguese
> word "Casta" which was then coined as "Caste" by the British and
> used it to divide the Indian society to perpetuate its colonial rule
> in India. The real rigidity of the caste system came into being only
> sometime in 1800 AD."
>
> Albaruni (AD 973 – 1048) describes the traditional division of
> Hindu society along the four Varnas and the Antyaja -- who are not
> reckoned in any caste; but makes no mention of any oppression of low
> caste by the upper castes. Much, however the four castes differ from
> each other,they live together in the same towns and villages, mixed
> together in the same houses and lodgings. The Antyajas are divided
> into eight classes -- formed into guilds -- according to their
>  professions who freely intermarry with each other. They live near
> the villages and towns of the four castes. (Sachau:101)
> This is exemplified by the fact that in Bali Hindu society in
> Indonesia, there is no dalit, no untouchability, no caste.
> Therefore, castiesm and untouchability are social problems in India
> and are not part of Hinduism as propagated by the Christian
> missionaries and evangelical folks. Can you say that homosexuality
> and pedophilia are rooted in Christianity because there are
> practiced by many Christian priests in America and Europe?
> Dalit: George Ooommen notes that the word 'dalit' was first used
> only in the 19th century by a Marathi social reformer, Jyotirao
> Phule. The 'dalit' word was appropriated by a political group called
> Dalit Panther Movement of Maharashtra in 1970. And, now the
> term, 'dalit' is appropriated by Christian theologians and
> missionaries to create anti-Hindu sentiments and convert poor and
> illiterate Hindus to Christianity by unethical, immoral and
> fraudulent methods.
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