January 30, 2012
Mahatma Gandhi's views on India's caste system are well known. Gandhiji was certainly not the first or the only leader to draw attention to the problems created by the caste system and the rigid attitudes that became ingrained in the Indian psyche. Yet, by making removal of untouchability central to the struggle for India's freedom, Mahatma Gandhi made the practice of untouchability intellectually, morally and most importantly, politically unacceptable in India.
In our Geeta study group, we recently discussed the chaaturvarNa as described by Śrī Krsna in 4-13.
चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः |
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ||४-१३||
chaaturvarNyaM mayaa sR^ishhTa.n guNakarmavibhaagashaH .
tasya kartaaramapi maa.n vid.hdhyakartaaramavyayam.h .. 4\-13..
The fourfold-caste has been created by Me according to the differentiation of GUNA an d KARMA; though I am the author thereof know Me as non-doer and immutable.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa insists that the division of castes is based on GuNa and Karma, innate qualities and action. The clear implication is that as our guNa and karma evolve, we can transition from one varNa to the other, upwards or down is our choice.
Today is Martyr's day in India, marking the day 64 years ago when an assassin shot and killed the Father of the Indian nation. On this occasion, I want to discuss Mahatma Gandhi and caste from a different perspective.
Commentators, including Pujya Guruji, Swami Tejomayanandaji, have pointed out that each of us pass through different phases in our lives when different "guNakarma" are predominant. When planning and strategy is required, we invoke the BrahmaNa in us. When we have to execute a major plan of action in an aggressive manner, to seize a big opportunity, maybe in a hostile environment, we call upon the Kshatriya or warrior in us. When we're called to raise funds for projects, we adopt different strategies to conserve and generate money. At such times, we need the mindset of a Vaishya or financier. Lastly there are stages in our life when all we do is simply do what we're told. Mahatma Gandhi is a fine role model in all these aspects.
Gandhiji was a visionary in the way he adopted elements of sadhana as strategy - fasting & prayer. Gandhiji leveraged these aspects of tapas or spiritual austerity with complete conviction and integrity in a way that only the Vedic brahamaNas could.
He inspired, organized, gave courage to the masses and lead the struggle for India's freedom from the front dynamically and relentlessly, in a way that reminds me of a kshatriya such as Shivaji.
He was intensely conscious of the value of money and was said to make sure that accounts were correct to the last paisa (penny). He was convinced Swaraj or freedom would be incomplete without economic self-sufficiency at the village level. No doubt, Gandhiji's birth in a Vania (in a trading / Vaishya) family helped bring this understanding and sense of scruples to the forefront of the Congress party.
Lasty, he recognized and valued immensely the contributions of the shudra and demonstrated that by his own taking up the broom and bucket that the bhangis (cleaners) used.
More than most, he embodied, the Chinmaya Mission pledge "We believe that the service of our country is the service of the Lord of Lords, and devotion to the people is the devotion to the Supreme Self".
Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post
Mahatma Gandhi's views on India's caste system are well known. Gandhiji was certainly not the first or the only leader to draw attention to the problems created by the caste system and the rigid attitudes that became ingrained in the Indian psyche. Yet, by making removal of untouchability central to the struggle for India's freedom, Mahatma Gandhi made the practice of untouchability intellectually, morally and most importantly, politically unacceptable in India.
In our Geeta study group, we recently discussed the chaaturvarNa as described by Śrī Krsna in 4-13.
चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः |
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ||४-१३||
chaaturvarNyaM mayaa sR^ishhTa.n guNakarmavibhaagashaH .
tasya kartaaramapi maa.n vid.hdhyakartaaramavyayam.h .. 4\-13..
The fourfold-caste has been created by Me according to the differentiation of GUNA an d KARMA; though I am the author thereof know Me as non-doer and immutable.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa insists that the division of castes is based on GuNa and Karma, innate qualities and action. The clear implication is that as our guNa and karma evolve, we can transition from one varNa to the other, upwards or down is our choice.
Today is Martyr's day in India, marking the day 64 years ago when an assassin shot and killed the Father of the Indian nation. On this occasion, I want to discuss Mahatma Gandhi and caste from a different perspective.
Commentators, including Pujya Guruji, Swami Tejomayanandaji, have pointed out that each of us pass through different phases in our lives when different "guNakarma" are predominant. When planning and strategy is required, we invoke the BrahmaNa in us. When we have to execute a major plan of action in an aggressive manner, to seize a big opportunity, maybe in a hostile environment, we call upon the Kshatriya or warrior in us. When we're called to raise funds for projects, we adopt different strategies to conserve and generate money. At such times, we need the mindset of a Vaishya or financier. Lastly there are stages in our life when all we do is simply do what we're told. Mahatma Gandhi is a fine role model in all these aspects.
Gandhiji was a visionary in the way he adopted elements of sadhana as strategy - fasting & prayer. Gandhiji leveraged these aspects of tapas or spiritual austerity with complete conviction and integrity in a way that only the Vedic brahamaNas could.
He inspired, organized, gave courage to the masses and lead the struggle for India's freedom from the front dynamically and relentlessly, in a way that reminds me of a kshatriya such as Shivaji.
He was intensely conscious of the value of money and was said to make sure that accounts were correct to the last paisa (penny). He was convinced Swaraj or freedom would be incomplete without economic self-sufficiency at the village level. No doubt, Gandhiji's birth in a Vania (in a trading / Vaishya) family helped bring this understanding and sense of scruples to the forefront of the Congress party.
Lasty, he recognized and valued immensely the contributions of the shudra and demonstrated that by his own taking up the broom and bucket that the bhangis (cleaners) used.
More than most, he embodied, the Chinmaya Mission pledge "We believe that the service of our country is the service of the Lord of Lords, and devotion to the people is the devotion to the Supreme Self".
Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteThanks I liked this explanation about the 4 varnas. In essence we need to have all this four varnas within us to become a complete person. Am I right to have this understanding. Can you please explain the four purusharthas.
Pranams
Balaji
@Balaji - the understanding of the 4 varNas establishes two things: One, there is no higher or lower and two, that society or an institution is incomplete without all 4 varNas. A complete person in the sense of a realized person or brahmaGYaani is one who has gone beyond the guNas and varNas.
DeleteLet's see about the purusharthas soon.
Thanks for the input.