Author: Swami Sundarananda
Publisher: Ramkrishna Math, 1946
This part is taken from the book:
Hinduism and Untouchability.
In the early Vedic times different
members, belonging to one family, used to undertake different occupations
of Chaturvarna(four castes) according to their inclinations and ability.
Each member of a family was at liberty to adopt any profession he/she liked
best without any obligation. Born of the same parents, one son/daughter
used to end the cattle and still the soil; another, being of an enterprising
nature, defended his/her hearth and home against undesirables and mintained
peace and order of the country; and a third son/daughter gifted with intellectual
and spiritual disposition, pursued the priestly profession. In course of
time, when the Vedic Aryans, having grown in overwhelming numbers, scattered
throughout the whole of Aryavarta, they divided themselves into four divisions
according to their different qualities(gunas) and actions(karmas) in order
to organize their society upon a sound basis. This fourfold division has
been a predominant factor of the Hindu social fabric.
Sri Krishna, the great incarnation
of God, said: "The four castes were created by me by the differentiation
of qualities and actions; though I am the author of them, know me to be
actionless and changeless"(Geeta). Thus he supported the basic principles
of the Vedic Rishis who organized the Hindu society according to the qualities
and actions suited to diverse temperaments and tenders of different classes
of people. The great law giver Manu also bears us out on this point when
he says: "Internally or externally one's own cast should be determined
by one's own actions(Manu Samhita). Kulluka Bhatta, a renowned authority
on Smirii and a commentator of the Manu Samhita, lays down: "If any body's
caste cannot be discriminated all of a sudden, it should be done by the
actions of that person"(Manu Samhita). Even the celebrated social re-former
Ballal Sena, the emperor of Gauda Bango, arbitrarily re-adjusted the Hindu
society of Bengal upon theses principles.
While studying our scriptures, one
can find that many distinguished sages of ancient times could not trace
their birth to any decent origin. But it was their qualities and actions
that can better be summed up in one word 'character' which placed them
in an elevated position in the Hindu society and lifted them even to the
rank of highly venerated Rishis, the teachers and guides of man kind. In
days of yore, a dangerous outlaw like Ratnakara could be turned in to Valmiki
Rishi, and a meat-seller Tuladhara might be the spiritual guide of Jajali
Rishi. Veda Vyasa, the versatile compiler of Vedic lore, was the son of
a fisher-man's daughter, and Vashishtha, though born of a divine courtsean
named Urvashi., was highly respected Rishi of his age. We read in the Chhandogyopanishad
that Jabala, who is the best known by the name of Satyakama, although ignorant
of the identity of his father, was the founder of a renowned school of
Yajurveda. Kripa, Drona and Karna, the great heroes of the Mahabharata
did not know the names of their fathers. In the Aitareya Brahmana we find
that Kobhadha Alusha, a low born Shudra, raised himself to the rank of
a Rishi by his unimpeachable character and high spiritual attainments.
It is distinctly stated in Harivamsa that Nabhaga and a son of Arista,
though of low birth, were admitted into the Brahmin class Guhaka Chandala
enjoyed the friendship of Ramachandra, was highly respected by Sri Krishna
who occupies a unique position in the Hindu pantheon. A careful study of
our various scriptures will convince any open-minded were actuated by the
same inner urge of constructing a magnificent Hindu social edifice or Varnasharma
Dharma upon the principal basis of the qualities and actions of men. Let
us quote here a few sayings from our scriptures to show clearly how a man
lower or higher class could be promoted or degraded according to his good
or bad qualities and action :
"Man gets into a higher class by
virtuous deeds."(Mahabharata, Shanti Parba)
"A Shudra attains the rank of a
Brahmin and Brahmin sinks into the level of a Shudra. Know the same in
the case of the children of Kshatriya or a Vashya. (Manu Samhita)
" By doing religious deeds men of
a lower class rise to the higher class and should be considered as such;
by doing irreligious acts men of a higher class fall to the lower one and
should be treated so." (Apastambha Samhita)
Even a Brahmin, guilty of wicked
acts and taking bad food, falls from Brahmin hood and becomes a Shudra.
Even a Shudra, whose soul has been purified by virtuous deeds and who has
his senses controlled, is to be served as a Brahmin." (Mahabharata)
Not by high parentage , nor by class
but deeds one becomes a Brahmin. Even a chandala, O Yudhisthira, becomes
a Brahmin by good conduct." (Mahabharat)
We need not multiply quotations
to vindicate that according to our Varnashrama Dharma many a Chandala,
by virtuous deeds, may become a Brahmin. Can there be any stronger evidence
to justify the uplift of the depressed class than this? Is it not then
meet and proper that any lower class, which deserves to be promoted to
a higher rank for better qualities and actions, should be raised to that
social status? It is clear from our scriptures that every member of a society
can, by pious or impious character, become member of a higher or lower
class. Every class of the Chaturvarna in ancient India had its code of
conduct; neither birth nor right was the ground for any one to be called
a Brahmin or a Kshatriya or a Vaishya or a Shudra, but conduct was the
only criterion.
The Hindus should remember that
the all-pervading influence of the later-day degraded Buddhists and other
allied sects, and also that of foreigners who ruled over India, has contributed
substantially to demolition of the old structure of the Hindu society.
As a result of the repeated internal revolutions and external invasions
which threatened the very existence of the Hindus, the old laws, the old
laws of the Varnashram Dharma became inoperative in the Hindu society long
ago. Now, certain blind and meaningless customs and practices, as also
some local prejudices and usage have taken the place of pristine laws and
begun to govern the society everywhere.
As regards the origin of the present
caste system, Dr. B. S. Moonje opined: "There has been one more result,
equally terrible of Buddhistic propaganda in India: we see it in the sociology
of the Hindus. As a non-violent repulse to ferofious violent attacks of
forcible proselytisation persistently indulged in throughout the Moslem
period of seven hundred years, the Hindus evolved a system known as the
Cast System being concious of their inability to repel violence with violence".
This cast system, in the opinion of a section of sociologists, put a check
to proselytisation of non-violent Hindu masses to some extent during the
period of Moslem supremacy, but it bred many serious evils and damned them
into perpetual slavery. It has been the root cause of division of Hindus
into innumerable warrinng sects, which, in turn, have brought about their
degeneration and downfall. Analysing the defects of the cast system, Rao
Bahadur C. V. Vaidya, the celebrated historian of Maharashtra, in his History
of Medieval Hindu India, says: "The result of the Cast System is that,
about 10% of the population is fit and disposed to fight; while the remaining
90%, by nature and heredity, is not fit to fight and is, therefore, ready
to accept the rule of any nation which happens to be successful." So, serious
attempts need be made to reform the Hindu society in a manner consistent
with the changed condiions of the time as well as with our traditional
religion and culture.
