DEIVATHIN KURAL # 156 (of Vol 2) Dated 29 Sept 2008

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 156 (of Vol 2) Dated 29 Sept 2008

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by Periyavaal of Kanchi Kamakoti peetam, over a period of some sixty years while he was the pontiff in the earlier part of last century. These have been published in Tamil by Vanadi Padippagam, Chennai, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each, as Deivathin Kural. To day we are proceeding from the last paragraph in page number 1,021, of volume 2, of the Tamil original. This e-mail is a continuation of Deivathin Kural # 155 (of Vol 2) dated 29 Sept 2008.)
(Note:- All these Deivathin Kural e-mails are available in ‘http://advaitham.blogspot.com’, which is being updated every time this e-mail is sent. )
102. One day one of the visitors here told me. “In Saastraa-s it is said that the colour of the cloth that these four castes wear are, white for the Brahmin red for the Kshatriya, yellow for the Vyshya and blue for the Sudra. I used to think that this whole colour scheme is another method of putting down the lower castes. Only later I became aware that there is a lot of sense in this scheme.” I had not thought about this myself. So, I asked him as to what is his understanding of it? His answer was this. “In white cloth even the slightest carelessness will be revealed by the smudges. The Brahmin while doing the Karma Anushtaanaa-s has to be careful and do the actions with much devotion and ‘Shraddha’. If he is not careful enough, his clothes will reveal this. He is not to waste even a drop of ghee or grain. To emphasize his need for care and attention to minute details, he is to wear the white.”
103. He continued his reply, “Kshatriya fights battles. He blood-lets himself and makes others bleed. This is unavoidable. But this fact should not be threateningly apparent but hidden, on other normal occasions. So it is reasonable that he should be wearing red. The Vyshya handles many materials out of which, yellow of the turmeric and oil is the predominant colour. One of his main duties is to take care of the cattle, especially the cow. He has to often apply turmeric to the cow. So, wearing yellow colored dresses, he would look in his element. Sudra working in the land gets covered in dirt and dust often. Blue is the best color for his dress. It is interesting to note that, even in the modern parlance, the factory workers are known as ‘blue collar workers’.” I tend to agree with his analysis. Thus we will note that the Saastraas are very reasonable in all its intent and application. There is a saying, “saastraaya cha. sukhaaya cha”, meaning, ‘as per saastraa-s and as per convenience too’. In many areas when we are not understanding the intended purpose, we can safely assume that there should be absolute logic in the way of saastraa-s.
104. Even intelligent people ask a not so very intelligent question such as, “Why is that, when one person from one Jaati, does an action it is Dharma as approved by Saastraa-s and the same action done by another person of a different Jaati, becomes Adharma?” But in olden times even an unlettered member of the proletariat was intrinsically aware that, this is not done because it sets the entire social arrangement topsy turvy! So they kept themselves and their action, within the parameters of the Saastraa-s. Except for a certain amount of inter mingling, in the proximity of the Idolized symbols of God, in combined activities of religious celebrations and while participating in social service activities; on all other occasions they kept their distances.
105. They were aware that since their separate identity helps in their systematic functioning, unfettered intermingling is anathema to social discipline. Within that discipline, they were satisfied and happy, without which, the system could not have gone on optimally effectively, for so many tens of thousands of years! (Relate it to the layout of Time as per Suryasiddhanta, given in Deivathin Kural # 153.) Even later, the system could not have become defunct, but for the influx of Muslims and their suzerainty for over seven centuries followed by the British rule. Then again the introduction of the English system of Education by Lord Macaulay; removal or withdrawal of all ‘Maanyam-s’ given to the Brahmins to receive sustenance without having to run after a livelihood; Brahmin’s grabbing a major share of all the white-collar jobs; industrialization and coming into being of towns and cities; all contributed in constantly eroding the ‘four-Jaati-system’. The tottering foundations of the system got the last push into ruin, with the introduction of the spurious ‘equality theory’ and the canard of ‘Dravidian-Aryan’ race theory!
106. The theory that, ‘India was originally populated by the Dravidian Race and the Aryan Race came marauding into India, from somewhere in Central Asia and brought the Hindu Religion with them’, was the trump card, with no substantial evidence but surmises and innuendo. This was greedily grabbed by any and every up-start local politician with parochial ambitions! If it was the Brahmin who first reneged his set duties, slowly all the four Castes were in a flux, some reluctantly and some avidly. Slowly this resulted in the common man losing his trust in the Saastraa-s. This has deteriorated to such an extent that, there are not many who know as to what is required of them as per the Saastraa-s and what is not!
107. God willing this can change back to a state when everyone would regain the trust that, his allotted role in that caste is for his own personal refinement and ennoblement while simultaneously, his actions would contribute for the society’s benefit and welfare. An in-depth analysis of our system as against other systems elsewhere in the world, would develop in us a sense of gratitude towards our ancestors!
My Purpose
108. What is the present state? Handicrafts and even small scale industries have almost disappeared. What was isolated small societies based on small villages, have grown beyond recognition. City and town life has grown into monstrous mega cities. Needs and wants have metamorphed into inescapable necessities of immense proportions. It looks next to impossible to revive traditional family oriented industries. I cannot even insist that only Kshatriya’s should be in the Army, Navy and Air-force and only Vyshya-s should be involved in Industries, Trade and Commerce and or that the fourth caste people should only be working as labour. I know that it is just not possible to go back to what it was. But there are two reasons for my talking about these things at length!
109. One point is that, whatever be the condition now, even if we are not able to make the minutest move back to old times, I want to counter the argument that, “the old methods were all wrong”. There is not even an iota of truth in claiming that, “some vested interests were responsible for creating the ‘Chatur Varna System’ benefiting the higher castes at the cost of the lower castes.” This nefarious propaganda has to be refuted. On the contrary, this unique system of the four castes, was the nursing ground for a wholesome development of a society, in Arts, Crafts, Sciences, Fine Arts, Literature, Dance, Drama, Architecture and giving birth to the noblest and subtlest of thoughts; that too spontaneously without any use of force or compulsion, as nowhere else in the whole world, ever! (To be continued.) Sambhomahadeva.