Thoughts on Varna Jaati and their being birth and/or karma based

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1. The status of varNa as “गुणकर्मविभागश:” is clear and old. Here karma implies both sanchit (past life) and kriyamāNa (what you do this life). Since very few people do such a vigorous karma in this life that it overcomes purva-sanchit, for most people varNa is birth based.

2. Varna is linked with āshrama. A brahmachāri and a sannyāsī has no varNa. For all practical purposes, only gruhasthāshrama person gets a varNa. This is case at least for those born in first three varNa families.

3. Varna is also linked with purushārtha.

3.1 A gruhasthāshrama brāhmaNa has to pursue dharma+moksha.

3.2 A gruhasthāshrama Kshatriya naturally pursues (owing time purva sanskāra) artha and dharma/moksha too it good sanchit and born with that sort of inclination

3.3 A gruhasthāshrama vaishya pursues kāma and artha predominantly. If born with past relevant sanchit then they also pursue dharma-moksha.

3.4 One outside these are those who only wish to pursue kāma. Monetary status aside, all those who “enjoy life”, “dil ki suno”, “You only live once”, etc are never initiated into varNāshrama dharma and are shudra.

Caveat : 

There are quite a few born in such shudra families too who showed spark/inclination towards dharma-moksha. They have shone time and again with help of Bhakti-yoga. Either straight Mukti or good gati and then formal initiation in subsequent births-

Example of Kunbi-maratha dichotomy of MH

Maratha = kshatriya

Kunbi = vaishya or shudra.

Elevation of shudras/Vaishyas to Kshatriyas is common. Holkar etc are examples. While their jāti remained dhangar, varNa became Kshatriya. All contemporary dharma-pandits have certified that. In any era (except modern), everyone has been wanting to move up.

That is human tendency. तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय.

But in era where there are material benefits to call oneself backwards, kuNbi identity became strong and Marathas too demanded and got reservation. Heck, even a section of Brahmins are now demanding the same looking at success of Marathas.

In era when reservation won’t matter and if dharma survives, everyone will return of earlier order. So in summary - while most of get varNa at birth owing to Purva-karma, it is possible to change varNa and move up (or down) by one’s relevant and vigorous karma.

Jāti is physical. You cannot change it. It is like skin colour. You are born with and die in your jāti. So you may be a chitpāvan. But you need not necessarily be a Brahmin.

Yes due to your ancestors you will be initially accorded some respect and privileges. But if your conduct is not according to how it should be, that goes away with time/generations. Since so many among us now a days want to be shudra live life to fulfill kāma (desires, not just sex), I will be keenly observing how the subsequent generations of these “you only live once” people born in privileged jāti fare!!

Not just materially. But holistically. I have already seen how sharp the fall of some of these people born in Brahmin jāti many living in gated communities of cities like puNè.

If you don’t try to swim this bhavasāgara and put some efforts you are destined to drown!!

Thoughts on Indra and Vishnu - seer and seen

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विष्णोः कर्माणि पश्यत

यतो व्रतानि पस्पशे

इन्द्रस्य युज्यः सखा

“Look at the most important karma/function of vishNu, who by his presence ensures all deeds are done properly - for he is the “linked/coupled” (yujya) and (almost) inseparable sakhā of Indra.”

The phrase Indrasya yujyam sakhā - can be understood by example of KrishNārjuna duo.

Arjuna (Indra) and Krishna (vishNu)

Indra = Ātman/drashTā, Vishnu (one who is (almost) inseparably linked with the drashTa) share same space (ie co-exist together = sa + kha = same space)

This function is the most important and grandest function/feet/achievement (karma) of vishNu.

vishNoryat paramam padam (ॐ विष्णोर्यत् परमं पदम्)

That he pervaded everything and is (almost) inseparably linked with the seer Himself (drashTā, puruSha) - is his greatest achievement.

I have been using qualifier “almost” here. Because eventually puruSha/Indra/Arjuna has to let go of this “attachment” too to achieve kaivalyapada.

From where we see it - Arjuna/Indra/Seer is puruSha here. And vishNu is moola Prakriti. 😊🙏

Indra literally translates as “seer” (इदम् द्रमति स इंद्र:) one who sees it all, is Indra.

The whole point of sānkhyayoga (for that matter any adhyātmik journey) is to have the real drashTā established in his true self. Hence in Bhakti mārga, puruSha is imagined to plead prakriti (IshTadèvatā) to help Him escape. Imagined because it is only higher limbs of prakriti pleading lower ones.

रवीकुळ टिळका रे हीत माझे करावे

दुरित दुरी हरावे “स्वस्वरूपी” भरावे

Rāmdās swāmi pleading rāma (vishNu i.e Indrasya yujyam sakhā) to help “Him” be established in “His” true self. Aim of adhyātma is moksha/Kaivalya. Everything else is a tool of drashTā/puruSha towards reaching this end goal.

 श्रीराम... 🙏🙏

On avatāra and concept of Gods in Dharma

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This thread started as a discussion on Bharat Rakshak (as is the case with most of my posts). Then was published on twitter. It was received well there. So posting it here for posterity and ease of access. 🙏🙏

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We have begun to think of “God” as Abrahmics (Xians and Muslims). We Hindus should try and unlearn this meticulously. For it is affecting us. Just after Duryodhana tried to arrest Krishna, he had seen his virāTa-rūpa. He knew this is vishNu himself. Yet it didn’t bother him much. Because we view “God” very differently. God IS NOT above karma. If you have done a karma (good bad whatever), nothing in this existence has power to stop its consequences getting back to you. Not even an all powerful omnipotent omniscient omnipresent Lord.

Which leads to the question whether the said entity is actually “omni- all that” at all? So Duryodhana’s journey after being revealed that Krishna is vishNU - actually teaches how Hindus view Gods and Deities. Gods can’t interfere in cycle of Karma. Duryodhana is part of a karmic chain reaction started long ago with Shantanu’s decision to deprive Bhishma of kinghood. Only Duryodhana could’ve stopped it if only he had decided not be an asshole & let pānDavas be at peace after partition.

But molestation of Draupadi had sealed his fate. No matter what, Kauravas were marked men, the moment they touched Draupadi. Even Krishna knew it during his final attempt for peace that was impossible to stop this chain reaction just before the final explosion. It was inevitable. Only question was - will Duryodhan take only 102 men down with him (karNa and Shakuni included) or will Duryodhana take down 4 million men down with him. He very methodically tied his fate with other 4 million poor buggers. Duryodhana thought that by tying himself with the system, he would become “too big to fail”. I cannot blame him for thinking this way. This is what we see in our daily lives.  And the system had become so rigid that they could not uncouple the karma of this marked person with other 4 million bystanders. Their karma. What else.... He just misjudged the purpose of avatāra - to reset the order. Not to just troubleshoot and bug fix.

Hence dear Hindus : Never wish for an avatāra

You never know what all you will lose, in short and long term if vishNu decides to “come down” and do the system reset. Just do your job & hold the dharma as long as you can (one birth at a time) & keep vishNu asleep in Kshirasāgara. It’ll happen when it has to happen. Only Muslims and Xians wish to hasten their judgement day. They remind me of Duryodhana. Unfortunately our lives are tied with them in given times. So if their Qayamat happens, they will die. That is what they want. We will be left with damaged earth. If abrahmic qayamat has to happen, the question in front of us is how to keep us and our sacred land and dharma relatively untouched for as far as possible. Then There is always a possibility of some ātatāyi terrorist like ashwatthāma to pull the trigger of doomsday weapon.

So the question arises - whom do we pray to? What do we pray for? What is the role of dèvatā in our existence?

we pray to our ishtadevata, kuladevata, vāstudevata, sthānadevata, grāmadevata and others too. What do we usually pray for? Do we pray to save our souls (SOS)? Or do we pray for us getting anything and everything along with moksha? In my opinion, it is Latter. Herein lies main difference. In dire need, we also pray for saving us too difficult situations too. Eg. gajéndramoksha. When divine intervention happens in such instances, it is usually via some agent or direct. But will you call shri Hari saving Gajendra from crocodile as him taking an avatāra? No. Moment we are relieved of our predicament, we thank the gods for their help and move on with our karma. If there is no intervention, we accept it as our Sanchita-karma and move on with strife.

Avatāra happens when things are broken so badly that it is hopeless. Things broke so badly and things became so hopeless because? Because we (ancestors, previous births) did not do our karma and did not upheld the dharma by doing the right thing. Tell me if Bhishma had not taken than vow, would mahabhārata happen? If Shantanu had kept control over his desires? If citizens of mathurā had rebelled and overthrown Kansa after his adhārmik usurping of power, will shri Hari need to come down? It is when we abandon the right path and things start getting hopelessly bad that avatāra needs to happen. Because there are some things more valuable than existence of Srishti which needs to be protected. It is to save that thing.

ParitrāNāya sādhūnām doesn’t translate as “to save good people”. Rather it is very lazy translation. It actually means to save that/them which/who is/are so exalted and sacred that its worth saving at all costs. Even if that cost is pralaya. Or world war. Or systemic reset. All those who died in presence of bhagawaan went to swarga. But all of those who died then were ill-fated (due to their past bad karma) to live in such adhaarmik times where even the queens are disrobed in public and suffer the consequence of that age and times. If such thing can happen to a lady as exalted as Draupadi what must be ordinary women going through? All those who got to see hear touch Krishna in Mathura and Vrindavan must have gotten good gati and it was as a result of some powerful accumulated puNya.

But they had to live under tyrants like Kansa and Jarasandha who sent assassins to murder new born kids en masse. Think of how many murders Putanā committed before meeting her end at hands of Krishna? What about those parents who were fortunate enough to live in presence of bhagwaan.  But unfortunate enough to lose their new born babies? Do you call it a good fortune? 😊 Is it not better if one by one’s sādhana gets a similar good gati, perhaps darshan of that same devatā while living in a dhārmik society. Instead of living in turbulent times invited by our own actions or inactions?

मा ते संगोस्तु अकर्मणिं..... Never indulge in Akarma (dodging one’s duties and responsibility towards dharma).

आनंदवनभुवनी - Ānanda vana bhūvanī - by Samartha Rāmadāsa Swāmī

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Ānandavanabhūvanī is one of the most important compositions of Samartha Rāmadāsa Swāmi. He wrote this in his last years on earth. He envisions/dreams/sees a Hindu society and how it should be after Aurangzeb and other Mlechhas are eliminated from this good earth. It is a long poem. It is basically the interpretation or understanding or experience of what and how a Rāmarājya truly is after the bhagavat-vachan of “परित्राणाय साधुनाम् ....... संभावामि युगे युगे” fructifies in a society. It is most interesting to observe that the experience of a rāmarājya by a realised and enlightened Sadguru like Rāmadās swāmi is so different and heart warming than the Ganga-jamuni dhimmi crap peddled by Gandhi et al. Swāmi is openly dreaming of ridding the earth of mlechhas and armies venturing out in all directions etc. This composition gives an excellent view on how a truly Hindu mind uncluttered by Macaulay or Persian domination imagines rāmarājya. 

आनंदवनभूवनी

जन्‍मदु:खें जरा दुखें । नित्‍य दु:खे पुन्‍हा पुन्‍हा । 

संसार त्‍यागणें जाणें । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।१।।

वेधले चीत्त जाणावें । रामवेधी निरंतरी ।

रागे हो वीतरागे हो । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।२।।

संसार वोढितां दु:खे । ज्‍याचे त्‍यासीस ठाऊंकें । 

परंतु येकदा जाणे । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।३।।

न सोसे दु:ख तें होतें । दु:ख शोक परोपरी ।

 येकाकी येकदां जावे । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।४।।

कष्‍टलो कष्‍टलो देंवा । पुरे संसार झाला ।

 देहत्‍यागासी येणें हो । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।५।।

जन्‍म ते सोसिले मोठे । आपाय बहुतांपरीं । 

उपाये धाडिलें देवें । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।६।।

स्‍वप्‍नी जें देखिलें रात्री । तें तें तैसेंची होतसे । 

हिंडता फिरतां गेलों । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।७।।

हे साक्ष देखिली दृष्‍टी । किती कल्‍लोळ उठीले । 

विघ्‍नघ्‍ना प्रार्थिले गेलों । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।८।।

स्‍वधर्म आड जें विघ्‍ने । तें तें सर्वत्र उठीलें । 

लाटिली कुटिली देवें । दापिली कापिले बहु ।।९।।

विघ्‍नाच्‍या उठिल्‍या फौजा । भीम त्‍यावरी लोटला । 

घर्डिलीं र्चिडलीं रागे । रडविले बडविले बळे ।।१०।।

हाकिली टांकिली तेणें । आनंदवनभुवनीं । 

हांक बोंब बहु जाली । पुढें खतल्‍ल मांडिले ।।११।।

खौळले लोक देवाचे । मुख्‍य देवची उठीला । 

कळेना काय रे होतें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१२।।

स्‍वर्गीची लोटली जेथे । रामगंगा महानदी । 

तीर्थासी तुळणा नाहिं । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१३।।

ग्रंथी जे वर्णिले मागे । गुप्‍तगंगा महानदी । 

जळांत रोकडे प्राणी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१४।।

सकळ देवांची साक्षी । गुप्‍त उदंड भूवने । 

सौख्‍य च पावणे जाणे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१५।।

त्रैलोक्‍य चालिलें तेथें । देव गंधर्व मानवी । 

ऋषी मुनी महायोगी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१६।।

आक्रा आक्रा बहु आक्रा । काय आक्रा कळेचिना ।

 गुप्‍त ते गुप्‍त जाणावे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१७।।

त्रैलोक्‍यी चालिला फौजा । सौख्‍य बंदविमोचनें । 

मोहिम मांडली मोठी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१८।।

सुरेश उठिला आंगे । सुरसेना परोपरीं ।

 वेष्‍टीत कर्कशे यानें । शस्‍त्रपाणी महाबळी ।।१९।।

देव देव बहु देव । नाना देव परोपरीं । 

दाटणी जाहाली मोठी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२०।।

दिग्‍पती चालिले सर्वें । नाना सेंना परोपरीं । 

वेष्‍टीत चालिले सकळै । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२१।।

मंगळे वाजती वाद्यें । माहांगणासमागमे । 

आरंभी चालीला पुढें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२२।।

राशभें राखिलीं मागें । तेणें रागेंची चालिला । 

सर्वत्र पाठीसी फौजा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२३।।

अनेक वाजती वाद्ये । ध्‍वनी कल्‍लोल उठीला । 

छेबींने डोलती ढाला । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२४।।

विजई दीस जो आहे । ते दीसीं सर्व उठती । 

अनर्थ मांडला मोठा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२५।।

देवची तुष्‍टला होता । त्‍याचे भक्तीस भुलला । 

मागुता क्षोभला । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२६।।

कल्‍पांत मांडला मोठा । म्‍लेंछदैत्‍य बुडावया । 

कैपक्ष घेतला देवीं । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२७।।

बुडाले सर्व ही पापी । हिंदुस्‍थान बळावलें । 

अभक्तांचा क्षयो जाला । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२८।।

पूर्वी जे मारिले होतें । ते ची आतां बळावलें । 

कोपला देव देवांचा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२९।।

त्रैलोक्‍य गांजिले मागें । ठाउकें विवेकी जना । 

कैपक्ष घेतला रामें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३०।।

भीम ची धाडिला देवें । वैभवें धांव घेतलीं । 

लांगूळ चालिले पुढे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३१।।

येथूनी वाढिला धर्म । रमाधर्म समागमें । 

संतोष मांडला मोठा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३२।।

बुडाला औरंग्‍या पापी । म्‍लेंछसंहार जाहाला । 

मोडलीं मांडली क्षेत्रे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३३।।

बुडाले भेदवाही ते । नष्‍ट चांडाळ पातकी । 

ताडिले पाडिले देव । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३४।।

गळाले पळाले मेले । जाले देशधडी पुढे ।

 निर्मळ जाहाली पृथ्‍वी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३५।।

उदंड जाहालें पाणी । स्‍नान संध्‍या करावया ।

 जप तप अनुष्‍ठानें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३६।।

नाना तपे पुन्‍हश्र्चणैं । नाना धर्म परोपरीं । 

गाजली भक्ती हे मोठी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३७।।

लीहीला प्रत्‍ययो आला । मोठा आनंद जाहाला । 

चढता वाढता प्रेमा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३८।।

बंड पाषांड उडालें । शुध आधात्‍म वाढलें । 

राम कर्ता राम भोक्ता । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३९।।

देवालयें दीपमाळा । रंगमाळा बहुविधा । 

पुजिला देव देवांचा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४०।।

रामवरदायनी माता । गर्द घेउनी उठीली । 

मर्दिले पूर्वीचे पापी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४१।।

प्रतेक्ष चालिला राया । मूळमाया समागमें । 

नष्‍ट चांडाळ ते खाया आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४२।।

भक्तांसी रक्षिलें मागें । आतां ही रक्षिते पाहा । 

भक्तांसी दीधले सर्वै । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४३।।

आरोग्‍य जाहाली काया । वैभवें सांडिली सीमा । 

सार सर्वस्‍व देवाचें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४४।।

देव सर्वस्‍व भक्तांचा । देव भक्त दुजें नसे । 

संदेह तुटला मोठा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४५।।

देव भक्त येक जाले । मिळाले जीव सर्व हि । 

संतोष पावले तेथें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४६।।

सामर्थे येश कीर्तींची । प्रतापें सांडिली सीमा । 

ब्रीदेंची दीधली सर्वे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४७।।

राम कर्ता राम भोक्ता । रामराज्‍य भुमंडळीं । 

सर्वस्‍व मीच देवाचा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४८।।

हेंची शोधुनी पाहावें । राहावें निश्‍चळी सदा । 

सार्थक श्रवणें होतें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४९।।

वेद शास्‍त्र धर्मचर्चा । पुराणें माहात्‍में किती । 

कवित्‍वें नूतनें जीणें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५०।।

गीत संगीत सामर्थ्‍ये । वाद्य कल्‍लोळ उठीला । 

मिळाले सर्व आर्थाथीं । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५१।।

वेद तो मंद जाणवा । सीद्ध आनंदवनभुवनीं । 

आतुळ महिमा तेथें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५२।।

मनासी प्रचीत आली । शब्‍दीं विश्‍वास वाटला । 

कामना पुरती सर्वे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५३।।

येथुनी वांचती सर्वे । ते ते सर्वत्र देखती । 

सामर्थ्‍य काये बोलावें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५४।।

उदंड ठेविलें नामें । आपस्‍तुतीच मांडिली । 

ऐसे हें बोलणें नाहिं । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५५।।

बोलणें वाउगें होतें । चालिणे पाहिजें बरें । 

पुढे घडेल तें खरें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५६।।

स्‍मरलें लिहीलें आहे । बोलता चालता हरी । 

काये होईल पाहावें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५७।।

महिमा तों वर्णवेना । विशेष बहुतांपरी । 

विद्यापीठ तें आहे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५८।।

सर्वसिद्या कळा विद्या । न भूतो न भविष्‍यति । 

वैराग्‍य जाहालें सर्वे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५९।।