“There is only one caste, the caste of humanity. There is
one language, the language of heart. There is only one religion, the religion
of love. There is only one God and He is omnipresent.” Declares Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba. ‘Varnasrama
dharma’ has been there from times immemorial from the time of Manu the codifier
of laws. The ‘ Purusha Sukta’ speaks of the origin of the four classes of human
beings that emerged from the Purusha---
the Almighty God! “ brahmanosya mukha
masith bahu rajanya kruthaha uru tadasyad vaisyaha padbhyagum sudroajayatha” The Brahmins came out of the face of the
purusha and the Kshatriyas from His shoulders. From His thighs, out came the
vaisyas and the sudras from His feet. Every class had its duties; bramins to
advise and guide, kshatriyas to safeguard the society and the country, Vaisyas
for trade and commerce and sudras for the service of others! No superiority or
inferiority was contemplated! Lord Krishna clarifies in the Bhgavadgita ‘
chaturvarnam maya srustwa guna karma vibhagasaha”---I have created the four
classes on the basis of their qualities and deeds—karma. In other words Birth
in a brahmin family cannot make one a brahmin if he does not cultivate the
qualities of a Brahmin! Any person who
develops the qualities of a Brahmin can be accepted as a Brahmin! The real meaning of the word ‘ brahmin’ is one who has
realized the Self or the Brahman!
Rites,
rituals and ceremonies are essential elements of religion. Without them a
religion cannot grow and perpetuate itself. For reaping the grain we have to
sow the seed with its husk Otherwise no germination can take place. Rites and
rituals are like the seed with the husk. These rituals and rites contain the
seeds of truth. Every person has to perform them to reach the central truth
embedded therein. The oyster that has the pearl, in itself, has no value after
the pearl has been removed. Spiritual advancement does not make rites and
rituals more important. The spiritual aspirant concentrates on God for
communion with Him. Like he scab that falls off when the wound is perfectly
healed, all distinctions of caste and creed disappear when there is god realization. All
rules of caste vanish from him who realizes the unity of all things. It is only
the others who have no such experience that think of superiority and
inferiority in others and emulate caste distinctions!
We are
told that we should not delve in to the origin of rishis---sages and rivers! The
river runs across several dirty terrains and pure areas but is considered
sacred. Most of the great sages or maharshis were not of high caste or Brahmins.
Sage Valmiki, the adi Kavi and the poet of the Ramayana was not a brahmin by
birth! It was god realization that made him a sage and a poet! We will be amazed
at the stories of a few great sages and their achievements! Sage Viswamitra was
a Kshatriya by birth and became a ‘Brahmarshi’ after severe penance and austerities.
Most of the Azwars and Nayanmars,being worshipped today, were of different
castes and communities. They achieved divinity through their madness for God or
para bhakti or ecstatic love for the Supreme. The utterance of the very name of
God purifies the man of all his sins. It is pointed out that when we pronounce the
syllable RA in the word RAM, the mouth opens up and all sins escape! When we
say the next syllable UM the mouth closes so that sins do not enter again!
A pious
man, Krishna Kishore went on a pilgrimage to Brindavan. On a particular day
while walking , he felt very thirsty. Seeing a person near a well, he asked him
to draw some water to slake his thirst. The person, humbly said that he
belonged to a low caste and hence ineligible to draw water for a Brahmin of high
caste! Krishna kishore directed the man
to pronounce the name of God and purify himself. The man did as was bid and
drew some water from the well. Krishna Kishore, the orthodox Brahmin, drank the
water and quenched his thirst! Faith in the name of God is so powerful! There
is no place for caste or creed or community in spirituality! Your credential for
spirituality is the only criterion
No comments:
Post a Comment