Caste system .......let us study the whole history 1------Caste system originated as DIVISION OF LABOR during the days of the Rig VEDA. 2------It was NEVER intend to become a system in which people are segregated according the COLOR OF THEIR SKIN nor according to the work they do. 3---The actual origin of caste system started in Rig Vedic period. 4---------/ The Rig Vedic Hymn, known as PURUSHA_SUKTA (Mandala_x, 19th hymn, 12th verse) states: THE BRAHMIN WAS PURUSHAS (cosmic man _ the first principle of SANKYA PHILOSOPHY in Hinduism) MOUTH, THE KSHATRIYA HIS ARMS, THE VAISYA HIS THIGHS, AND SHUDRA HIS FEET. 5-------The greatest apostle of CASTE SYSTEM, Manu himself repeated Rig Vedic lines in Manu_Smriti. 6-------He ( Manu ) laid down all provisions governing caste system. Some Brahmin scholars regard MANU SMRITI as important as Vedas. 7------BHAGAVAD GITA AND CASTE SYSTEM - -In Chapter_4, verse_13, Lord Krishna said: ACCORDING TO THREE GUNAS (SATTWIC, RAJASTIC AND TAMASIC) AND PROPER DIVISION OF LABOR, THE `CHATHUR_VARNA OR `FOUR_COLORED OR `FOUR_DIVISION SOCIETY WAS CREATED BY ME. ALTHOUGH I AM THE CREATOR OF THIS SYSTEM, YOU SHOULD KNOW ME AS THE `NON_CREATOR OF THE SYSTEM AND I AM ENDLESS. CASTE SYSTEM according to Bhagavad Gita is based on the work one does and has nothing to do with BIRTH. 8------according to CASTE SYSTEM there are FOUR DIVISIONS but unluckily another 5th division started 1 BRAHMANAS: PRIESTLY CLASS to work in temples and to study/propagate religion 2. KSHATRIYAS: ROYAL & FIGHTER CLASS to rule 3. VAISHYAS: businessmen 4. SHUDRAS: to help all three above classes of people 5 then UNTOUCHABLES -many believe it is SHUDRAS who became untouchables 9-------It is true that RISHIS CAME FROM ALL CLASSES OF PEOPLE: Of course, there are many great saints in India, who came from lower castes. VEDA VYASA is the son of SATHYAVATHI, who is a fisher_woman. Of course, his father is sage Parasara. VALMIK I was a robber, who was transformed by sage NARADA and as such we have no idea to which caste Valmiki belonged. South Indian saint THIRUVALLUVAR who wrote THIRUKURAL was only a weaver. 10------Anyway, after Manu formulated caste system, it grew by leaps and bounds all over India. Numerous castes have their own theories of their own origin. Caste System in India, even effected the converts to Christianity and Islam, for even they practiced some form of Caste System, after conversion among themselves. 11--------BRAHMIN CASTES ACCORDING TO GOTRAS: GOTRA the word meaning is COWSHEAD, depicting the use of a cow by many people, under one house_hold, usually by the members of the family. It could also be, a GURU and several disciples coming from different families. AllBrahmin families are descended of about 15 RISHIS, who established the GOTRA system among Brahmins. Normally, GOTRAS are named after the name of the RISHIS. The Rishis who started the GOTRAS are: 1. AGASTYA 2. ANGIRAS 3. ATRI 4. BHARADWAJA 5 BHRIGHU 6. GAUTAMA 7. JAMADAGNI 8. KANVA 9. KASYAPA 10. KRATU 11 MARICHI 12. PULAHA 13. PULASTYA 14. VASISHTA 15. VISWAMITRA. 12------Most of these RISHIS were from South India and as such one will come across GOTRA SYSTEM more in South India than in North India. By the by, VISWAMITRA was born as KSHATRIYA and became a BRAHMIN after bitter fights with sage VASISHTA. It is also said that GOTRAS originated from PULAHA and PULATHYA are impure Brahmins. Later after a lot of sub divisions, Hinduism witnessed 42 GOTRAS among Brahmins. It is also said that both LUNAR & SOLAR dynasties of India originated from the GOTRA system. Even Kshatriyas finally started making their own GOTRA system. Anyway, in Hinduism,a thorough study of GOTRA system is impossible, due to inconsistent and contradictory literature available in the market. 13-----UNTOUCHABILITY IS A CURSE ON HINDUISM. One great untouchable who became a prominent leader of modern India, Mr. Ambedker wrote: TO THE UNTOUCHABLES, HINDUISM IS A VERITABLE CHAMBER OF HORRORS. Mahathma Gandhi said: UNTOUCHABILITY IS A CRIME AGAINST GOD AND MEN. Mahatma Gandhi called UNTOUCHABLES by the name HARIJANS meaning CHILDREN OF GOD. He fought for their emancipation and in 1949, soon after independence from Britain, Govt. of India made it a criminal offense to practice UNTOUCHABILITY. Still in many parts of India, you can come across the ugly relics of caste system......... I am so happy, today Govt. of India provides quota system for Untouchables, in all professional colleges, and in Government jobs. 14-------SLAVERY IN THE HOLY BIBLE--- Jews and Christians gave up on slavery, even though SLAVERY IS AN ACCEPTED FACT [Col. 4:11, Exodus 21:21; 1: Lev. XXV:44_ 55; Thessalonians 3:22 ] in the Holy Bible. TREAT YOUR SLAVES JUSTLY AND FAIRLY, KNOWING THAT YOU ALSO HAVE A MASTER IN HEAVEN [Col. 4:11]. THE SLAVE IS HIS MONEY [Exodus 21:21]. St. Paul urged one slave ONESIMUS to return to his master. . Columbus a very devout Christian was indeed a missionary who did NOT feel any remorse in taking slaves from America. Spanish did have no problem in making American Indians and Mayans slaves since they were literally following the Holy Bible. Christians gave upon slavery, even though Biblical passages were used by over 200 preachers to justify slavery before the Civil War.. Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America said: [Slavery] was established by decree of Almighty God...it is sanctioned in the Bible, in both Testaments, from Genesis to Revelation...it has existed in all ages, has been found among the people of the highest civilization, and in nations of the highest proficiency in the arts. In 1999, Southern Baptist Convention apologize to African Americans for slavery. Like wise we have to give up on caste system.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 09:44:00 +0000
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