VARNA AND JATI Pranam
1The Sanskrit term *varna* is derived from the root *vṛ <https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF>*, meaning "to cover, to envelop, count, classify consider, describe or choose" (compare *vṛtra <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%E1%B9%9Btra>*). The word appears in the *Rigveda <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigveda>*, where it means "colour, outward appearance, exterior, form, figure or shape"(mainly in purusha suktham){as adopted from YASKA’s Nruktha} 2 The word means "color, tint, dye or pigment" in the *Mahabharata <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata>*. (ENCYLOPEDIA OF WORLD RELIGIONS BY Wendy Doniger) Varna contextually means "colour, race, tribe, species, kind, sort, nature, character, quality, property" of an object or people in some Vedic and medieval texts.(publication of Motilal banarsidas ) 3 Varna refers to *four social classes* in the *Manusmriti*. (wendy doniger book referred to above plus HINDU) . Followed by *Basham, Arthur Llewellyn <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Basham> (1989). The Origin and Development of Classical Hinduism <https://books.google.com/books?id=2aqgTYlhLikC>*. 4 Stephanie Jamison and Joel Brereton, a professor of Sanskrit and Religious studies, state, "there is no evidence in the Rigveda for an elaborate, much-subdivided and overarching caste system", and "the varna system seems to be embryonic in the Rigveda and, both then and later, a social ideal rather than a social reality".{ The rig veda the earliest religious poetry }. 5 The terms *varna * (theoretical classification based on occupation) and *jāti* (caste) are two distinct concepts. Jāti (community) refers to the thousands of endogamous groups <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endogamous_group> prevalent across the subcontinent and all over the continents. A jati may be divided into exogamous groups <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exogamous_group> based on the same gotras <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotras>; like Ashta sastram Vadama etc. The classical authors scarcely speak of anything other than the varnas; even Indologists sometimes confuse the two.{ *Dumont, Louis <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Dumont> (1980), Homo Hierarchicus: The caste system and its implications, University of Chicago Press}. * 6 So Vr has many meanings than stated above. Also nowhere in sruthis were spoken other than VARNA including manusmrithi the late editions. All the Sanskrit translations of Indians prior to Sayana and even before Adi Sankara had never written any other intonations other than professional assigned (not chosen-chosen is today, that is why people today are shouting BY BIRTH) . Only the west authors in majority 1000nds of publications (which I happen to read a lot in USA) after 1800 AD intonated A COLOUR TO VARNA AS JATI WHICH MALAIGH CONTINUES TILL TODAY} WROTE THE WORD jati. 7 Sanskrit has the word Jati; 1 Jāti (जाति):—A Sanskrit word referring to the *Jasminum grandiflorum *(“Jasmine”) plant ; 2 Jaṭī (जटी) is a Sanskrit word referring to a kind of animal. The meat of this animal is part of the *māṃsavarga* (‘group of flesh’), which is used throughout Ayurvedic literature. ; 3 Jatī (जती) refers to “nutmeg” and is used in the process of chewing betel (*tāmbūla*), as mentioned in the 17th century Bhojanakutūhala ( *dravyaguṇāguṇa-kathana*), and is commonly found in literature dealing with the topics of dietetics and culinary art, also known as Pākaśāstra <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pakashastra#ayurveda> or Pākakalā <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pakakala#ayurveda>; 4 Jāti (जाति).—Genus; class;universal;the notion of generality which is present in the several individual objects of the same kind; Jāti (जाति).—Hereditary social and occupational group, often translated caste. Note: Jāti is a Sanskrit technical term used in ancient Indian sciences such as Astronomy, Mathematics and Geometry.; 5 Jati or jata means arising or coming up.; Jāti (जाति).—*f.* [*jan-ktin*] Birth, production, सङ्कुलं जलजातिभिः (*saṅkulaṃ jalajātibhiḥ*) Rām.3.11.6; Pt.1.38; Ms.2.148; also 'the time of birth'; cf. जातौ बाल्ये च कौमारे यौवने चापि मानवाः (*jātau** bālye ca kaumāre yauvane cāpi mānavāḥ*) Mb.12.158.11. So west picked some intonation unconnected to varna out of somany meanings and kept on hammering into one;s head that there is like that; a tribe a group a clan is a jati; why we are a jati as blog writers but by varna we are totally different; today we choose; but in yesteryears it came as lineage and British stamped it as JATHI. SO NEVER SAY IT IS IN HINDUISM SINCE IT IS NOT ONLY ERRANEOUS BUT ALSO THE WORD HINDUISM WHICH SPROUTED IN MUSLIM RULE WAS PEGGED STRONG APART FROM CREATION OF JATHI ALSO AS A RELIGION WHICH IS NEVER EVER A FACT. Evolutionary, ethics, ethos etc are all whimsical jargons. Offering Pinda to a friend and doing srardham and offering PInda are two different things; had one gone thro the gruhya sutras, it is known that the srardham can only be done by a root thro the 3 generations root for which in that clan, when parents are alive , offering burning rights, has to be considered, while there are exceptions even to that; but offering what you call pinda to friend is anna dhanam or poor feeding and unconnected to Srardham. As said here some where people confuse and getting confused. K R IRS 17321 On Tue, 16 Mar 2021 at 11:39, Sithamalli Balasubramanian < [email protected]> wrote: > 1. Quote: "*dharma* means "right way of living" and "path of rightness" > Reply: I would prefer to define dhamra as evolutionary ethics or more > broadly ethos. > 2. Quote: "*dharma* means "right way of living" > Reply: Life has to be progressive and uplifting. Evolution is the heart of > dharma. > 3. Quote: "Chatur varna (means flavors or colours)" > Reply: Vr is the root of varna. Vrneeteti varnah. It means the chosen > profession, in the sense of innate proclivity. > 4. Quote: "Castes came only in British time" > Reply: Caste is the defining part of Hinduism. The British never even > understood what it meant. In essence it was not exploitative. The richest > communities today are the OBCs. > I had talked frankly with people from all communities. All were proud of > the community of their origin. There was no feeling of inferiority. I was > invited to many functions of different communities. The most moving was the > dashakriya for a dead friend. The friend had told his family before his > death I should be asked to give pinda to his soul. I first hesitated since > my parents were alive then. I had thought that the offering is only to > parents or near family. > Still I offered Pinda to the friend. > Skb. > > > > > On Tue, 16 Mar 2021 at 09:46, Rajaram Krishnamurthy <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Pranam >> >> DHARMA THE WAY OF LIFE IS *ONLY SOLUTION* >> >> 1 In Hinduism <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism>, dharma is one >> of the four components of the *Puruṣārtha >> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puru%E1%B9%A3%C4%81rtha>*, the aims of >> life, and signifies behaviour that is considered to be in accord with *Ṛta >> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%9Ata>*, the order that makes life >> and universe possible It includes duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues >> and "right way of living". >> >> 2 Rig-veda identifies seven different meanings of dharma, including >> meanings such as "law", "order", "duty", "custom", "quality", and "model", >> among others. The root of the word *dharma* is "dhri", which means "to >> support, hold, or bear". It is the thing that *regulates the course of >> change* *by not participating in change, but that principle which >> remains constant.* The word *dharma*, such as that which is established >> or firm, steadfast decree, statute, law, practice, custom, duty, right, >> justice, virtue, morality, ethics, religion, religious merit, good works, >> nature, character, quality, property. Yet, each of these definitions is >> incomplete, while the combination of these translations does not convey the >> total sense of the word. In common parlance, *dharma* means "right way >> of living" and "path of rightness" This was written in perfect terms by >> TIRUVALLUAR as “it is enough if you lead a life of those ways which is >> recognized and which people in general adopted as morality, than doing >> ritualistic shaving the heads and growing the beards”; and whimsically >> today many Hindus grow beards remain unshaven which is welcome even by the >> ladies. >> >> 3 धर्मः तस्माद्धर्मात् परं नास्त्य् अथो अबलीयान् बलीयाँसमाशँसते धर्मेण >> यथा राज्ञैवम् । यो वै स *धर्मः* *सत्यं* *वै* *तत्* तस्मात्सत्यं >> वदन्तमाहुर् *धर्मं* *वदतीति* *धर्मं* *वा* *वदन्तँ* *सत्यं* *वदतीत्य्* >> *एतद्ध्येवैतदुभयं* भवति ।। BD Uapanishad 1 4 14 Nothing is higher >> than dharma. The weak overcomes the stronger by dharma, as over a king. >> Truly that dharma is the Truth (*Satya*); Therefore, when a man speaks >> the Truth, they say, "He speaks the Dharma"; and if he speaks Dharma, they >> say, "He speaks the Truth!" For both are one. >> >> 4 श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुण: परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् | स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेय: >> परधर्मो भयावह: || 35||chap 3 >> >> *śhreyān swa-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣhṭhitāt swa-dharme >> nidhanaṁ śhreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ* >> >> It is far better to perform one’s natural prescribed duty, though tinged >> with faults, than to perform another’s prescribed duty, though perfectly. >> In fact, it is preferable to die in the discharge of one’s duty, than to >> follow the path of another, which is fraught with danger. Prescribed duty >> executed in law righteously with the devotion and thus rendering a >> meaningful life. That means copying others are unheeded and never needed >> too. >> >> 5 Chatur varna (means flavors or colours) was in vogue which fits >> even today bit bent to selfishness to achieve the adharmic results by the >> vested interests, for which the majority fell a pray. 1 A CLOSE UNIT SELF >> PROTECTION AS A WIDE NET TO THE SOCIETY AS A scholar, teacher, priest, >> intellectual, researcher, scientist, knowledge-seeker, or knowledge worker; >> One who has realized <https://www.yourdictionary.com/realized> or >> attempts to realize Brahman <https://www.yourdictionary.com/brahman>, >> i.e. God <https://www.yourdictionary.com/god> or supreme >> <https://www.yourdictionary.com/supreme> knowledge >> <https://www.yourdictionary.com/knowledge>; ONE WHO LIVES FOR THE >> SOCIETY A SACRIFICER WHO IS MAINTAINED BY THE SOCIETY; THE DOWNFALL OF THE >> SOCIETY IS THE DOWN FALL OF THE BRAHMIN AND MUTUALLY VICE VERSA. (Today >> this tribe is teachers, lecturers, scientists, administrators of law etc by >> book.). 2 The Nation and the people assets protectors restoring the >> rights in peace THE KASHATRIYA EVER AWAKE (TODAY THE ARMY, police, FORCES >> OF INTEGRITY AND THE SECURITIES) 3 The economic boosters to raise the >> steady standards of living whether gold bullion or silver in terms of >> barter or currency always on toes in a fashion outsiders rush to dwell in >> there called the Vysyas (Today the Economists, business houses, trades and >> trade centers and associations major tax payers) 4 All other labourers >> who have the muscle strength to produce and manufacture and remain a strong >> wall in times of war too called shudra. Today so many labourers technical >> personnel and reactors, assemblers etc etc. Castes came only in British >> time. Caste is also the groups of living together in a society; may be >> divisions of varnas; divisions by professions as a group; by language; by >> GODs; in short a kind of associations who has a common dharma and varna for >> the progress of the society. >> >> 6 Once the association is changed or destroyed and the motivations >> are annihilated the present way of life arise asundering the society and >> the peace. KR IRS 16321 >> >> On Tue, 16 Mar 2021 at 07:39, Markendeya Yeddanapudi < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> *Mar*The Caste Symbiosis >>> >>> The Economic Paths today followed by most or all countries are the paths >>> towards abyss. When nature is destroyed from multiple fronts in the war >>> against nature euphemized as economic development or advancement, when all >>> forests are getting permanently destroyed, most species under the threat of >>> total extinction, when the land, water and air and now even space is >>> getting poisoned continuously, are we not sitting on a big bomb about to >>> explode? And we have the mad westernization by every country, which are >>> spending most of the tax collection and debt collections and by falling >>> into the debt traps of some predatory and rogue countries! >>> >>> There is a fundamental contradiction, obfuscated away, by the jaundiced >>> management method, marketed as great thought. After all your cost is my >>> income. If costs are to be reduced or shifted to Banks by joining the >>> respected elite club of NPAs, are incomes also not reduced and as a result >>> are markets too are not reduced? >>> >>> The simple fact is, cost reduction means income reduction and as a >>> result demand reduction or market extinction. Huge corporations are >>> crashing. To delay the crash the corporations use political clout to take >>> huge loans from banks and then become the NPAs. And the fake income >>> interest on Bank deposits which simply becomes a big minus income due to >>> inflation is included in the taxable income, bloating the taxable income >>> and thus overtaxing the other incomes like salaries, pensions etc,and the >>> new devil’s invention ‘the debit freeze’, all harass and torment the >>> depositors. And looting the banks has become vote banking. >>> >>> Every country is fighting the huge quagmire of contradictions but >>> obfuscations and bluffs cannot hoodwink away as escape, as the real crash >>> is already happening. >>> >>> I am pointing out the problem. Frankly I do not have a solution. >>> >>> The way out appears to be the Hindu caste symbiosis, now under great >>> maiming by the very short sighted, pedants. Every caste was a complement of >>> the other castes and each caste specialized in a Brahman occupation, the >>> Nai Brahmins, the Viswa Brahmins, the Kammara Brahmins, the Kummara >>> Brahmins... >>> >>> Once each caste took great pride, in giving its specialized product to >>> the society strengthening the emotional bond based on barter. Barter then >>> was tradition and custom and the central coordinating authority was the >>> Temple. Income then was the pride of contribution to the community by a >>> caste. Every caste took pride in giving. >>> >>> AND NATURE WAS DIVINE AND SACRED,NOT A RESOURCE FOR ABUSE. >>> >>> Today we find the revolutionaries shouting for the elimination of all >>> castes. But their courage does not hold for other religions. They do not >>> ask for the elimination of the divisions among Christians as Catholics, >>> Protestants, Quakers, Mormons etc.There are big wars going on among the >>> sects in a religion. >>> >>> YM >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "iyer123" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/CACDCHCLoQkZpQXs8cB1o0Kr-gPZuP%2BeY4qFVmOuv%2BOqWp34FkQ%40mail.gmail.com >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/CACDCHCLoQkZpQXs8cB1o0Kr-gPZuP%2BeY4qFVmOuv%2BOqWp34FkQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "iyer123" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/CAL5XZopqXO_GYL8Kskx1O3xYprcOvP8RS%3DHLi2g_N0%2B%3DsFjFrA%40mail.gmail.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/CAL5XZopqXO_GYL8Kskx1O3xYprcOvP8RS%3DHLi2g_N0%2B%3DsFjFrA%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "iyer123" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/CAOSW9WsCHuDoQr3Nbv1iyJC%3DdyA3tBKeJEDjPBhbZ09aJXoGxg%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/CAOSW9WsCHuDoQr3Nbv1iyJC%3DdyA3tBKeJEDjPBhbZ09aJXoGxg%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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