Eligibility for Studying Srimad Bhagavad
GItA and VishNu SahasranAma
SrImad BhAgavatam i-4-25
empowers Women and those belonging to the fourth caste to study MahAbhAratam.
As SrImad Bhagavad GItA and
VishNu SahasranAma are parts of MahAbhAratam, women
and those belonging to the fourth caste who have faith
in BhagavAn can recite them after learning from a Guru.
The intrinsic meaning of the adage
“ BhAratah pancamo vedah” is that MahabhArata is a
ceaseless treasurehouse of holistic knowledge like the Vedas
which contains various subtle exposition of dharma. It does not mean that
only dvijas are entitled to study MahabhArata. This
injunction applies only in the case of study of the four Vedas comprising of samhitA. BrAhmaNa, AraNyaka and Upanishad and VedAnta vicAra.
It is to be noted that a plain and
unbiased reading of the VishNu sahasranAma phalaSruti shows
that it can be chanted by all the four VarNas for which the
benefits acrrue differently based on one's VarNa.
Vedantago brAhmaNah syAd kshatriyo vijayI bhavet !
vaiSyo dhana samruddhas syAt SUdras sukhamavApnuyAt !!
On similar lines, this is
another pramANa from SrI vAlmIkI RAmAyaNa:
paThan dvijo vAk RishabhatvamIyAt |
syAt kShatriyo bhUmi patitvamIyAt ||
vaNik janaH paNya phalatvamIyAt |
janasa SUdro'pi mahatvamIyAt ||
1-1-100
By
reading this RAmAyaNa,
---A BrAhmaNa attains
excellence in speech
---A
Kshatriya attains lordship over land
---A VaiSya attains
monetary gains
---A SUdra attains
personal excellence.
Please
note the word "paThan" (reading) used
in SrI ValmiKI RAmAyaNa. This in addition to the
quote from SRimad bhAgavatam (given below) proves the
eligibility of Women and SUdras in reading the text of
the ItihAsas like RAmAyaNa and MahAbhArata.
SrImad BhAgavatam i-4-25
empowers Women and SUdras to study MahAbhAratam .
strI SUdra dvijabandhUnAm
trayI na Sruti gocarA
karma Sreyasi mUDhAnAm
SreyA evam bhaved iha
Iti bhAratam AkhyAnam
krupayA muninA krutam !!
SrI Sankara bhAshyam on SrI VishNu sahasranamam on
the sloka "vedantago brAhmaNas syAt" goes in a
circle and tries to connect performance of yajna and
the SUdra varNa and says that the SUdras can only hear
but not chant. This stringent view also held by someAcAryas does not
bring out the true spirit behind the purpose of creating itihAsa purANas.
These are intended for the benefit of all including women
and SUdras ,irrespective of the VarNa, as BhagavAn is
common to all and He can be reached by any one irrespective of one's caste through
unconditional love.
Different types of BrAhmaNas
We
need to understand more about who is a BrAhmaNa.
Vipra means BrAhmaNa.
A person is born as a BrAhmaNa.
As the first born among the mortals, he is known as agrajanmA.
After Upanayana. he becomes a dvija.
As one learned in Vedas, he is known as a Srotriya.
As a deity upon earth, he is known as BhUdeva.
As one who has emanated from the mukha of the Supreme, he is known as Mukhaja.
A BrAhmaNa who is only by birth and not by performance of duties is known as BrAhmaNabruva.
A person is born as a BrAhmaNa.
As the first born among the mortals, he is known as agrajanmA.
After Upanayana. he becomes a dvija.
As one learned in Vedas, he is known as a Srotriya.
As a deity upon earth, he is known as BhUdeva.
As one who has emanated from the mukha of the Supreme, he is known as Mukhaja.
A BrAhmaNa who is only by birth and not by performance of duties is known as BrAhmaNabruva.
According to Devala, there are eight types of
BrAhmaNas as follows in the ascending order of greatness:
(1)MAtra
(2)BrAhmaNa
(3)Srotiya
(4)anUcAna
(5)BhrUNA
(2)BrAhmaNa
(3)Srotiya
(4)anUcAna
(5)BhrUNA
(6)Rishikalpa
(7)Rishi
(8)Muni
MAtra means one who is born in a BrAhmaNa family who has not undergone upanayanam and not following any ansuhthAna.
BrAhmaNa is one who has done some veda adhyayana, who has ACara, SAnti, Satyam, dayA.
Srotriya is one who has done the Veda adhyayanam of one SakhA along with kalpasUtra or six vedAngas, knower of dharma, performer of six karmas like yajanam.
anUCAna is one who is vedavedAnga tatvajna, Suddha citta, devoid of Sins and having the qualities of Srotriya.
BhruNa is one who is vrataguNopeta, follower of niyamas in yajnas and vedAdhyayana, devapitruSishtAnna BhojI, jitendriya.
Rishikalpa is one who has all vaidika and laukika jnAna, Asramastha, jitendriya.
Rishi is one who is Urdharetas, tapasvI, follower of AhAra niyama, powerful to give SApa and anugraha, satyasandha.
Muni is one who is not attached towards vishayas, knower of all tatvas, without KAma and krodha, dhyAnastha, nishkriya, jitendriya, viewer of gold or sand equally.
(7)Rishi
(8)Muni
MAtra means one who is born in a BrAhmaNa family who has not undergone upanayanam and not following any ansuhthAna.
BrAhmaNa is one who has done some veda adhyayana, who has ACara, SAnti, Satyam, dayA.
Srotriya is one who has done the Veda adhyayanam of one SakhA along with kalpasUtra or six vedAngas, knower of dharma, performer of six karmas like yajanam.
anUCAna is one who is vedavedAnga tatvajna, Suddha citta, devoid of Sins and having the qualities of Srotriya.
BhruNa is one who is vrataguNopeta, follower of niyamas in yajnas and vedAdhyayana, devapitruSishtAnna BhojI, jitendriya.
Rishikalpa is one who has all vaidika and laukika jnAna, Asramastha, jitendriya.
Rishi is one who is Urdharetas, tapasvI, follower of AhAra niyama, powerful to give SApa and anugraha, satyasandha.
Muni is one who is not attached towards vishayas, knower of all tatvas, without KAma and krodha, dhyAnastha, nishkriya, jitendriya, viewer of gold or sand equally.
Learning of Vedas
In
matters regarding learning and teaching of Vedas , we have to go based on what
is stated in the Vedic Scriptures and concluded by our
great Rishis. One should not confuse what is stated in
the SAstras with our limited materialistic knowledge. It is safer and
better to align with the upadeSa of smrutis in this
regard.
Vedas
are no doubt meant for Universal peace, Universal development and Universal
welfare. But the Vedic yajnas have to be performed by those who
are qualified by the SAstras to perform.
While Vedic knowledge can be freely disseminated for the benefit of
all, teaching and learning the Vedic Mantras
with VarNa and svara have to be based on tradition only.
Vipras have
protected the Vedas from time immemorial by making personal sacrifice and by
leading a simple and austere life devoted to propagation of Vedas
(sVadhyAya pravacanam). We have to offer our deep sense of gratitude
to them who have selflessly carried it so far despite numerous hurdles. In the
name of modernity, let us not fiddle with it.
When
we daily recite the SAnti PATha as below, we pray for the
well-being of not only human beings but also animals and plants.
ThereforeVedic Prayers have an Universal outlook.
Urdhvam jigAtu bheshajam !
Sam
no astu dvipade !
Sam catushpade !
Om SAntih SAntih SAntih !
The
following Mantra also recited while offering oblations to our forefathers show
how caring are the Vedas about environmental order.
Madhu vAtA rutAyate(Let
the air be pleasant)
Madhu ksharanti sindhavah(Let
the rivers be pleasant)
MAdhvIrnas santvoshadhIh(Let the
plants and creepers be pleasant)
Madhu naktamutoshasi(Let the day
and night be pleasant)
Madhumat pArthivam rajah(Let
the dust of the earth be pleasant)
Madhu dyaurastu nah pitA(Let
our father-like Sky be pleasant)
Madhu mAnno vanaspatih(Let the
herbs be pleasant)
MadhumAm astu sUryah(Let the
Sun be pleasant)
MAdhvIr gAvo bhavantu nah(Let
the cows be pleasant to us)
--- mahAnArAyaNa upanishad xxxix-3
Let
all the dvijas take the initiative in learning and propagating
the Vedic knowledge for the benefit of all Beings within the
framework ofSAstras.
Else
the prediction in SrImad BhAgavatam that
"VedAh PAshaNda dUshitAh" would become a reality very soon.
Let
us pray more Vipras do whatever they can for protecting and
nourishing the Vedas and the Srotriyas.
Yadyat Acarati Sreshthah tadtadevetaro janah !
sa yat pramANam kurute lokas tadanuvartate !!
( Bh. G . iii- 21)
Summary
All
people who have faith in the Supreme are eligible to study SrImad Bhagavad GItA
and SrI VishNu sahasranAma. While Vedas and Vipras are to be held in high
esteem, we need to understand that for approaching the Supreme, Vedas are not
the only route for people belonging to all castes. Taking into consideration
various aspects, BhagavAn has so kindly made him easily accessible to people of
other VarNas as well through the path of unconditional love popularly
known as bhakti yoga.
There are two broad routes to reach the
Supreme. One path is approaching him while duly following
the VarNASrama dharma (as far as practicable) as stipulated in
Vedas and SAstras. This is mainly applicable for the first three VarNas.
Another one is the BhAgavata dharma which does not have
the Vedic injunctions thereby opening the door to all irrespective of
caste or creed. That is why we can find many BrAhmaNas lovingly
worshipping Non-BrAhmANa Azhvars and NAyanmars in
the Bhakti tradition of the South. If some one from any caste
or creed is so passionate and craving to know the Supreme BhagavAn ,
there is nothing which stops him if he follows the second path. Such a noble
soul has to be deeply respected by all. The confusion has arisen mainly because
we are mixing up the two and trying to apply the rules and injunctions of the
first path to the second. Those who tread by the second path always honour
those following the first path of VarNAsrama dharma and
vice versa as the ultimate objective of reaching the
Supreme BhagavAn is the same in both cases.
குலம் தாங்கு சாதிகள் நாலிலும் கீழ் இழிந்து எத்தனை
நலம் தான் இலாத சண்டாள சண்டாளர்கள் ஆகிலும்
வலம் தாங்கு சக்கரத்து அண்ணல் மணிவண்ணற்கு ஆள் என்று உள்
கலந்தார் அடியார் தம் அடியார் எம் அடிகளே !
---NammAzhvAr TiruvAimozhi
जय जय श्रीराधे
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