Tag Veda

Manusmriti On Brahmin’s Duty Vedas

I am posting excerpts(some) relating to the Duties of a Brahmin and also on the Vedas.Here one finds that the Duties prescribed for the Brahmins are tough and unrelenting.

Manu offers greater respect and status to Brahmins – the educated ones. Dwijas or twice born or those who completed their education are provided heightened standing in society so far they conduct noble deeds. But when it comes to crimes, they also have to face more severe punishments. With greater potentials, come greater responsibilities and stricter punishments when one fails to fulfill those responsibilities.

One may also note that in the vent of a conflict between Vedas and Smriti(Tradition) what is to be practiced.

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The whole Veda is the (first) source of the sacred law, next the tradition and the virtuous conduct of those who know the (Veda further), also the customs of holy men, and (finally) self-satisfaction...

Whatever law has been ordained for any (person) by Manu, that has been fully declared in the Veda: for that (sage was) omniscient.

8. But a learned man after fully scrutinising all this with the eye of knowledge, should, in accordance with the authority of the revealed texts, be intent on (the performance of) his duties.

Why Caste At All?

People need some frame of reference to live.

More the references better for the Society.

I am using the term Reference, not laws, for reference is more by way of recommendation in nature while Law implies punishment .

The reference points may include any or all of the following criteria.

Money,

Power,

Geographical,

Profession,

Location.

Language,

Nation

Day to-day activities of Life like brushing the teeth bathing,eating, sleeping, working, marriage, parenting and Death.

and a combination of all the above.

In the absence of any frame of reference, the individual is rudderless and has a crisis of identity.

You take away the identity of Nation from an individual, he becomes an immigrant , not knowing where he belongs to for he is an alien to bot the countries.

Similarly if you peel of all references to a group, you have an Identity crisis.

People without strong bonding with communities become recluses, start hanging out in Facebook,Google Plus hangouts with people of whom they know nothing, except what they inform you of what you would like to hear.

The chances of building a strong personal community bonding are slim.

In most of these artificially created communities,driven mostly by curiosity and a desire to share things which they can not share with whom they know.

And herein lies the danger.

Mostly people misuse it and exploit your weaknesses.

Hinduism had tried, organizing groups under the principles mentioned above.

They found that Money as the reference point is not stable as the yard stick of Money changes and money is not a permanent fixture with any one as fortune changes.

You can observe how money as reference point has wreaked havoc with individual's Lifestyle when they lose money,stranded by people who evaluate them on the basis of Money alone.

Talk to any one who lost a lucrative Job industry, you would know what I am talking about.

Money can not be the sole criterion

Power, this also changes swiftly with the same disastrous results as with money.

In bot the cases of Money and Power, these reference points create more anti social , some in authority.

Mere geographical identity will not do as the location is dictated by the economic condition.

So this can not be deciding factor.

At best it can be a secondary denominator' like the Mythili Brahmins, Vadama Brahmins of the Brahmin Community which indicate their location,but they remain in the main classification , Brahmins,

If you take Profession,it can also remain as a secondary indicator as it is subject to change.

Let us take the case of Brahmins.

Their profession is to Study the Vedas, Teach the Vedas,Perform Yagnyas, have the Yagnyas performed,Seek alms for Food and pay for the welfare of the Society and the Society took care of all their needs,

Both are missing to-day.