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A similar interpretation one comes across in Mahabharata
Shanti Parva A.189, when Bhrigu Rishi explaining what makes
Brahmin, Ksatria, Vaisya, Shudra etc. says:
सत्यम दानमथा$द्रोह्: आनुशंस्यं त्रपा घृणा:|
तपश्र्च दृश्यते यत्र स ब्राह्मण इति स्मृत:||४||
क्षत्रघ्नं सेवते कर्म वेदाध्ययनसंगत:|
दानादानर्यतिस्तु स वै क्षत्रिय उच्यते ||५||
विशत्यातुपशुभश्र्च कृष्यादानरति: शुचि:|
वेदाध्ययनसंपन्न: स वैश्य इति संज्ञित्:||६||
सर्वभक्षरतिर्नित्यम सर्वकर्म करो$शुचि|
त्यक्तवेदस्त्वनाचार्: स वै शुद्र: इति स्मृत:||७||
शुद्रे चैतदृ भवल्लक्षं द्विजे त्वच्च न विद्यते|
न वै शुद्रो भवेच्छूद्रो ब्राह्मणोब्राह्मणो न च||८||
Meaning: He alone is called a Brahmin who is truthful,
charitable not unfriendly, kindhearted, humble and hater and
ascetic. He is a ksatriya who abides by Ksatra activities and
studies Vedas, is generous. One who husbands cattle, ploughs
farm is learned in Vedas, pure and charitable is a Vaisya. One
who eats everything, does everything, is dirty, has forsaken
Vedas and is accustomed to bad conduct is a Shudra. If a
Shudra is devoid of these signs and a Brahmin is also devoid
of his signs, then that Shudra is not a Shudra and Brahmin not
Brahmin.
What is important to note is that one who forsakes Vedas is to
be called a Shudra which conclusively proves that during
Mahabharata period at any rate Shudras were entitled to study
Vedas and thus be called Brahmins. Nor was this confined to
Shudras. Even the most despised and lowly sections of the
society like Chandalas and Mangs could elevate themselves by
proper culture to become Brahmins as per the examples given
below in Bhavishya Mahapurana:
आचार मनुतिष्ठ्न्तो व्यासादिमुनिसत्तमा:|
गर्भाधानादि संस्कार कलापरहिता: स्फुटम्||२०||
विप्रोत्तमा: श्रिंयं प्राप्ता: सर्वलोकनमस्कृता:|
बहवा: कथ्यमाना ये कतिचित्तान निबोधत||२१||
जातो व्यासस्य कैवर्त्या: श्वपाक्याश्च पराशर:|
शुक्या: शुक: कणादारण्यस्तथोलुक्या:सुतो$भवत् ||२२||
मृगीजो$थर्षशुंगो$पि वसिष्ठ गणिकात्मज्:|
मंदपालो मुनिश्रेष्ठो लाविकापतमुच्यते||२३||
मांडवयो मुनिराजस्तु मंडुकीगर्भसंभव:|
बहवो$न्ये$पि विप्रत्व प्राप्ता ये पूर्ववद द्विजा:||२४||
हरिणि गर्भसंभूत: ऋष्यशृ%गो महामुनि:|
तपस्या ब्राह्मणो जात: संस्कारस्तेन कारणम्||२५||
श्वपाकिगर्भसंभुत: पिता व्यासस्य पार्थिव|
तपस्या ब्राह्मणो जात: संस्कारस्तेन कारणम्||२६||
Meaning: Vyasa etc. Munis who were born without the
benefit of pre-natal ritual become worthy of people’s respect
and good Brahmins. There are many such (though born low who
rose to be high) Examples of some of these are: See Vyasa was
born of Kaivarta (fisherman). Parashara of Shwapaka (Chandala)
, Shuka of Shuki, Kanada of Uliki, Rishyashring of Harini,
Vasishtha of Ganika Mondapala of Lavika, Mandavya from Manduki.
Thus many people born low became Vipras, because culture is
the chief factor. Parashar born of Chandala woman became a
Brahmin through penance because culture is decisive.
... Continued
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