Noted Indian journalist and TV news anchor Sagarika Ghose in her blog, Bloody Mary, asserts that caste-system in India is not just a social arrangement, but a hierarchical system that is sanctified by Hinduism itself. She traces the origin of the caste system to a verse in the Purushasukta and makes an appeal to publicly re-write the Purushasukta, which she claims is a fundamentally unjust hymn.
She bases her assertion almost entirely on the western anthropologist Louis Dumont’s book Homo Hierarchicus, and buttresses her argument with quotes from “many dalit writers” as follows:
Today, many dalit writers argue that India will never be a modern society unless the Purusa-Sukta of the Rig Veda is re-written. The Purusa-Sukta is the hymn which states that brahmins are born from the forehead of the creator, khsatriyas from the arm, vaishyas from the stomach and shudras from the foot. The dalits, or “ati-shudras”, are the “un-born”. They exist outside the body of the cosmic being, thus they are doomed to endless pariah status, however far they advance in education and wealth. In a society subliminally conscious of the Purusa-sukta, Ambedkarism is bound to fail.
Further, Sagarika proposes a solution to end this God-sanctioned hierarchical system, which she claims is subliminally conscious in the Hindu society. She also endorses Dalit Activist Kancha Ilaiah as follows:
Dalit historian Kancha Ilaiah has a suggestion. Just as the Vatican meets periodically to modernise catholicism, he says, the Shankaracharyas should meet in conclave to modernise Hinduism. They should not only re-write the Purusa-sukta, but they should also decree that everyone, every woman, every tribal, every dalit, has the right to be priest of God and God is not the exclusive preserve of the brahmin.
Based on these assertions, she concludes that this God-sanctioned caste hierarchy has not yet brought India a social democracy despite having a vibrant political democracy. She questions the reason for the absence of a Dalit Bollywood hero, scriptwriter, lawyer, artist, model, musician, event manager, hotelier or tour guide and blames the “fundamentally unjust” Purusha Sukta for imprisoning the contemporary Dalit in the public sector.
First, Sagarika seems to accept the interpretation of the Purusha Sukta by Louis Dumont and many Dalit writers at face value without verifying the truthfulness of their claims. It must be understood that the Purusha Suktha is a hymn that appears both in the Rg and the Yajur Vedas. It describes the evolution of the cosmos and holds that the entire cosmos is nothing but the projection of Purusha (loosely translated, the “Cosmic Man”). Purusha Sukta says that the entire cosmos, of which the earth is a part, is a manifestation of cosmic energy in its various forms—that all beings, living and nonliving have emanated from the same cosmic source and therefore contain the same divinity in them. This then is what the primary source, the Purusha Sukta itself says.
This gives rise to the following obvious question: how could a hymn that imputes equal divinity to all things, sanction a hierarchical discrimination? To get both a wider and deeper understanding, we can examine what one of the most authoritative commentaries on the Vedas by the great scholar-sage Saayanacharya says on the matter:
Yatpurusham vyadhaduhu|
kathidhaavyakalpayan||
mukham kimasya kau bahoo|
ka uroo paadaa uchyate||12||
[Now a bunch of questions were asked] What came out of the face of the Purusha? What came of his arms? What came of his thighs and feet?
The answer:
brahmanosya mukhamasit |
bahu raajyanyah krutah||
uroo tadasya yadvaishyah|
padbhyam shudro ajaayata||13||
The Brahmins came from the face, the kshatriyas came from the arms. The vyshyas came from the thighs and the shudras came from the feet.
The Purusha Suktha uses the metaphor of the Cosmic Man envisioned as the human body to explain the various parts of the larger cosmos. The various parts of the human body are likewise, compared with the different classes of the society –sages/intellectuals, kings, businessmen and workers. Therefore, claiming that because the shudras came from the feet, they have been “doomed to endless pariah status” in society is a distortion of the meaning and spirit of the hymn. It also violates reason. When every organ of the body has emanated from the whole cosmic Purusha, how can any one part be singled out and said to be inferior to the rest? It is as absurd as claiming that the feet are less important than the head?
Additionally, the Purusha Sukta explains the origin of various other components of the earth.
Chandramaa manaso jaatah|
chakshoossuryo ajaayata||
mukhaadindrascagnisca|
pranaadvayurajaayata||14||
The moon came from the mind of the Purusha while from his eyes the sun arose. Indra and Fire came from his mouth while the wind emanated from his breath.
Naabhyaadaaseedantariksham|
sheershno dyau samavartata||
padbhyaam bhumirdishashrotraat|
tathaa lokam akalpayan||15||
From the navel of the Purusha sprang the space, heavens arose from his head, the earth from his feet, and directions from his ears.
By extending the same logic that Sagarika applies to the earlier verse, the moon must be considered more important than the sun while the wind, which emanated from the breath, must be less important than the fire which emanated from the mouth. Equally, Ether, which sprang from the cosmic man’s navel, must be ‘lower’ in hierarchy than the heavens or the earth that emanated from the other parts of the cosmic man’s body. Just as the sun, moon and the wind are equally important for the sustenance of life on earth, all the four classes of the society are required for the harmonious functioning of the society.
As far as Sagarika’s claim of the Dalits or the ati-shudras as being outside the body of the cosmic being is concerned, the burden of proof lies on her to substantiate it.
Sagarika then jumps to endorse Kancha Ilaih’s suggestion of Hindu Shankaracharyas coming together in a conclave to rewrite the Purusha Suktha.
First, Kancha Ilaiah does not possess any credentials as a spokesperson or critic of the Purusha Sukta or Hinduism. He neither knows Sanskrit nor has the training required for understanding, expounding or commenting on the Vedas or Hinduism. Therefore, his suggestions are invalid as they stem from ignorance, not understanding. Second, because Sagarika Ghose relies on his criticism, her claims and prescriptions too, need to be treated likewise.
Sagarika Ghose also chooses to conceal the fact that many dalit entrepreneurs, architects, lawyers, actors, theater persons and travel guides do exist in the Indian society today. To increase their numbers, we need to look at alternative ways to uplift them apart from handing out Government doles. Rewriting the Purusha Sukta is certainly not the solution.
In the end, it is clear that Sagarika Ghose’s article is a distortion of the meaning and the spirit of the Purusha Sukta and is a product of her ignorance of Hindu scriptures and society.
An alumnus of IndiaFacts, Tejasvi Surya is an Advocate practicing at the High Court of Karnataka, at Bangalore. He is also the co-founder of Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence, an organization running projects in the spheres of education, employment and entrepreneurship. Tejasvi is currently the State Secretary for Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Karnataka.
Donny Raja
The best interpretation of what the purusha suktha says is that Brahmanism represents intellectual pursuit and to a specific caste by birth.Normally, head represents knowledge, arms represent valor, which Kshatriyas imply, Vaishyas represent thighs as they do the business sitting, feet represent labor as represented by Shudras. Dies it anywhere say that one is a born shudra or a brahmana? Anyone pursuing various professions qualifies respectively as a brahmana or a shudra or anything else. Sagarika Ghosh is a empty headed bimbo. She is prone like Christians and Moslems to interpret books literally.
Rohit Kanji
Going by Sagarika’s logic, she should be calling for rewriting large parts of the Bible and Quran. They not only speak for slavery, but also for treating women as spoils of war. Compare that to caste system.
Raghavan Gopalathatham
Can Sagarika Ghose ready to adopt dalit children from all group (Hindu, Christian, Muslims etc.). Useless group of anchors like Sagarika Those, Rajdeep Sardesai, Arnab Goswami and others.
Anna
Most of our Hindu scriptures were written by human beings. In ancient times very few could speak Sanskrit, so whoever was able to compose hymns did it and people just accepted the writings as God’s words.. There are scriptures supporting animal sacrifices to appease Gods, some even recommend “Narabali”. human sacrifices to get boons from Gods. Do we think the supreme being would want us to kill in order to please him? Just because something is written in Rig Veda one doesn’t have to accept every word written there. We need to use our God given intellect and a pure heart to know what is right. There is no need to rewrite anything and one must stop following anything and everything related to our ancient scriptures.
Sundararajan Krishnamachari
pure attention seeking. The hymn does no discrimination to any class of people, rather it qualifies parts of the body. That means there is a Brahmin, Vaishya, Kshatriiya and Shudra in every human being.
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Sumathi Megavarnam
Your Article shows your Stuff(How Worthless you are)
Shri123
K…We will change that but what about verses of quran which provoke followers to kill infidels.Will that be changed ever???comment about that.
Rina Mukherji
Let us know what she has done to overhaul the injustice to Dalits, if she is that progressive. As some others have suggested, has she thought of having a Dalit anchor or Chief Executive to head her own channel? That should be her first concern, given the fact that Dalit journalists-especially in North India-are always side-lined and must move out to other occupations, as revealed in many studies.
Hindu Purusha
Thachham yoravrunimahe Gahtum yagnyaaya gahtum yagnya pathaye deviii swasthirasthunaha swasthir manushebyaga oorthvam jigadu bheshajam shanno asthuth vibhate om shanthi shanthi shanthihi
Govinda Yelagalawadi
Since there are not many Dalit TV anchors, it would be good if Sagarika Ghose can give up her anchorship to a qualified Dalit to justify her own claim.
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Dr. Chandra P Trivedi
The Varna is not caste
The people in the society are working as per their mental ability and duty in nature. They have been classified into four categories (Chaturvarnym) as per their mentality. It is not a caste, and the self Soul is not attached with their actions.
The Brahamin is like his mouth, who guide the society with knowledge, the warrior is like his arms, who protects the society with his physical strength, the Vaisya are like thigh of the society, who support the society with business with ethics. All are born from his feet like ignorant, after education, they perform their duties as per their mental ability in the society.
He BrÈhamin was his mouth, of both his arms was the Rajanya made.
His thigh became the Vai„ya, from his feet ƒudra was produce Rg.10-90-12
Dr. Chandra P Trivedi
The Purusha Sukta has described whole creation in 16 stanza
Single unified force
The Creation came into existence from an eternal fundamental energy with energy transformation under the laws of thermodynamics; all the components of the creation are linked with him, just like branches of a tree round about the trunk.
A great monster (yak–a) in the midst of the creation (bhuvana) strode? (krÈnta) in penace on the back of the sea- in it are set(cri) whatever gods there are like the branches of a tree roundabout the trunk Atharvaveda 10-7-38
It has been indicated through the metaphor of the tree that all the components of the nature have evolved from the fundamental energy, and all are linked with him like the branches of a tree. He is in the middle of the creation. It indicates symbolically that all the components of the creation and nature are interconnected with fundamental energy in the centre. The discovery of single unified force by the successful experiment on Bell’s theorem in 1972 by Clauser, Freedman, David Böhm, and Alain Aspect in 1985
It has been indicated on the seal figure – 1 (fig. 6.3 tablet Harappa. H95-2523)
Figure 1The single unified force
It is an indication towards the fundamental primeval energy. The same has been invoked in first hymn of ÿg. 1-1-1
I invoke the Agni- (fundamental energy) who is the priest, Deva (fundamental particles), sacrificer, and reciter of the S‚–—i, Yaj¤a, which is the treasure of jewels ÿg.1-1-1
It has been expressed that the eternal fundamental energy is working everywhere, he is the source of the creation, everything, which is present in the creation is due to the eternal fundamental energy.
The fundamental charged particles
GÈyatrÏ hath, they say, three bands for kindling: hence it excels in majesty and vigour. A. 9-10-3
It has been explained that the three charged particles, electron, proton and neutron are the source of atom and due to it they excels in majesty and vigour.
The electrostatic energy has been generated after magnetic energy, it has been expressed metaphorically.
Of her the Indra-electricity was young vatsa (Son) and GÈyatrÏ the halter, cloud the udder (milk) A. 8.10.5
The role of magnetic energy in the nature has been explained in an anthropomorphic manner in the pre-cosmic condition. In the beginning after the magnetic energy, electric energy has been generated first just like a young son and there after the charged particles have their origin. They have the potentiality to feed the creation just like the milk feed an infant.
The eternal fundamental energy has been described as the Creator (Vishvakarma), imaginary Primeval Man (Purusha) lord of beings (Prajapati), and Golden embryo (Hiranyagarbha) it has first generated in the womb of atom (nucleus) and in the centre of nebula. It is the golden seed of the creation.
Laws of thermodynamics
In the hymn of Man, it has been described that the creation came into the existence from the eternal fundamental energy, under the laws of thermodynamics with energy transformation.
A thousand heads hath Puru–a, a thousand eyes,
A thousand feet on every side pervading earth he fills a space ten finger wide ÿg. 10-90-1
The fundamental energy has been metaphorically imagined in the form of a Puru–a The Puru–a-fundamental energy has been imagined symbolically with innumerable head, eyes and feet, who pervade the earth and even above it, he fills a space ten finger wide, it means in the heart region. It indicates that the fundamental energy is universally present every where.
This Puru–a is all that yet hath been and that is to be;
The lord of immortality, which waxes greater still by food
ÿg. 10-90-2
It has been expressed that the fundamental energy is eternal but undergo transformation, through which it increases, which is its food symbolically. The lord of immortality, it means it remains constant in all state and imperishable.
So mighty is his greatness; yea greater than this is Puru–a. All creatures are one-fourth of him, three-fourths eternal life in heaven ÿg.10-90-3
Here, it has been said that the cosmos is like a vast ocean of fundamental energy, the visible world is only one-fourth part of him and the rest three-fourth part of it is in the heaven above the visible world.
With three-fourths Puru–a went up: one fourth of him again was here. Thence he strode out to every side over what eats not and what eats ÿg.10-90-4
Here, it has been said that the three-fourth part of the fundamental energy is invisible in the heaven, only its one-fourth part is under going transformation again and again. It spreads on every side as animate and inanimate creation.
d. Formation of the Nebula
Under the laws of thermodynamics how the process of the creation has been initiated? It has been indicated through the formation of the nebula in the early stages of the development in a symbolic fashion.
From him VirÈj was born; again Puru–a from VirÈj was born.
As soon as he was born he spread eastward and westward o’er the earth ÿg.10-90-5
From the Puru–a, VirÈj-infinite universe was born, from that again Puru–a was born, the reciprocal inter-relationship has a deep meaning. It has been expressed that first charged particles have been generated, and the invisible field lying across the universe give particles their mass, as soon as they acquire mass, they spread eastward and westward over the earth and planets.
Higgs; God particle
An invisible field lying across the universe give particles their mass, allowing them to clump together to form stars and planets.
oldmonk64ishHonavar
Sagaraika must read the whole before commenting and inciting violence.
In many places in the scriptures, and Srimad Bhagawad Gita too, in Chapter 9 or 10, I think, Lord Krishna clearly mentions that even Shudras, women, Vaishyas and lowest caste people can attain to him and highest knowledge by right means and devotion
The caste system is based more on capacity to understand and imbibe knowledge than racist and discrimination as seen nowadays.. e.g what is the use of teaching something who has no use or value for it ? ( like teaching differential calculus to a 5 year old in class 1.) So when the person or soul evolves e.g. from labor ( shudra) to business class (vaishya) etc, he naturally develops the necessary vairagya (dispassion and knowledge to evolve further into a Brahmin. So a person from lowest caste can rise to highest knowledge & Vice versa where a Brahmin can fall through misdeeds into lower concsiousness. There are numerous examples of these in Mythology and history.
Also the Vedas ( ancient & eternal) were not written by anybody but revealed by the divine to meditating rishis.
So question of re-writing them does not arise.
Such authors with tit-bits of bookish knowledge, without proper base or any love for GOD, just write any nonsense to boost their egos and gather some attention.
When people without any experience or authority are given authority or power it will only result in chaos in society, e.g. Indian politics post-independance.. So also in spirituality.
UdayKiran Chapala
@Sagarika
First understand what they referrer to by the term Brahmin. It is not the caste that they are referring to. By brahmin, they are referring to people who are wise. Knowledge is good! but half knowledge is very dangerous. Please try to learn from some knowledgeable person and don’t take thing on their face value.
Parameswaran
“braahma.no.asya mukhamaasiidbaahuu raajanya: k.rta:|
uuruu tadasya yadvai”sya: padbhyaa.m “suudro ajaayata ”
I had occasion to interpret the above verse as follows, while scripting a book -“Vedic Cosmology”.
“The face having manifested from the Brahma and from this face issued out, born and came created the thighs and from those, in many ways came the divided stages, steadily swelling and progressing till nothing was further born. Only upon the manifestation of a face of creation, that the process of creation ever started.”
I had commented further:
The universe was born from the Brahma who provided the first stage from which the strong pathways of growth took shape. From what existed, formed a stage from which the creation commenced taking
course to different paths while expanding. These pathways got thinned out when several subways got generated from them. The process continued by which the universe swelled to its enormity, till matter
and energy came to a state of nothingness and then nothing was further born. Thus all came only from the Brahma. That stage which were described as the “hiraNyagarbha: and the “vishvatomukha:” would be the place of first of manifestations, and from this the universe took shape by distributing
matter and energy through well formed pathways, ultimately thinning down to nothingness. This description presented a configuration of the universe similar to what was described in RV10.81.03.
On surface earth, the higher forms of the humans took classification names within themselves according to the nature of the works done by them and duties enshrined, coming as a
progress in the thought process which were not the characteristics of the other living things and this made them to stand apart. The thought was initiated as a part of existence
and the early forms that it took were being mentioned. While the names of the derogatory caste system indeed got mentioned here, how could the “VishvapuruSa:” have anything to do
with it? Nothing of this was visible in the PuruSa: hitherto described. If at all a similarity, it would be to man of this earth and to his deeds and not to the VishvapuruSa:. At the same time the concept of parallelism and similarity of the universe and the VishvapuruSa: at one level and the human body and the human being at another level would be found often stated here and in the later literature. But what is more interesting here is that the terms like “raaja”, and “kSatra” derived much more clear meanings, out of association with the physical attributes and occurrences in the process of creation of the universe than from the etymological constructions that will be resorted to by the grammarians. It raised
pointed questions to the Vedic ambiance and methods of presentation on the one side and the very contribution of the Veda to the development of the Sanskrit language of later periods, on the other.
In fact the next verse of this hymn is more technical in nature.
M K Mishra
All the Scriptures in Sanatana Dharma had been written in symbolic form, because in the era of Shruti, it was most convenient to remember. What has been written in Purusha Sukta is in symbolism and it does not deal with social system. It is all about “Theory of Consciousness”. Scholars are now trying to understand from that point of view. Plain reading never reveals the true meaning of PUrusha Sukta, for that purpose one should take the shelter of Guru and try to learn and understand that. Western perspective always had provided a narrow perspective from what had been seen and heard. One has to transcend the mind to understand the transcendental facts.- M K Mishra
satya
and this cat 5 moron give references of Kancha ilaiah who is a joke in AP and no one takes him seriously.
Johnson Thomas K (@bharatjohnson)
i never knew Purusha Suktha in Rig Veda was so forward looking and it can only prove one thing the Vedas are divinely inspired and the personification of the divine. If at all anything is required is just reassuring people who these authors call Dalits the true meaning of these verses so that they are not taken advantage of. Nothing should be amended/varied or altered in any scriptures is my own personal view. For example in Deutronomy of the Bible it talks about killing infidels and if we take this as a sanction someone should amend the Bible to stop Jihad. All those who talk about amending the Purusha Suktha in the Vedas are those who want to destroy Sanathan Dharma which we call Hinduism. Please don’t fall in to their trap as this amendment will never stop once some one starts it.
To allay all concerns of this Sagarika/Iliah and other morons the Pope wont dare to amend either the Genesis or the Song of Songs(very romantic&sensual hymns of the Bible) or the Psalms or any part of the Bible as it will destroy the Christian religion. However the Pope and his so called assembly can amend the church procedures, ceremonies and other cannon laws.
VKskills - Vinayak Ranade
My simple observation without any reference to Manu Smriti –
A person having entire thought process and behaviour to its own livelihood is called self centred or Shudra in a society. This kind of person can be found in any family of same parent.
A person having thought process and behaviour related to its own family members for that doing trading of available resources is Trader or Vaishya.
A person having thought process and behaviour related to safe guarding the people around him because of ability to guard or defend is called Warrior or Kshatriya.
A person having thought process and behaviour related to acquiring knowledge then using for the benefit of the people around him is Learned or Brahmin.
This kind of qualities can be found in any individual in any family of same parent across the human race, not limited to cast or religion or faith.
Cast are based on ability to work and social-economic jobs carried out by the main bread earner of a family not by birth. …… I find modern so called intellectuals are happy to create CHAOS to prove their existence in these global village society……..
Kay Kay
Hmm….now isn’t it interesting that being a devout Christian, Sagarika chooses to comment on Hindu scriptures and practices whereas there are so many beliefs within Christianity & Abrahamic scripts that are so outdated considering today’s scientific discoveries?
Anand
I fully agree with most of the comments above.
1. The purusha shakta should not be rewritten. I dont see a need to do that in 21st century.
2. I am a devout hindu and i also agree that varna system was based on work system and not because of birth system.
But don’t we all agree that we have deviated a lot from sanatan dharma and current varna system based on birth system is really killing and dangerous. A lot of educated and qualified dalits and OBCs face a lot of discrimination based int the caste system on daily basis.
If a dalit has all the knowledge of shastra, vedic sciptures should he not be allowed to perform pujas? Should an OBC person not be conferred as brahmana if he deserves it? Why shankaracharya and other dharma gurus should not allow it and restore the sanatan dharma.
We should also criticise sagarika coz she tries to malign hinduism. But she is raising a question
Which is valid and we should seek answers rather than shooting the messenger.
I am looking forward for some insightful answers.
Hariprasad
Fully agree with vramana’s comments. Anybody who has dabbled even a bit with shastras would know that the paramatma’s parts have absolutely no difference. Else, we will end up indicating defects in the Lord. So while the vedas do indicate Shudras came from the feet, it also proclaims that the Lord’s feet are the same as HIS head.
The Lord’s parts are visualized by the Vedas only to highlight the manifestation of a certain attribute.
Also, what would Sagarika Ghose have to say about hundreds of our scriptures referring to the Lord’s feet as “lotus-like”?
Arun
You know, as well as I do, that the feet are considered somewhat of a lesser part in a human’s body in Hinduism. Touching someone with your hands is OK, but not with your feet. Similarly, you don’t touch books or idols with your feet, but you can touch them with your hands. You intentionally bow and touch someone’s feet to show deep respect – i.e., you show humility by showing willingness to honor even their feet. If you are my equal, you won’t touch my feet, but Hindus have no problem with equals shaking hands.
Someone derived from feet is obviously as per Hindu norms a lesser being than someone derived from arms. After all, if all the castes were equal, Brahmins would have no issues marrying Shudras.
Ajay Sardesai
There are many examples of this in history & the Epic . To state the famous example is Sage Parashara (brahmin) who married a shudra ( fisher woman ) Satyavati .They gave birth to the legendry Sage Ved Vyasa , who divided the vedas into 4 parts ie; Rig , Yajur, Sama & Atharva . Initially before the advent of Vyasa there was no such division & vedas were one homologus structure . Incidently Ved Vyasa is also the author of the 18 puranas , Epic Mahabharata etc.
Donny Raja
You are as ignorant as Sagarika! Divine is NOT human! Do ou consider any part of God as inferior to the others? I am aghast that you are interpreting Purusha as an ordinary human being when He is being described as all encompassing, omni-present and omniscient! Before commenting, you should read and comprehend what has been written!
vramana
Then, there is the Dvaita interpretation – wherein ‘Purusha’ is considered Infinite (figurative interpretation of Sahasra in ‘Sahasra sheera .. Sashasra aksa .. Sahasra paada’) & continuous (‘eva dagm sarvam’ – continuity over space & ‘ed bhootam echa bhavyam’ – continuity over time). These lead logically to the tenet that Purusha’s sheera / aksa / paada are indistinguishable from one another (for if it were to be so, then the attribution of infinite and continuous qualities to Purusha are challenged) & therefore, bear equal sanctity.
Col Kiran Sinh Patil
जिस व्यक्ति के blog का नाम है Bloody Mary याने अंग्रेजी शराब की cocktail या सैतानी भूतनी ह . . . . उसका लेख़ अंग्रेजी शराब की cocktail या सैतानी भूतनी की तरह ही होगा।
Tarun Tejpal, shoma Chaudhary, vinod mehta sagarika ghose जैसे लोग शराब, चरित्रहीनता, अश्लीलता व दुराचार वाली विदेशी अपसंस्कृति का पुरस्कार करते है। ये खुद भी अपनी निजी जिंदगी की इन खामियों से त्रस्त व बदनाम है। शराब पशुत्व को जगाती हैं। चरित्रहीनता, अश्लीलता व दुराचार एक समाज व्यवस्था को नष्ट करती है।
ये लोग 125 करोड़ भारतियों की आस्था – वेदमाता – पर अपमानजनक टिपणी करनेमे जराभी शर्म नहीं करते। ये तो सनातन धर्मकी सहिष्णुता व सहनशीलता है जो 125 करोड़ भारतिय ऐसे पाशवी वृत्ति को सहन करते है।
हम 125 करोड़ राष्ट्रप्रेमी भारतवासी इस विदेशी अपसंस्कृति की मानसिकता का धिक्कार करते है
भारतमें स्वातंत्र्य के बाद पहली बार शराबी चरित्रहीन लोग कीड़ों की तरह शीर्ष स्थानो पर पहुंचे Courtsey JLN. Tejpal एक़ शराबी चरित्रहीन व्यक्ति जब पत्रकारिता के ऊँचे पदपर बैठता हैं तॊ ऐसा घृणास्पद कृत्य होगा ही। We reject their Public Expression “In Goa Eat, Drink and go to Bed with anybody ” (Think Fest -Goa ) ये लोग भारतीय संस्कृति नष्ट करने पर तुले है। Tejpal और shoma choudhary जैसे लोग अपने कर्मो से ही गिर पड़े।
मित्रो इनसे (psuedo intellectuals) डटके बौद्धिक स्तर पर ही मुकाबला करना है और इनको परास्त करना है . . . . 2014 . . . .
Hemant Prasad (@prasadhemant)
From the navel of the Purusha sprang the space, heavens arose from his head, the earth from his feet, – So why Sagarika is living on earth? By her own logic both Shudra and Earth were born from the feet and thus considered low-grade. She should go to heaven soon.
If she would have used her common sense, she would have realized that the the ‘caste’ is nothing but building blocks of society, wherein people who will do work related to ‘head’ (means brain job) will be called Brahmins, people who will require mights arms (means job of protection) will be called Kshatriyas, and those who will do the labour job (means work which requires you to use your feet) will be called shudras. Later society created more sub-sets of these main ‘castes’ in order to identify people related to their job.
But Alas! common sense is very uncommon now a days 🙁
These self-proclaimed intellectuals have messed-up the understanding of thousands of years of Hindu research by coming-up with funny interpretations.
The_Disciple
Essentially, the anti-Sagarika and anti-Kancha camp are asserting that there is no rigid caste system as per True Hinduism/Sanatan Dharma and texts like Purusha Sukta, and the corollary is that all of you are totally ok if your Brahmin daughters fall in love and marry a handsome Dalit Man who is well qualified etc. It is definitely social progress. That attitude would be a great blessing for the Nation and it is great that India Facts is espousing such kind of Nationalism where Inter-Caste marriages will never see problems or honour killings.
Akaula
Please read details about Kancha Illayah in Breaking India by Shri Rajiv Malhotra. The only reason he gets audience in India for his fascist hate against Brahmanas is because h eis supported by the MMM (Marxist/Muslim/Missionary) combine. The Pursha Sukta is a visual representation of teh Sato-Rajo-Tamo Guna aspects. Where Head-Mouth represents the Sato-Guna, Body and the Arms as Rajo-Guna and the feet and Tamo-Guna.
vidya anant
Look who wants to rewrite this english educated lady does not even know sanskrit, she has just read distorted translation by so called indologist and wants to rewrite. So mentally retard action it woud be.
Mahesh
The caste system in the Vedic Dharma was based on a person’s ability to grasp what was taught to him. In essence, the purest form of the caste system implied that a Brahmin father could have a son who was a shudra. The comparison what Sagarika makes is laughable. The Dalit writer, Kancha sounds bitter when he asks for the Sankaracharyas of India to do the honours of modernizing Hinduism. They seem to be forgetting the fact the whole point of The Reservation System in India is for the upliftment of those whom the government deems are to be provided with help. If such a massive measure is not able to ensure them hassle free lives, we don’t know what else will. She seems to forget that equality ensures that they lose their reservation status ? We should see how India welcomes that measure. The pure notion that something like the Purusha Suktha imbibes the Brahmin with a sense of intellectual superiority over the other might have been true eons ago, but it is definitely not so in the twenty first century.
Archie Bald
sir
can somebody point out that in the Purusha Suktha it is also mentioned that every one who wants to be realized soul has to touch (postrate) the very feet of the supreme creator, from whence the shusdras are born. In effect the shuktha is telling that every one starts as Shudra.
Tisaiyan
Hmmmm…. what else can we expect from a woman who writes something like this –> http://www.topix.com/forum/world/pakistan/TQ7KVCIUP200K7SR1.
D.Bose
You are also, like Sagarika Ghosh or Kaccha Liya are distorting the translation of the Rig Veda.
Purusha Sutra said, Brahmins are the mouth of the Brahman, Sudras are the feet of the Brahman.
Without the Sudras or the workers The Brahman cannot even stand up. Thus Rig Veda gives maximum importance to the Workers.
That was the reason Swami Vivekananda, who was a Sudra by caste just like Sri Aurobindo, explains the history of the world and said this is the age of the Vaishas, the capitalism all over the world . However, the future will be the age of the Workers or the Sudras all over the world, i.e., socialism.
Raj
Just as cited above..it seems both HIndu and Muslim were just nothing but different work class. Those who were protecting town in day later became Hindu and started worshiping Sun whereas those who gurded the fort at night became Muslim and worshiped Moon !! (Just out of box thinking)
Vidyasagar Iyer N
Sagarika Gosh: This is nonsense Dalitism came only recently to our country and not during the vedic times
First of all there were no castes based on the birth, it was based on the work.
First learn Samskrit to understand the language then comment on the verses
brahmanosya mukhamasit |
bahu raajyanyah krutah||
uroo tadasya yadvaishyah|
padbhyam shudro ajaayata||13||
Vedas never said anything about the cast by birth as brahmana or raajyanyah or vaishya or shudra.
Know that in Bhaaratam there were no Dalits before British Came in, there are still copies of letters stating in India there was not even a single beggar, no other country was better civilized then us, then when did dalits come into existence? It should have been post British only.
Additionally, the real meaning of the verses of pususha sookta- it says people who strive for knowledge brahmana (brahma is considered the ultimate knowledge, one who studies him is called brahmana) came from mukha or face where where brain exists. people who strive for serving people through power – raajyanyah soldiers through the bahu – shoulders and arms. people who earn money for the welfare of the country – vaishyah, people who supports the whole structure of the country by doing various other works is considered the shudra as Leg supports the body without which the body cannot stand.
Casteism by birth was a notion put by British into the minds of people of Bharatam. Earlier in Gurukulas, all the students were treated equally, consider ekalavya. the teacher did not say that he wont teach to hunters but he said he has given words to make arjuna better than any one. Kalidasa was not a scholar in his earlier life, but he was later considered brahmana, Vishwamitra was a kshitriya, but later became a maharshi – brahmana, Valmiki was first a shudra but later turned a brahmana.
I still consider bhrahmana is not by birth but by living as brahmana. Buddha is another example of brahmana who was first a kshatriya. Shishunaala sharif could be considered as another example of truning brahmana by way of life.
Reading bhagavad geetha you can understand that no man in this world is a brahmana by birth, all are born shudras, it is only by their way of life they attain different levels of life – when earning money for the welfare of the country – a vaishya, when works as a soldier to protect the country and its men for Dharma, – satya and nyaaya – then a Khsatriya, when strives to attain the ultimate knowledge and spreads it then a brahmana.
Notions of the birth based caste should still be removed from people, we should work on that rather re-writing what is already the righteous works.
Dr.vishwanatharao Dongre
Our Acharyas are busy in learning teaching and guiding society. Wrong perceptions and practices admonished from time to time ,they have been replaced with better practices. For instance ‘sati’ and untouchability is no longer practised in India. There are a large number of vedic scholars and Acharyas to bring in necessary changes in society. We don’t need Sagarika Gosh’s services. Let her spare her valuable services to other religions based on the book!
ThisThug Loves India (@yesbabunni)
She always wears ‘sleeveless blouse’; Why ? Because there nothing up her sleeve !!This journalist has lost her mind to that Bigot kancha illaih! He ridicules even the Gita saying that goes against dalits! I have heard that Kancha is a convert to Christianity,if it is so,then Sagarika’s argument falls apart! And,Kancha(n silent) is MSM darling.He talks about Hinduism is like a Veterinary Surgeon performing surgery on humans!
Curraffairs
KaNcha with ‘N’ silent ROTFL 😉 Together if you read in Kannada .. Kacha Illaiah !! Ha H aaaaaaaaaaaa
Gajanan
In which way ‘Sagarika Ghose’ is able to comment about ‘Purusha Sukta’ or Hindu scriptures???
This is totally a non sense statement..& she is not talking like a journalist.
Srinivas Yechuri
Sagarika Ghose is ignorant of Hindu way of life and respect for women in Hindu society in ancient times. She is one among such a section of journalists who are influenced with western lifestyle and philosophy and moreover some journalist feel proud or getting something for doing bad propaganda against Hinduism. Sagarika better attempt the same propaganda against other religions as she is doing for Hinduism and feel proud.
Internet Hindoo
Folks while this is a perfect reply to the Category 5 Moron, one thing we should have bought out is that the Vedas were interpreted differently by different set of people. While there can be lot of credit to Max Muller and the likes, what we really need to understand is that the varna system was something that wasn’t decided by birth. I am posting a few blog links here. http://ajitvadakayil.blogspot.in/2011/07/untouchables-capt-ajit-vadakayil.html. Caste system was something that was never present as part of vedas but injected by the likes of Muller etc to disparage Hindus and divide the nation along caste lines. The sooner folks across the nation get to know this the better for our society.
T90
Sagarika Ghose is a journalist? I thought Indiafacts writes about facts! lol
Sriram V Iyer
We are all starting with the assumption that Varna system was bad – However, that’s a different discussion. Who wrote the Purusha Suktam that it should be rewritten? All the vedas are heard (Shruti Pramana) in highest states of meditation and they are called ‘not originated from humans’ (apaurusheya). Only the Greatest of Rishis (seers) can ‘see’ these scriptures and reveal them. In the sense that none of the mantras or vedas have an author – It is revealed to the Rishis in highest meditative state.
I am so confident that not even one Acharya will even imagine that ONE SYLLABLE of Purusha Suktam can be changed even in intonation, forget the text.
I am sure Sagarika Ghose will not open her mouth on say, Nuclear Physics or Quantum Mechanics – Because, you need to know the subject to talk. Unfortunately, Religion is one subject where anyone can talk without any knowledge.
The feet of the God / Goddess is the most worshipped part in Hinduism – No one prays, ‘I want to reach the Face of Shiva (or Vishnu)’ – Everyone prays that they reach the feet of the God / Goddess. (After death, people say that he/she reached Shivapadam / Vishnupadam (Shiva’s feet or Vishnu’s feet). Does that meet the class / Varna that came out of the feet is low?
I just cannot digest the arguments of these morons.
malti shridhar
Excellent observation, the feet indeed are the most worshiped..
No One should or can change the Purusha Suktam.
These great scripture orginate from Brahman and are revealed to
enlightened beings who have realized their true nature and are Brahman themselves.
V.Radhanath
It is waste of time and energy to bother about irrelevent things like scriptures.We go by modern day
rules which are convinient to interact with one another.
Sri Ganesh
then will you ignore einstein,newton,chanakya,aryabhatta because they are old. we always need source to build on.
AVS
SICKular paid channels can stoop to any level – and it would be good for her to educate herself a bit and become literate in Sanatana Dharma before making such irresponsible statements.
Yashwant
And by the way Hinduism does not need to rewrite its scriptures. You have to find guidance through them. These are not Final words of GOD which cannot be touched. These exclusive faiths promote an IDOLATORY to a book which is the worst form of idolatory. There is NO need to rewrite purusha sukta because this does not say anything about hierarchical nature of varna system and because there always have been dalit teachers who had no need to rewrite purusha sukta in order to continue their sadhana in sanatan dharma
Yashwant
What was her about-‘vatican conclave to modernize Catholicism’ . Does that conclave even happen. And what were the steps taken? Has the vatican changed its stand on abortion, gay rights ,conversions etc.. coming from the mouth of ignorant sycophant Kancha Iliah i don’t believe it.And by the way this stupid lady does not need much attention. Her knowledge of Hinduism can be writtern on a matchbox
Malini
I would like to ask sagaika as to how many dalits are there in cnnibn and whether any dalit will head the channel?
Vijay
Can somebody please tell her that HINDUISM is actually not a religion. The vedas never speak of “Hinduism”. Vedas are the tenets of actually of “SANAATHAN DHARMA” (which is actually a way of life as opposed to a religion)!. Hinduism as a name was given by invaders to this sanathan dharma, since this way of life was practised beyond the “INDUS” which then became hinduism!
BhanuTeja
Purusha Suktha/Vedas never propagated Varna system. Its unfortunate that these people go by literal meanings. They need to study Vedas and talk. People like Sagarika talking about Hindu texts is like- ‘Witches are chanting Vedas!’
Praveen A V
Excellent article. Much needed in this age of distortions and lies.
krishnarao
Gosh, you honoured the “Bloody” Ghose with this article. Bloody Mary thinks “purusha Sukta” is male sukta. With the blog named as “bloody Mary” one can understand the state of mind.
Vikas Mittal
Thanks for such a nice article. I believe that it is not the Cat5’s (as @mediacrooks say) Ignorance, It is her hatred of SANATAN DHARAM, like most of the christianists and islamists and other Hindu haters.
Yogesh Wankhede
Who take cat5moron saga seriously. ….any way, burden of body is sustained by feet likewise burden of society is sustained by worker ie. Shudras…thats why we touch feet of lord not head to show respect.
Nilesh
This is a much needed article. As far as I know, Sagarika wrote about rewriting purusa-sukta about 5-6 years ago in her blog. That was the time when the commie propaganda was in its fool pomp. Today, the scenario has changed and questions are now raised by educated Indians who have access to information. Nowhere in Purusha-sukta does it say that it is a hierarchical system, not does it say that it is birth based. The ‘dalit extrapolation’ by Kancha is laughable, as it does not have any bases in scripture (not even twisted interpretation). Same is the case with that verse in Geeta which says, ‘Chaturvarna maya srista’. Here again, there is no concept of birth-based or hierarchical society. Yet, the propaganda goes on. What makes the whole matter worse is that some well meaning Dalit organizations also accept these claims. There is a very huge attempt going on to poison the minds of young dalits (who are currently deprived), using fake Aryan Invasion Theory and manufactured history.
gari52Arun Kumar
In fact the vedic concept was ” Janm Jata sarva Shudra, Dvija sanskarasya.” That is each one is a shudra by birth. His second birth is through education. Thus education is the factor which decides a person’s varna. The caste System is not a vedic concept. It was Varnashram. Division of labour being the principle just as you have Doctors, engineers, traders, professional soldiers etc.
sparkbird
Current day caste system is a corruption of a “Varna System”. and this corruption was perpetuated by the British.
mehtasp25
British have left Bhaarat for over 66 years.. Hwat done after they left?? How long can british be blamed?? can way out be acted upon?? !!
Please share views & action plans to way out..
Skanda
Well the one who brought the problem remains to be blamed, nevertheless there is no reason to keep crying without correcting. But does India allow self-governance for the society to reform itself without stifling it through a proxy-colonial constitution and polity?
Indian
Agree British left Bharat for over 66 years, but before leaving they cleverly installed their stooge and Edwina’s lover Nehru as PM to continue fooling Indians and the family still divides Indians till today, look at what they drafted on the name of Communal Violence Bill. Btw 200yrs of mindset will take time to change.