Thursday, November 7, 2013

Inter caste marriages - who has said what!

While the search for a right partner is on...various questions traverse mind...

One dominant one is Intercaste marriage, how appropriate is it in the backdrop of social conditioning to abstain from it.

Right or Wrong who could answer, Since i know Science or western philosophies are not too mature on question of life , i thought of checking out on much relaible indian ancient scriptures and what they have to say about it...

In Bhagvat Geeta Verse 40 : Arjuna has touched base on the topic of  intercast mariages in the below shloka:
  
adharmabhibhavat krsna
pradusyanti kula-striyah
strisu dustasu varsneya
jayate varna-sankarah

When irreligion is prominent in the family, O Krsna, the women of the family become corrupt, and from the degradation of womanhood, O descendant of Vrsni, comes unwanted progeny

questions further go on in more following verses of chapter 1. 

I per say was curious to know what Shri Krishna responded, and thy responds in chapter 2, verse 2

sri-bhagavan uvaca
kutas tva kasmalam idam
visame samupasthitam
anarya-justam asvargyam
akirti-karam arjuna
The Supreme Person [Bhagavan] said: My dear Arjuna, how have these impurities come upon you? They are not at all befitting a man who knows the progressive values of life. They do not lead to higher planets, but to infamy.

Source: http://www.asitis.com/2/2.html

 hence it was getting clear to me, that Varna system referred in Bhagwat Geeta is not our cast system, it rather personality of an idividual, it further dawns upon me that in a family of Brahman's there's pretty much a possibility of a demon taking birth (one in jail we have is infamous  Manu Sharma of jessica lal murder case)

Then we have Mother Teresa highest order of seva a 'brahmin' could ever achieve...world is full of examples from Gandhi, Einstein, Patel, Nelson Mandela and count goes on..they were not all brahmins but have explored life and achieved in respective streams.

So to summarise Varna remains an individual trait rather than something deriving hereditary, however may be chances remain high that a brahmin takes birth in a brahmin family and a sudra taking birth in a sudra family but in no way that is the only possibility.

Would like to share another extract from Gautam Budha's life :



A young boy approached Gautama Muni and begged to become his student. It was customary that only respectable brahmanas would be accepted for such spiritual training. Gautama therefore asked, "Who is your father?" "That I do not know," the boy replied. "So, please ask your mother." The boy's mother subsequently admitted, "My dear son, I have known many men. I do not know who is your father." The boy returned to Gautama Muni and relayed the embarrassing message, "Sir, my mother also does not know who my father is." Gautama Muni concluded, "Yes, you are a brahmana. I accept you because you are thoroughly honest."
from the Jabala Upanishad

Source : http://hinduism.iskcon.org/lifestyle/901.htm






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