On June 18, 2024, a controversial 600-page report was issued by a one-man committee appointed by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The report advises the government to ban the wearing of tilak on foreheads and remove sacred threads from the hands of school students. The government has released an 18-page summary of that report, which starts with a quotation from B.R. Ambedkar, a political figure from Maharashtra who headed the committee that drafted the constitution of India:
"Hindus must consider whether the time has not come for them to recognize that there is nothing fixed, nothing eternal, nothing sanatan."
This statement takes a satirical jab at the "sanātana dharma" of the Hindus, which includes the systems of varṇa and jāti. Coming from the Mahar (Dalit) caste, which was considered untouchable in those days, Ambedkar was frustrated with the varṇa and jāti system followed by Hindus at that time. He eventually gave up Hinduism and became a Buddhist, vigorously preaching Buddhism.
Before addressing the issue at hand, let's clarify some basic fundamentals about Hinduism. The system of varṇa and jāti (incorrectly referred to as "caste" in modern books) was introduced by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, who says:
cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ
guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ
tasya kartāram api māṁ
viddhy akartāram avyayam
I created the system that divides society into the four varṇas, divided according to the characteristics and activities a person performs. … - Bhagavad Gita 4.13.
Here, Kṛṣṇa clearly states that society has been divided by Him into four varṇas, based on the characteristics and activities a person performs, not by birth. Although children often inherit the characteristics and nature of their parents and may belong to the same varṇa of their parents, it does not always happen that way. The son of a doctor cannot automatically become a doctor, just as a daughter born into a particular varṇa cannot be considered to belong to that varṇa solely by birth.
The four varṇas are:
1. Brāhmaṇas: Intellects and spiritual leaders whose nature is to engage in intellectual activities and guide others towards liberation from material bondage.
2. Kṣatriyas: Warriors and administrators whose nature is to rule and protect the weak from adharmic (unrighteous) people and discrimination.
3. Vaiśyas: Businessmen, bankers, and farmers whose nature is to conduct economic transactions, such as selling, banking, farming, and protecting cows.
4. Śūdras: Laborers whose nature is to work for others, assisting the other three varṇas.
Brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, and vaiśyas should not work for someone else but should act independently as leaders of society, able to express opinions, address concerns, and perform dharmic activities without hindrance. By this definition, most people working today would be considered śūdras. Therefore, they cannot claim to belong to any varṇa other than śūdra. The scriptures provide a clear definition of how one obtains a certain varṇic status:
janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṃskārāt dvija ucyate|
śāpānugraha-sāmarthyaṃ tathā krodhaḥ prasannatā||
By birth one is a śūdra; by saṁskāra (purificatory rituals) one becomes a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, or vaiśya… - Skanda Purāṇa 6.239.31
A person attains the status of a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, or vaiśya by performing appropriate rituals according to their nature and the activities they engage in, not by birth, as everyone is equal by birth. This is also stated in the classical Tamil text, the Tirukkural:
பிறப்பொக்கும் எல்லா உயிர்க்கும் சிறப்பொவ்வா
செய்தொழில் வேற்றுமை யான்.
piṟppokkum ellā uyirkkum siṟappovvā
sei-toḻil veṟṟumai yāṉ
"Everyone is equal by birth; however, they are different by the nature and activities they perform." - Tirukkural 972
This notion is prevalent throughout Indian literature and was previously celebrated rather than resented. This system was applied to everyone born in the land of Bhārata Varṣa (modern-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, etc.). If one takes on a role in society that aligns with their abilities and nature, they can excel in their work without dissatisfaction throughout their life. This is the beauty of sanātana dharma, the eternal (sanātana) duties (dharma) prescribed by the Vedas for humanity across generations.
Today, people often choose their work based on potential earnings rather than their unique nature and abilities. For example, an IT engineer might start as a junior programmer (a role akin to a śūdra), then be promoted to take a leadership position (a kṣatriya role), and eventually take on an executive role focused on increasing profits and bringing in new business (a vaiśya role). Throughout their career, they are also expected to contribute intellectually (a brāhmaṇa role). This constant shift in roles and responsibilities can be frustrating and overwhelming. Job dissatisfaction, and money-driven decisions lead to stress, depression, dissatisfaction, and sometimes suicidal attempts.
Nevertheless, as soon as there's diversification, the possibility of negative discrimination arises, though it's an undesirable outcome. This negative discrimination mainly occurs because individuals prioritize their self-interest over the welfare of others. The one-man committee appointed by the Tamil Nadu Government has suggested removing the sacred symbols students wear, hypothesizing that this might eliminate discrimination based on jāti. However, even if this succeeds in removing jāti-based discrimination, it does not guarantee the end of societal discrimination. Negative discrimination can manifest in other forms. For example, in the United States, people discriminate based on color, race, national origin, political ideology, religion, and more. No place in the world is free from discrimination.
This demonstrates that attempting to remove diversity, rather than addressing the discriminatory mentality of people, is futile. It's akin to plucking out the eyes to cure cataracts instead of treating the cataracts themselves. Additionally, such actions are harmful as they force people to abandon their spiritual values, reducing their goals to mere materialism. This diminishes the purpose of human life to simply living and dying. Bharatiyar, a renowned 20th-century Tamil poet praised by the Government of Tamil Nadu, criticized this mentality:
தேடிச் சோறுநிதந் தின்று -- பல
சின்னஞ் சிறுகதைகள் பேசி -- மனம்
வாடித் துன்பமிக உழன்று -- பிறர்
வாடப் பலசெயல்கள் செய்து -- நரை
கூடிக் கிழப்பருவ மெய்தி -- கொடுங்
கூற்றுக் கிரையெனப் பின்மாயும் -- பல
வேடிக்கை மனிதரைப் போலே -- நான்
வீழ்வே னன்றுநினைத் தாயோ?
theḍic choṟunitam tiṉṟu - pala
ciṉṉañciṟu kataikal pesi - maṉam
vāḍit tuṉpamika uḻṉṟu - piṟar
vāṭa palaseyalkaḷ seyalkaḷ seytu - narai
kūḍi kiḻapparuva meyti - koṭum
kūṟṟuk kiraiyeṉappiṉ māyum - pala
veḍikkai maṉitarai pole - nāṉ
vīḻveṉeṉṟu niṉait tāyo?
"Many people simply search for their daily bread to eat and live. Others merely gossip, and some become depressed and dejected. Still, many others engage in activities that cause suffering to others. Did you think that I would also grow old doing these meaningless activities and then die?" - Yoga Siddhi Stotra 4.
Materialism, by nature, encourages selfishness as people seek joy in material values and things, often exploiting others to achieve their desires. Spiritualism, on the other hand, centers around God, making individuals humble and prioritizing God and others, who are seen as children of God, over themselves.
sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya
mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ
tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir
ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā
All species of life are made possible by their birth in this material nature, and I am the seed-giving father. - Bhagavad Gītā 14.4
īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ
yat kiñca jagatyāṁ jagat
tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā
mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam
Everything in this world is controlled and owned by God. Therefore, enjoy only what is allotted to you, and do not desire more. Whose wealth is it? - Īśa Upaniṣad 1
Ambedkar was frustrated because he was discriminated against, and so he fought against it in society. However, he still put his own frustration and interests at the forefront instead of selflessly working to solve larger societal problems. Retired Judge Chandru, appointed as the one-man committee by the Tamil Nadu Government, opposed the Karnataka Government's ban on Muslim girls wearing hijab in classrooms. Yet, he enthusiastically supports removing sacred symbols from Hindu students' faces and hands. This behavior raises questions about a possible hidden agenda in Justice Chandru's actions.
The real problem of negative discrimination can only be solved by genuinely and continuously educating everyone to understand that they are all equal in the eyes of God. By living cooperatively, striving to serve God and please Him, we can aim to solve the fundamental human problems of selfishness, exploitative mentality, along with suffering due to death, disease, and old age, which will persist as long as we are attached to this world. Everyone is different, differently abled, differently natured, and differently gifted. As long as we fail to recognize these as gifts from God, and see ourselves merely as possessors of these gifts, people will continue to fight over petty things. Blind and manipulative leaders will exploit innocent people to enjoy their wealth. This is the teaching of the Bhagavad Gita and, in general, the essence of all religions.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Footnotes:
The term "caste" comes from the Spanish and Portuguese word "casta," meaning lineage, race, or breed, suggesting that jāti and varṇa are unchangeable from one's birth family's jāti and varṇa. However, this is not the case, as there have been many instances, such as Viśvāmitra, where individuals have changed their varṇa after birth.
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