Very Gladly! I am glad at last that someone really wanted to engage in meaningful exchange here rather than a solo posting. Girish, any elementary book on Indian history will tell you the truth on conversion.
As you said, fear of force was the first and foremost. The next was lure. I really enjoyed and feel right about Ambedkar's embracing Buddhism. First because it nailed the lie that the semitic religions ALONE professed the correct path. Secondly because, it gave the wake up call to the practicing Hindus of the shortcomings in the social structure of their religion. Do not rubbish Ambedkar's act with money and material. He was a lakshya purusha who walked his talk. I have not fully read Guruji Golwalkar's book. But I have read the Gita and Rigveda with more than cursory interest! These two talk about Varna and not Jati. But I do not feel any bad things about them except in their inequality. Coming to Varna: It is not a concept but a reality in human beings that prople are born into one of the four fundamental classifications. In Rigveda, the varna system is quite clearly mentioned. I recently read an old book, ' History of Ancient India' by R K Majumdar and R N Srivastava. In page 118, there is a mention of sloka probably from one of the brahmanas of Rigveda karuraham tatobhi shagupal prakshini nanA | nAnAdiyO vasooyavO (a) mugAyiva tasthi mendrAyandO parisrava || "I am a poet, my father is a physician and my mother grinds corn on stone. Being engaged in different occupations, we seek wealth and happiness as cows seek food in different pastures" This shows the utter lack of class consciousness in Rigvedic period. translation to the mantra of Purusha Suktam (RV 10.8.90) mantra 13 ( which you mentioned) brahmano(a) sya mukhamaseed, bahoo rAjanya: kruta:| uru tadasya yadvaisyo padbhyao sudro ajAyata|| The brahmin became the head of the Purusha. The Kashatriya became its arms. The Vaisya its torso and the sudra its legs. As you said it is the brahman 'becoming' the head of the Purusha (not 'springing up from' as given by European mischief indologists). The previous mantra 12 in purusha suktam says " when the Purusha was sacrificed( vyadadhu:) , into what forms he was made ? What became of His head ? What became of his face ? What is said of His Arms ? What are said of His Thighs and feet ?" So the mantra 13 (which is being used by anti Hindus and all and sundry to denigrate the Varna system) is in fact a straightforward hymn on the nature od classification of people on naturally existing principles. As regards the Gita: chAturvarnyam mayA srushtam guna karma vibhAgasha: | The four characteristics which classify people based on character (attitude) and Action are created by me. This is the correct meaning. Krishna says here 'varnyam' (characteristics) and not 'varnam' (classification). Look at the missing 'y' And lastly I come to the Jati. This is the achilles' heel of our country in general and our religion in particular. You will be surprised to learn that the Jati classification was made during the 3 rd to 10 th century when Buddhism died out and the returnees made out sects for themselves in Hinduism. But here again, the Jati is different from caste of the British. It was the British who made out a monster of Jati. Let me elaborate: TIll the seventeenth century, All the Jatis had equal education till a level. Then the pupils went over to their own familial traditional jobs for specializations Dharam Pal has painstakingly documented these facts from the BRITISH MUSEUM in London. Even now, at the village level I see a mutual co existence and reliance between jatis. I only abhor the inequalities that crept in during British rule when they purposefully lifted up some Jatis for their own partisan purpose. (brahmins and vaisyas) But there is a huge question on the SC population. How did they come about ? It is abig topic and deserves a separate post. Yes Girish, I have , invoking my God for all the above. Can you cite anywhere in my past mails where I indulged in personal attacks except other than contradicting ideologically ? Venkatasubramanian
