Wrt the query raised by Mr Bala this is my know-how as I read in detail
many treatises. The verse is from Skanda puranam only and not Manu smriti
anywhere in 12 chapters. However a similar version but not in exactitude ,
is discussed , in Mahabharatham 12 canto shanti Parva from chap 181.
-SkandaPurana, Khanda (canto) 6 (NagaraKhanda), Chapter 239, Shlokas 31-34
{ Chapter 239: Section 1 - Tīrthamāhātmya
nārada uvāca |
upacāraiḥ ṣoḍaśabhiḥ pūjanaṃ kriyate katham |
te ke ṣoḍaśa bhāvāḥ syurnityaṃ ye śayane hareḥ || 1
||.........................
trayīmayaṃ brahmaviṣṇurudrarūpaṃ triviṣṭapam |
yasya prabhāvādvipreṃdra mānavo dvija ucyate || 30 ||
janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṃskārāddvija ucyate |
śāpānugrahasāmarthyaṃ tathā krodhaḥ prasannatā || 31 ||******
trailokyapravaratvaṃ ca brāhmaṇādeva jāyate |
na brāhmaṇasamo bandhurna brāhmaṇasamā gatiḥ || 32 ||
II apart from this, similarity is seen from these 2 verses:
जन्मते शूद्र पुनः गयी शूद्रा। कृत्रिम जनेऊ घाली जगधुदा।
By birth one becomes Shudra, Now blind Shudras Now again make a dividing
line among them. How futile. _By kabir
जन्मान जायते शूद्र। विप्रयत द्विज (ब्राह्मण)। Lo! Whoever took birth is
Shudra. But by purification of mind and attaining Vedic knowledge by faith
one become Dwija (Brahman) _ By Atri rishi
III Mahabhartam 12 181 shanti parva:"*"Bhrigu said, 'There is really
no distinction between the different orders.* The whole world at first
consisted of Brahmanas. Created (equal) by Brahman, men have, in
consequence of their acts, become distributed into different orders. They
that became fond of indulging in desire and enjoying pleasures, possessed
of the attributes of severity and wrath, endued with courage, and unmindful
of the duties of piety and worship,-
-these Brahmanas possessing the attribute of Passion,--became Kshatriyas. Those
Brahmanas again who, without attending to the duties laid down for them,
became possessed of both the attributes of Goodness and Passion, and took
to the professions of cattle-rearing and agriculture, became Vaisyas. Those
Brahmanas again that became fond of untruth and injuring other creatures,
possessed of cupidity,--engaged in all kinds of acts for a living, and
fallen away from purity of behaviour, and thus wedded to the attribute of
Darkness, became Sudras. Separated by these occupations, Brahmanas, falling
away from their own order, became members of the other three orders.
*All the four orders, therefore, have always the right to the performance
of all pious duties and of sacrifices*. Even thus were the four orders at
first created equal by Brahman who ordained for all of them (the
observances disclosed in) the words of Brahma (in the Vedas). Through
cupidity alone, many fell away, and became possessed by ignorance.
So that verse is only from Skanda Puranam. However the description of twice
born by Manu smrithi may confuse your mind reproduced below:
IV Verse 2.169 [Meaning of Term ‘Twice-born’]
मातुरग्रेऽधिजननं द्वितीयं मौञ्जिबन्धने ।
तृतीयं यज्ञदीक्षायां द्विजस्य श्रुतिचोदनात् ॥ १६९ ॥
māturagre'dhijananaṃ dvitīyaṃ mauñjibandhane |tṛtīyaṃ yajñadīkṣāyāṃ
dvijasya śruticodanāt || 169 ||
According to the directions of the Revealed Word, the first birth of the
twice-born man is from the mother, the second, after the Ggirdle-tying
ceremony, and the third, after sacrificial initiation.—(169)
Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘Mātuḥ—from the mother;—‘agre’—first—‘adhijananam,’—birth, of man.
‘The second, after the girdle-tying ceremony’;—i.e., after the Upamyana.
The short vowel ‘i’ in the term ‘mauñjibandhane’ is according to Pāṇini
6-3-63, by which there is much latitude given in regard to vowels contained
in proper names.
‘The third, after sacrificial initiation,’—such as the Jyotiṣṭoma and the
rest. This initiation also has been described as ‘birth’ in such passages
as—‘when the priests initiate the sacrificer, they bring about a repetition
of birth.’
These arc the three births of twice-born men, described in tho Veda.
“In that case the man becomes thrice-born.”
Let that be so; as a matter of fact, the Upanayana is the basis of the
name ‘twice-born’;—and it is on this name that the man’s title to the
performance of Śrauta, Smārta and conventional rites is based. Tho mention
of the first and third
‘births’ is simply for the purpose of eulogising the second one, which is
the best of all births; [As regards the third birth] it is only the
performance of sacrifices to which the uninitiated man is not entitled;
while the one who has not undergone the Upanayana ceremony is not entitled
to any religious act at all.
Others hold, that it is ‘Fire-kindling’ that is here spoken of as
‘sacrificial initiation,’ on the ground of its Leing the forerunner of all
sacrifices. That Fire-kindling also is regarded as a ‘birth’ is shown by
such passages as—‘he who does not kindle the fire is as good as
unborn.’—(169)
Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha
Hopkins is not quite accurate in his interjectory remark—“So the twice
-born has three births!” It is not every twice-born person that has three
births; the third ‘birth’ belongs to only that twice-born person who is
initiated for a sacrifice. Hopkins might as well exclaim in connection with
the next verse—“So the twice-born has two mothers and two fathers!”
Comparative notes by various authors
Vaśiṣṭha (2. 3)—(reproduces the first part of Manu).
Viṣṇu (27. 37)—(reproduces the first part of Manu).
Yājñavalkya (1. 39).—‘For the first time, the Brāhmaṇa, the Kṣatriya and
the Vaiśya are born from their mother; for the second time, out of the
girdle-tying Rite (of Upanayana); it is for this reason that they have been
declared to be twice-born.’
Verse 2.170
तत्र यद् ब्रह्मजन्मास्य मौञ्जीबन्धनचिह्नितम् ।
तत्रास्य माता सावित्री पिता त्वाचार्य उच्यते ॥ १७० ॥
tatra yad brahmajanmāsya mauñjībandhanacihnitam |
tatrāsya mātā sāvitrī pitā tvācārya ucyate || 170 ||
Among these, at that Brahmic birth which is. marked by the tying of the
girdle, the Sāvitrī has been declared to be his “Mother,” and the Teacher
his “Father.”—(170)
Verse 2.171
वेदप्रदानादाचार्यं पितरं परिचक्षते ।
न ह्यस्मिन् युज्यते कर्म किञ्चिदा मौञ्जिबन्धनात् ॥ १७१ ॥
vedapradānādācāryaṃ pitaraṃ paricakṣate |
na hyasmin yujyate karma kiñcidā mauñjibandhanāt || 171 ||
They call the Teacher “father,” on account of his imparting the Veda.
Before the tying of the girdle, the performance of no religious act is
proper for him.—(171)
K Rajaram IRS 20524
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Sun, 19 May 2024 at 23:19, Rajaram Krishnamurthy <keyarinc...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Sure sir tomorrow i shall K R
>
> On Sun, May 19, 2024, 10:36 PM 'Bala N. Aiyer' via KeralaIyers <
> keralaiy...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
>
>> Dear Sri Rajaraman Ji:
>>
>> The sloka you have quoted "Janmanaa..." from Skanda Purana, I was given
>> to understand that
>> it is seen in Manu Smriti - Manu Dharma Sasthra. Can you please confirm
>> if this is also true,
>> Since we discuss this sloka often. If this is seen in several places?
>>
>> Bala N. Aiyer
>>
>>
>> On Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 10:08:17 PM CDT, Rajaram Krishnamurthy <
>> keyarinc...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Varana
>>
>> The word ‘varna’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘vara’, meaning
>> “choice”. It is always a person’s choice to choose their varana. What is
>> the basis of this procedure? This is clearly explained in the following
>> shloka from the SkandaPurana:
>>
>> जन्मनाजायतेशूद्रःसंस्कारात्द्विजउच्यते।
>> वेदापठत्भवेत्विप्रःब्रह्मजानातीब्राह्मणः॥
>>
>> Janmanaajaayateshudrahasamskaaratdvijauchyate।
>> Vedaapatatbhavetvipraha, Brahma jaanaatibraahmanaha॥
>>
>> Janmaana– By birth; jaayate– born as; shudraha– the lowest
>> varana; samskaaraat – through rituals (Upanayana); dvija–twice-born (dve –
>> two;ja – born);uchyate –declared as; apatat – has read (the Veda); bhavet –
>> became; Vipra – the educated qualification; jaanaati –
>> knows;Braahmanaha–the topmost varana;
>>
>> “By birth one is a Shudra. Through rituals (samskaara), one is considered
>> a dvija. One who has read the Vedas has become a Vipra and one who knows
>> Brahman is a Brahmana.”
>> -SkandaPurana, Khanda (canto) 6 (NagaraKhanda), Chapter 239, Shlokas 31-34
>>
>> This is the exact procedure a person used to follow in the ancient times
>> – to get educated and choose any of the varanas. This is also mentioned in
>> the Atharva Veda (Khanda 11, Sukta 5, Mantra 3).
>>
>> A child aged around 11-12 years is supposed to go to a Guru and undergo
>> initiation after which he/she is a dvija (twice-born). This procedure is
>> called ‘Upanayana’ and following that one is said to be born from the Guru
>> and the Vedas and is a Brahmachaari. This is the reason why they are
>> referred to as ‘dvija’, or “twice-born”. The first birth is the physical
>> one and the second is Upanayana. The student is then expected to practice
>> the principles of Brahmachaarya to maintain their elevated status and to
>> remain eligible to practice the Vedas (even after completing education and
>> becoming a member of the Tri-varanas). After reading the four Vedas and
>> following them, a student is a Vipra, the preliminary rank before becoming
>> a Brahmana, Kshatriya or Vaishya. In the scriptures, one would generally
>> complete education and choose a varana that suits them, at the age of 14-15
>> years, after their education.
>>
>> In Srimad Bhagavatam (Canto 11, Chapter 17, Shlokas 10-13), it is
>> described, that in Satya Yuga (or Krta Yuga), there was only one varana
>> called ‘Hamsa’. Everyone was a devotee of the Supreme Lord from birth and
>> was born with wisdom. Hence, all were sincere and there was only dharma in
>> that age.
>>
>> A Brahmana is one who knows Brahman. Hence, all were considered equal to
>> Brahmanas in the Satya Yuga. Later, people who revolted became Kshatriyas,
>> those who were engaged in farming and trading-related activities became
>> Vaishyas and those who stopped learning and following the Vedas became
>> Shudras. The same cycle repeats in every Maha Yuga (one cycle of four
>> Yugas).
>>
>> Varana vs. Varna: The Difference
>>
>> The word ‘varana’, translates to “a choice-based position in society”. It
>> is derived from the word ‘Vara’ (choice), similar to Swayamvara, a ceremony
>> where a princess ‘chooses’ her husband.
>>
>> The word ‘Varna’, can be used as a short-form of the word ‘varana’, as
>> used in certain scriptures like the Bhagavata Purana. Otherwise, it means
>> “colour” and has nothing to do with a person’s social class.
>>
>> The Difference between Jaati and Varana
>>
>> Nowadays many consider jaati or caste, as a pre-requisite to attain a
>> certain varana or to study the Vedas. This is incorrect. The word
>> “caste” is derived from the Portuguese and Spanish word “casta”, meaning
>> “race” or “breed”. It is synonymous to ‘jaati’, but definitely not to
>> varana.
>>
>> Jaati is one’s ethnicity or origin. It does not determine their Varana.
>> For example, in India, there are lawyers from various states. Is it logical
>> to claim that all lawyers should be only native -speakers and others should
>> not be allowed to pursue law? Definitely not! Similarly, the modern-day
>> caste system arose from selfishness, short-sightedness and lack of maturity
>> of the people belonging to the Tri-Varanas, who turned the Varana system
>> into caste system, centuries ago.
>>
>> Now let us try and dispel some of the most common misconceptions
>> regarding Varanashrama
>>
>> - Is dvija the birth after death, where a person’s varana changes in
>> their next birth?
>>
>> No. This is a prevalent myth regarding the varana system. All are born
>> Shudras, as mentioned in the shloka from the SkandaPurana. After learning
>> the Vedas under the tutelage of a Guru, one becomes a Vipra. Then,
>> depending on their mechanism of following dharma, they are considered to be
>> members of any of the three varanas, namely – Brahmana, Kshatriya and
>> Vaishya. Even if an educated person commits a sin, they are downgraded
>> to the level of a Shudra. (Manu Smriti, Chapter 2, Shlokas 103, 157 and
>> 168; Chapter 4, Shloka 245)
>>
>> - Why do certain shlokas say that one must be “born in the Veda” to
>> pronounce the Vedic texts? For example, Manu Smriti, Chapter 2, Shloka 172
>> says this.
>>
>> Just read Manu Smriti, Chapter 2, Shloka 148. It says that “a person’s
>> true birth is by means of education which is considered imperishable.” As
>> mentioned above in this article, one must undergo Upanayana to become a
>> dvija. After that, the Vedas become one of their parents. This concept is
>> mentioned in Sage Apasthamba’ s Dharma Sutra and was also misinterpreted
>> by B. R. Ambedkar, in his book, “Who Are the Shudras?”
>>
>> - Are women also allowed to get educated and attain a certain varana
>> as per the Vedic rules? Why are women compared to Shudras by several
>> present-day scholars?
>>
>> Yes, women are also supposed to have equal opportunities as men. There is
>> no discrimination on the basis of sex, as per Hinduism and the Vedic rules.
>> There have been many female scholars like Gargi, Maitreyi, Lopamudra,
>> Gautami, etc. They also wore the sacred thread, yajnopavitam (यज्ञोपवीतम्),
>> just like educated men, and also were Brahmachaariṇis. Moreover, the Rg
>> Veda and Atharva Veda explicitly state that men and women are supposed to
>> practice Brahmachaarya. (Refer to Rg Veda, Mandala 6, Sukta 44, Mantra 18;
>> Mandala 10, Sukta 109, Mantra 5; Atharva Veda, Khanda 11, Sukta 5, Mantras
>> 17 and 18)
>>
>> The trend of comparing women to Shudras started after the onset of the
>> caste system, to prevent them from receiving education. This was all
>> actually European influence. It has now become a widespread misconception
>> regarding the varana system.
>>
>> - Are there any examples from scriptures of people changing their
>> varanas or belonging to a different one than that of their parents?
>>
>> Yes. It is said in the Manu Smriti (Chapter 10, Shloka 65) that “it is
>> always possible for a Brahmana to become a Shudra or vice versa. The same
>> is applicable to the Kshatriya and Vaishya”. There are many examples of
>> this from various scriptures. You will find several in the Vishnu Purana. A
>> few are given below:
>>
>> - Prishadha, the son of Prajapati Daksha, although born to a
>> Brahmana, became a Shudra. He performed tapasya and attained liberation.
>> (Vishnu Purana, Khanda4, Chapter 1, Shloka 14)
>> - Nabhaga, the son of a Kshatriya, became a Vaishya. Later,
>> his own sons became Kshatriyas. (Vishnu Purana, Khanda4, Chapter 1,
>> Shloka 13)
>> - Nabhaga’s son, Drishta, became a Brahmana. His son became a
>> Kshatriya. (Vishnu Purana, Khanda4, Chapter 2, Shloka 2)
>> - Drishta’s grandchildren became Brahmanas again. (Vishnu Purana,
>> Khanda9, Chapter 2, Shloka 23)
>> - Raavana was the grandson of the Rishi Pulatsya, yet he
>> became a rakshassha.
>> - Vidura was raised by his mother, a servant. He was educated and
>> became a Brahmana.
>>
>> Rishi Vishvamitra was formerly a Kshatriya who became a Brahmana, and
>> moreover, a Brahmarshi.
>>
>> Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx K Rajaram IRS
>> 19524//20524
>>
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