If there exists a most misunderstood and defamed class of people in the world then it is the class of Brahmins, which is part of varnashram dharma.
Every ignorant person wants to acquire the position of a Brahmin still such people don’t hesitate to bad mouth the Brahmins who carry forward the Vedic dharma even at the stake of their lives.
First of all let us understand who is a Brahmin.
The qualities of a Brahmin as told in Bhagvad Gita 18.42 are-
Samo damas tapah saucam
Ksantir arjavam eva ca
Jnanam vijnanam astikyam
Brahma-karma svabhava-jam
Translation- A Brahmin possess peace, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and faith in the vedas.
These are the qualities of a Brahmin or so to say the qualities that a Brahmin should possess.
Modern thinkers call Brahmins oppressors of the past but let us see what does Manu smriti says about it.
Manu smriti (Chapter 1, verse 88)
Adhyapanamadhyayanam- yajanam yaajanam tatha
Daanam pratigraham chaiva brahmananamkalpayat
Translation- for the Brahmins studying-teaching, doing yajna (worship through sacrificial fire of devatas) and making others do yajnas, accepting and giving donations, these 6 are the prescribed duties.
Now if we look deeply into the matter we would find that a Brahmin has the most difficult life to live amongst every varna (caste), as his birth happens for the purpose of attaining moksha solely.
Manu smriti (chapter-1, verse 98)
Utpattireva viprasya murtidharmasya shaashvati
Sa hi dharmarthmutpanno brahmabhuyaya kalpate
Translation- the origin of Brahmin is the eternal personification of Dharma, he appears for dharma only and thus is able to achieve Moksha (liberation).
The Brahmin serves as the intellectual class of people in the society, Brahmins are the sole teachers of the society. They safeguard the dharma of the people of other varnas too by guiding them on to the path of righteousness selflessly.
Sometimes we hear the statements such as the Brahmins created or added some parts in the scriptures for their own benefit.
If this is true then why didn’t the Brahmins chose to be the kingly class, in which they could enjoy much more than they could even imagine while being a Brahmin?
Sometimes we hear the statements such as the Brahmins created or added some parts in the scriptures for their own benefit.
If this is true then why didn’t the Brahmins chose to be the kingly class, in which they could enjoy much more than they could even imagine while being a Brahmin?
A Brahmin has to necessarily follow sadacar as stated in Manu smriti (chapter 1, verse 108-109)
Achara paramo dharma shrutyukta smarta eva ca
Tasmadasmin sada yukto nityam syadatmavan dvijah
Acharadvichyuto vipro na vedaphalamashnute
Aacharen tu sanyuktah sampurnphalbhagbhavet
Translation- The conduct as said by the Shrutis (Vedas) and smriti is topmost dharma, thus a Brahmin willing to ascend shall follow the canons. A Brahmin bereft of conduct does not get the desired fruit of Vedas, while a Brahmin of proper conduct acquires it.
Now if Brahmins were to write the smriti or the different scriptures why did they chose such a hard life for themselves?
They could have chosen the life of vaishyas which gives more money or the life of Kshatriyas which would have given them immense political power and position.
This argument is baseless, according to smriti a Brahmin can teach the art of weapons but cannot practice it unless the state of emergency rises.
A Brahmin cannot even plough the field and generate food for himself.
A Brahmin is advised to be content in whatever he has got and always worship Bhagvan and aspire for moksha.
A Brahmin spends his life studying and teaching scriptures leaving aside the comfort of palaces.
Only Brahmins have the adhikaar or right to sa-linga sannyas or accepting the renounced order of life with symbols (this has been discussed in our first thread of this series of varnashram).
And is sannyas a phase of luxury? Not at all, a sannyasi shall only aspire for moksha, he renounces his worldly life and accepts sannyas and roam here and there preaching the knowledge of the Vedas to the eligible people.
A sannyasi acts as Guru to the whole Varnashram or the society.
A Brahmin shall daily without fail perform trikaal sandhyavandanam ( a ritual followed by Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas after their upananyan ceremony.) (trikaal- thrice a day). If a Brahmin fails to do so then he becomes bereft of his brilliance and piousness.
There are many other duties of a Brahmin which shall be executed by him, and thus he is worship -able for the other varnas.
We shall try to discuss more about Brahmins in some other threads, as in the upcoming blogs we will be discussing about the other class of society which is the Kshatriyas.