Let us understand what we really are..

Let us understand what we are..

Are you sure brahmins.. of many generations did not live their happy worldly lives..?

Do you think they were all Rama Rama Krishna krishna repeaters? Just think of Parsurama, Kripa, etc of old times, to many historical figures like Kautilya the Chanakya, to Rajaji, Radhakrishnan, Nehru , Nambuthirippaad and even the present shining stars of the society and tinsel world..
Religion and study were the foundation and not roadblocks..
It is meaningless to boast..
First let us know what our lineage really means.
Studying any Puranam or Itihasam or Shruti or Smriti or doing any Pooja would mean very little unless the positive content therein are not internalized and practiced...
The Brahmins or all generations were fearless and steadfast..
They did not use physical force much only because they could get things do even without use of brutal force..
धिक् बलं क्षात्रिय बलं ब्रह्मतेजोबलं बलं.

What is the duty of a brahmin?
Was is just chanting Gods name?
Understanding the culture and the traditions is nice..
It can give a lot of lessons in leading a wholesome life..
The texts can cite so many precedents..
We are really rich in our traditions and we can be proud of what we inherit.
But the reality of life is in the present..
The way we live this moment, alone matters..
Any aids by way of learning, auto suggestion, penance.. can be of great value as aids and props in our good living..
But we should not give the impression either to others or to ourselves that we just live to please some god, to read some scripture..

If a case comes for hearing before the Hon’ble supreme court, say the Constitutional Bench.. and if the Hon’ble judges have to adjudicate, then they read, hear, take assistance from bar, look at precedents..
But what really matters is that they should give some conclusion on the issue on hand
Life too is like that..
Stacking a library of a million books, or arguments of a thousand lawyers are of no use if such hearings end up in some fair judgment..

And if we have to teach others anything about life, we should first live that life in the best way possible..
सत्त्व रजो and तमो gunas are inherent in every human being..
Sattva means being very fair and honest,
raja would imply a bridge between the extremely fair things and expediency..
And Tamas would imply opportunism and crass injustice..
That has nothing to do with being a Brahmin..
The best of sages were there even in the castes and communities which are traditionally believed as not of high level..
The instances are too many to cite..
Brahmins can, of course, strive to have good behaviour and morals.. that would do them good individually and also would do a lot of good for the society..
But we need not add a brahmin tag to any worthy quality socially..

That was not like that in our society at any time..
Be good, do good,
learn,
teach,
help others,
be just,
rear good children,..
all these are expected of any human being, be it Brahmin, Hindu or a person of any religion or even of an atheist..

Where is it said that the role of Brahmin is to preach and lead others to Moksha.. ?
Dharmashastras say.
(given below are some quotes from dharma saastras.)
आपो नारा इति प्रोक्ताः आपो वै नरसूनवः।
ताः यदस्यायतनं पूर्वं तेन नारायणः स्मृतः॥
ब्राह्मण्यां ब्राह्मणात् जातः संस्कृतो ब्राह्मणो भवेत्।
एवम् क्षत्रिय वित् शूद्रः ज्ञेयाः स्वेभ्यः स्वयोनिजाः॥
अध्यापनं च अध्ययनं यजनं याजनं तथा
... दानं प्रतिग्रहश्चैव षट्कर्माणि अग्रजन्मनः॥
तपो विशेषैः विविधैः व्रतैश्च विधि चोदितैः
वेदः कृत्स्नोऽधिगन्तव्यः सरहस्यो द्विजन्मना॥
aapo naaraa iti proktaaH aapo vai narasuunavaH.
taaH yadasyaayatanaM puurvaM tena naaraayaNaH smR^itaH..
braahmaNyaaM braahmaNaat jaataH saMskR^ito braahmaNo bhavet.
evam kSatriya vit shuudraH j~neyaaH swebhyaH swayonijaaH..
adhyaapanaM cha adhyayanaM yajanaM yaajanaM tathaa
daanaM pratigrahashchaiva SaTkarmaanyagrajanmanaH..
tapo viesheSaiH vividhaiH vrataishcha vidhi choditaiH
veadaH kR^itsno.adhigantavyaH sarahasyo dwijanmanaa..

waters are called naaraas because the waters are the children of Nara an incarnation of Vishnu.. That Vishnu who made his resting place the Naaraas or waters is called Narayana.

A chlild born to a brahmin woman on a brahmin male and is purified by the necessary samskaaraas is brahmana. Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra are also determined by the yonis in which they ae born.

Teaching, studentship, doing yajnas, perfoming yajnas on behalf of others, giving gifts and receiving gifts are the six function of a brahmin.

The vedas are to be learned and practices by Brahmin after learning it through strict observations of penances, rituals, fastings, all prescribed by shastraas, and such vedaas are to be learned with precison and maitaining its secret nature by the dwijas.

The basic issue is that our society, even though it would claim cosmopolitan and generous in its outlook, just have groups that flock or gel together on the basis of some quality which are unique..
We need not be ashamed of the unique feature we have inherited as Brahmins, and forming strong and homogeneous group on that basis.. Such unique feature need not be for the benefit of the players outside the group..
Most groups work that way..
But even when there is a little zone of comfort the Brahmin becomes ridiculously generous, showy, and tend to cut the branch of the tree where he sits..
That is the tragedy..
And quotes from Sanskrit or Vedas are all for everyone..
Every human being who can read, write and practice..
If we have the illusion that such quotes related to brahmins alone, we re living in darkness.
But we can learn anything and everything and apply all that knowledge which are beneficial for the uplift of our group..
That is a nice idea.
And if I quote something which I cannot practice and others too cannot, then I am just being silly.. dreamy.