Matrubhumi – 6 (Repeat)

This is one of the most read blogs from the day it has been written. I see readers reading it even after 2 years of writing it. I see it as a blessing of my teacher whom I have quoted in the blog. I urge my readers to give me a feedback about this blog, in particular. And thank all for reading the first 6 blogs. The series continues even after this blog

ॐ आ ब्रह्मन् ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मवर्चसी जायताम्

आस्मिन् राष्ट्रे राजन्यः इषव्य: शूर महारथो जायताम्

दोग्ध्री धेनुर्वोढानड्वानाशुः सप्तिः

पुरन्धिर्योषा जिष्णू रथेष्ठाः

सभेयो युवास्य यजमानस्य वीरो जायताम्।।

निकामे निकामे नःपर्जन्यो वर्षतु

फलिन्यो न औषधयः पच्यन्तां

योगक्षेमो नः कल्पताम् ॥

Continuing from last blog, the above Shlok is a prayer for wealth for our (any) country. Wealth of all types. People who will help spread knowledge, people who will rule, people who will fight, women who can administer and rule, healthy cattle, fast horses, swift chariots and above all the youth which is brave and courageous. Also for rains so that we get a good crop and so are carefree about our worldly life. Let us understand it one by one.

It talks about “Aa Brahman Brahmano Brahmavarchashi”. It says God! Please bless our country with Brahmins who are educated in the Vedas and lead a Veda-centric life. They will help our country prosper. The prayer asks for the Brahmins who are learned and work for God, not the ones who are Brahmins by birth or caste.

At this juncture itself, I would like to clarify that am in no way supporting any type of caste system by birth. But at the same time, I also believe that any society, overall, will be divided into 4 main sections. First section will guide it academically and put forth it’s philosophies. Second section, which will rule the country, administer it on the basis of philosophies. Third section, which will take care of countries economy through business and industry. Fourth section but not the least, the part which will look after the basic necessities of the society and provide them to it. Our seers have broadly classified our society thus and named them as Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. These sections have their well defined work areas which one cannot transgress and rules which one cannot overrule. But the choice of work was dependent on the person himself/herself who had the liberty to make his/her choice after gaining an understanding about these four sections. At the same time we should know and understand that all these four sections are very important to the structure of the society and in no way is one greater or better than the other. All are equal. Later they have become based on birth, which must have been due to some compulsions. My limitation, today, is not to go into the details of it. But some other day and with some other topic, would surely like to dwell upon it.

Veda, the word comes from “VID” which means “to know”. “Thought” is very important to the Vedas. “Thought with experience” is what is the Vedas. So many thoughts and many experiences make up the Vedas which have been guiding us over centuries. These thoughts were first passed on from the teacher to his student by word of mouth, that is by repeating and learning what the teacher has said. Hearing was an important part of this whole excercise, so the Vedas are called the “Shruti”. They are considered the highest authority as regards to rules and regulations to lead a wholistic life.

And from these came our surnames. The one who learned it directly from the Guru, are called Ek Pathi (one who learns by listening once) who are called ‘Pathak’. The next who learns after hearing it twice, from Guru and from Ek Pathi’s, are called Dwipathi. Then Tripathi, Chaturpathi and so on. The beauty of our surnames is that it has its own history, which some of you my readers, are not aware of. Every surname has its origin related to the characteristic of our genetical lineage.

The next question which comes to our mind Who owns the Vedas then, if written by so many people? It is but obvious question as the world and society we are living in has made us think like this. This question never came up for the Vedic people as the Vedas belonged to everyone. No doubt, the thought is an individual experience, but when shared becomes the property of all who hear it and know it. So the owner of the Vedas is the “Samaaj Purush” (the society). And this Samaaj Purush is God. So God is the owner of these Vedas.

And if these Vedas belong to the Samaaj Purush, then they have to be taken to them, shared with them. This was done by the “intelligentsia” at that time which we call as Brahmins. From this we infer that anyone who does this work of carrying the Vedas to the common people are the Brahmins.

As, Pujaniya Pandurang Shashtriji explains, that when this class used to work selflessly, they developed a relationship and a strong bond with people to whom they went to. So the people started sharing all good and bad happenings of their life with these Brahmins. The people felt that these people are truly selfless and so people started inviting them to their homes in all good and bad happenings /moments in life. And that is why a Brahmin comes in, in a marriage or a funeral. The people called them to marriages to bless the newly wed couple for a prosperous life and to guide them to lead a pious life. Otherwise the mantras of marriage are to be said by the bridegroom and the bride and not the Brahmins. He was called on the 12th day after the death of a family member so that he will console the family and help them cope up with the loss. Explain the process of death and explain life after death. But today, alas! all this is lost. And we have started worshipping just the outer covering (the tradition and not the thought).

The mantra calls for such Brahmvarchasi Brahmins. Next it asks for the Kshatriyas, ones which are brave and courageous. We will talk about them in my next blog.