Amit Bajaj: Swamiji pranaam, I’m extremely thankful to you for your answers & clearing my doubts. You told me that there was no caste system in india by giving me two examples one from Ramayana where Raja Janaka invited all kings & princes without any partiality of caste & one from Mahabharata where Yudhishthir & Yaksha conversation. Swamiji please give me some more examples from Ramayana that shows that there was no caste system. I am feeling extremely grateful for your answers.
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you . thanking you, please. In Ramayan, Shabri is stated to belong to low caste but Sri Ram and Laxman, during the time of their exile, went to her ashram, bowed before her and took food there.
In Mahabharat also, when Swayamvar of Draupadi , daughter of Drupad king, who was a Kshatriya, took place then he kept a condition that whosoever irrespective of their caste, would be able to fulfil it, i.e., pierce the eye of fish, King Drupad would marry his daughter to him. Then five Pandavas i.e., Yudhishthir, Arjun, Bheema, Nakul and Sehdev in the garb of Brahmins who used to survive on Bhiksha , were present there.
Arjun fulfilled the condition by piercing the eye of the target and king Drupad (kshatriya) knowing very well that Arjun was at that time in the garb of Brahmin and lived on Bhiksha , happily agreed to marry his daughter to him. But Yudhishthir came in between and told that he was elder brother of Arjun (who was in brahmin’s attire at that time) and his marriage should first be performed. So, Yudhishthir was married to Draupadi.
After sometime, king Drupad came to know that they were Pandu’s sons – Yudhishthir, Arjun, Bheema, Nakul and Sehdev.
I want to mention here that according to the true story of Mahabharat written by Vyasmuniji based on Vedas, Draupadi remained for whole life wife of Yudhishthir only and remaining four brothers – Bheema, Arjun etc., used to serve Draupadi like their mother. Due to our bad luck and the discrepancies in our history the false story has been popularized that Draupadi was the wife of five Pandavas which is shameful.
Dr. Harish Arya: I want to know all the things about upwas its advantages, types, how to break the fast everything?
Swami Ram Swarup: “Up”= near. “Was”= to reside. So, as per Vedas, the meaning of ‘Upwas’ is either to live nearest to the acharya or to God. As far as acharya is concerned, disciples used to go and sit at his pious feet to listen to spiritual knowledge and as regards God, the aspirant meditates and tries to concentrate in God. Second meaning of Upwas like leaving intake of food is not mentioned in Vedas.
Sagar Anmalla: Swamiji pranam as 99% of this world is ignorant about Vedas knowledge. The world is in kiosk terrorism, kidnapping, bombing, imperialism, has become the order of the day. As you have said earlier that knowledge is given at the beginning of the creation, knowledge is gained only when it is imparted by someone. At the present state this kiosk world has no knowledge about Vedas. is there anyway that the eternal knowledge of Vedas can be given to the present world at one given point to everyone, which will remove the darkness of following wrong religions and paths, and this world will a better place like satyug or dwapur yug. I remember Swamiji you have told that an ashtang yogi who has attained Samadhi has all the powers of God except creating the world. Swamiji please forgive for my immature questions but they keep disturbing me, please enlighten.
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you. As ninety nine percent of this world is ignorant about Vedas’ knowledge that is why ninety nine percent of this world is indulged in illusion, corruption, blind faith, early death, several diseases, dishonour of females etc., are eating away the roots of society.
In Vedas, it has been clarified that king as well as learned acharya of Vedas and yoga philosophy, both must be firmly related together, then only their coordination would spread the Vedic knowledge to public to kill all sorrows etc., of the public. So, there is only one way that king and sanyasi/yogi should work together to make the nation strong. Then only self made, false religions/paths will be destroyed.
Ashtang Yogi is the yogi who has no desire. That is why, a king helps the people to gain knowledge from a learned acharya like Sri Ram and Guru Vasishth; Harishchandra and Rishi Vishwamitraji worked together. Otherwise, yogi alone is always desireless.
