Anonymous: “Shreyaanswadharmo vigunah paradharmaat swanushthitaat;” -Srimad Bhagavad Gita (18th chapter)
Swami ji, it means only Brahmins are supposed to have inclination towards spirituality, as Kshatriya are supposed to be warriors, Vaishas are supposed to be merchant and Shudras are supposed to serve them. It means Kshatriyas, Vaishas and Shudras are not supposed to become spiritually inclined. Then how can these castes get salvation? Please explain.
Swami Ram Swarup: The meaning of Dharma has very well been explained in Vaisheshik shastra sutra 1/2 – Yatoabhyudayanihishresasidhihi Sa Dharmaha , that the pious deeds which give us long, happy life at present and happiness after death also are called Dharma. Manusmriti shloka 2/6 also state- “Vedaha Akhilo Dharmamulam” that the description of moral duties (Dharma) emanates from Vedas.
Bhagwad Geeta shloka 3/15 also states that all karmas emanate from Vedas. So, the real meaning of Dharma is to do moral duties. We should also know that during Mahabharat period, the present sects – Hindu, Muslim, Sikhs, Christians and fundamentals about caste did not exist. So, the meaning of Bhagwad Geeta shloka 3/15 according to Vedas and shastras is to do moral duties. Arjun was a kshatriya and was perfect to fight the religious war against Kauravas. At one time, Sri Krishna Maharaj in shloka 2/3 has also stated to Arjun that he should not be an impotent person, which did not suit kshatriya. So, meaning of Bhagwad Geeta shloka quoted above is that Oh! Arjun, if you face the religious war and even meet with death, that would be the best deed being a kshatriya otherwise to remain idle would be assumed the deed of an impotent person that is, deed of a person other than that of a kshatriya. That is why, Yajurveda mantra 40/2 states-
“Kurvenneveh karmanni jijeevishechchhtam samaha.
Evam twayi naanyathetoasti na karma lipyate nare.
Meaning being that a person while discharging all moral duties along with worship of God will never face the result of sins of his previous life because he would not be able to do sins and will always do pious deeds. As regards worship, God has preached in vedas that human life inspite of the fact of considering the varnnas i.e.,- Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudra should do worship of God according to vedas. Hence, the main motto of human-life is to realize God while discharging all moral duties. Varnn system ahs not been mentioned in vedas. in this regard I paste one of my articles –
Caste System does not exist in Vedas. It is also man-made please. So many Gods are made due to illusion. Illusion is generated in absence of study of Vedas please.
I have already written about caste system (varn vyavastha). Yajurveda mantra 31/11 says that caste is based on present deeds (karmas) and not by birth. The sense of Mantra is that if a son of shudra studies Vedas, controls senses/organs and mind, does practice of Ashtang yoga, then he will be considered Brahmin and a Brahmin who has no such qualities he will be treated as shudra etc., etc. There is no caste system in Vedas based on birth and the other holy books like Manusmriti, six shastras, Upnishads, Valmiki Ramayana, Mahabharat (Bhagwad Geeta) etc., were written by ancient Rishis/Munis based on only the knowledge of Vedas, so no caste system exists therein based on birth.
In this connection Yajurveda mantra 31/11 also says that he who knows Vedas and God, he is Brahmin being most supreme in the world like a mouth in the body. So anyone (of any caste) can be a Brahmin by hard studies of Vedas, practising Ashtang yoga therein and thus realizing God. One who has physical power in his arms, he is Kashtriye-Rajput to protect the country. So anyone can be a Rajput, holding the said qualities. One who has powers in his thighs to travel and to do hard work to establish business, he is Vaishya (businessman). One who has not studied, based on his qualities that he could not gain the qualities of Brahmin, Kashtriye and Vaishya, he is shudra (may be of any caste).
There is a symbolic story in Mahabharat. That once Yudhistar saw that his brother Bhima was caught by a huge python. Yudhistar asked python that my brother is a great warrior having sufficient power that you could not catch him. So really you are not python, tell me, who you are. Python replied that he was a yaksha. O Yudishtar, if you would answer my question, then your brother would be released. Yaksha asked Yudhistar that if a son of Brahmin takes wine, meat, gambles and does bad deeds then whether he will be considered as Brahmin and when a shudra (lowest caste) reads Vedas, does practice of Ashtang yoga, controls his five senses, five organs and mind and does always pious deeds then whether the son of such shudra will remain shudra? Yudhistar replied that the Brahmin will be treated as shudra and shudra will be treated as Brahmin.
King Janak called all the emperors/anybody to break the bow to prove to be the best powerful emperor amongst all to marry his daughter Sita. So King Janak did not make any objection of caste system. So was the case of marriage of Draupadi where in the dress of a Brahmin Arjuna pierced the eye of the fish with arrow and Yudhistar married Draupadi. Draupadi was daughter of Khastriye, Rajput whereas in the dress, Yudhistar was Brahmin. So qualities are to be checked either of boy or girl.
P: Pranam, I am science student. I just read one of your question answer and I find you telling that dreams are result of what we take in our unconscious mind when we are awake but I find dreams connecting me with God as usually I do not give much time to worshiping, rituals and daily pooja and I am not also concern about what day is it but I get all the information in my dreams and when I ask my my mother its connection, she told me that its connected with present day. This process is going on from past 6 years. so what should I appreciate the dreams which are mysterious or your scientific reason.
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you, my daughter.
It is good that you see pious dreams connecting yourself to God. But we must also know that there are five vrittis of chitta-
Chitta vritti – faculty which receives knowledge from five senses and passes the same intellect is called Chitta and Chitta stores the effect of various karmas to be faced by soul in future at a proper time.
I have explained there in detail while describing each sutra of Patanjal Yog Darshanam (in Hindi). In short, here I will tell you about ‘Nidra Vritti’ i.e., about sleeping stage of chitta.
Yog shastra sutra 1/10 states that in sound sleep; we forget everything. It is not useful but if we forget everything while in awakened stage then we realize God.
Similarly, if we see good dreams of connecting ourselves to God, this stage should be attained in awakened stage. So, awakened stage is pious otherwise other stages like dreams etc., are of no use. Yes, even it is an inspiring dream of connecting yourself to God and inspires you to make contact with learned acharya of vedas and yoga philosophy so that the knowledge and true path of worship by which an aspirant experiences spiritual stage/realization of God in awakened stage, is known.
Secondly, there is only one Formless, Almighty, Omnipresent God who creates, nurses and destroys the universe. I mean to say that Formless God is not seen in dreams. So, please also explain that what scene you visualize in dreams.
P: Life teaches me many times from beginning of my childhood but than also it seems me to be a mystery. I am not even able to solve puzzle of relationships. Sometimes I found people very honest and sacrificing and on the other hand moving for their needs and benefits. When people ask me what you want to achieve, I am still blank but I know that their is something precious that I really want and I am running for it but I don’t know that. Guru ji could you help me to know that and help me to solve puzzle of this worldly matters?
Swami Ram Swarup: You see my daughter that if electric fitting has been done in a room but the connection with the main supply has not been made then electrical fitting will go in vain. Similarly, if a person has got human-body and doing every needed task to enjoy but has not connected himself with spiritual path of real worship then his human body is of no use. Even, it becomes a burden on earth, say Vedas. But in the absence of the Vedic knowledge, most of the people are indulged in illusion and are not aware of the said truth.
I mean to say that everybody, due to his tender heart starts reposing faith in anyone but in the absence of pious deeds, worship etc., he usually fails to understand the truth that the person on whom he reposed his faith is actually cunning, dishonest etc. It is also a fundamental law of God, that in the absence of spiritual knowledge, the man himself is unable to control his five senses, mind and intellect and thus indulges in illusion. The person thinks that he is following truth but basically he is following a false path. He considers impious matter as pious, non-alive matter as alive; sorrows as happiness etc. So, one should be aware of the eternal philosophy of Vedas and should worship God accordingly. Then only God protects him.
Vedas tell to get progress in both worldly and spiritual fields, simultaneously. Worldly field means progress in science or any other educational field and spiritual means should listen to Vedas and know process and practice doing havan, Yajyen, name jaap of God, practice of Ashtang Yoga daily. One sided progress is always dangerous for life. I am happy and congratulate to you my daughter for your academic achievements.
So, you may prepare yourself to appear in Competitive exams- IAS etc., and simultaneously should get progress in spiritualism also. Then only should you enter in family life. I have written some spiritual books based on Vedas and have prepared spiritual songs and preach in the form of audio and video CDs which can be sent on receipt of your postal address if you desire. If you are unable to make Fifty percent of the payment thereof then same can be sent to you free of cost, to promote eternal Vedic knowledge which emanates direct from God, in the beginning of every universe.
