Adhyaya 1 - Pada 3 AdhikaraNa 8
shUdras Not Qualified For Vedic Meditation
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In was said that human beings, devas, and other higher beings are qualified to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is not possible to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead without having studied the VedAnta, for the scriptures say aupaniShadaH puruShaH
(The Supreme Personality of Godhead is revealed in the UpaniShads). From this the next topic follows.
ViShaya: In the ChAndogya UpaniShad (4.1.1-5) is a story beginning with the words jAnashrutir ha pautrAyaNaH (There was a man named Janashruti PautrAyaNa). In that story, after hearing the words of some swans, JAnashruti approached Rai~Nka Muni and offered him many cows, necklaces, and chariots. Rai~Nka, however, said ahaha hAre tvA shUdra tavaiva saha gobhir astu (O shUdra, keep your cows, necklaces, and chariots!). After being addressed as a shUdra in this way, JAnashruti again came, this time offering cows, necklaces, chariots, and his daughter in marriage. Rai~Nka this time replied tam AjahAremAH shUdrAnenaiva mukhenAlApayiShyathAH (O shUdra, take this away! With this face alone you will make me speak). Then the UpaniShad describes how Rai~Nka taught him the science of saMvarga-vidyA.
SaMshaya: Is a shUdra qualified to study the Vedic knowledge or not?
PUrvapakSha: A shUdra is qualified to study the Vedas for the following reasons: 1. because it is said that all human beings are qualified, 2. because shUdra have the ability to study, 3. because the shruti sometimes uses the word shUdra , thus hinting that shUdras are qualified to read the Vedas, and 4. because in the PurANas and other Vedic literatures Vidura and other shUdras are described as knowers of the Vedas.
SiddhAnta: The conclusion follows.
SUtra 34
shug asya tad-anAdara-shravaNAt tadAdravaNAt sUcyate hi
shug - sorrow; asya - of him; tad - that; anAdara - disrespect; shravaNAt - because of hearing; tadA - then; adravaNAt - because of approaching; sUcyate - is indicated; hi - because.
Because he approached impelled by unhappiness from hearing an insult, the word shUdra here means "unhappy."
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word na (not), taken from sUtra 28, is understood in this sUtra also. Here it means "a shUdra is not qualified to study the Vedas." Why? The sUtra says hi, which here means "because." Because JAnashruti PautrAyaNa, who was not enlightened with spiritual knowledge, by hearing the swans disrespectful words kam u vara enam etat santaM sayugvAnam iva rai~Nkam Attha (What is he compared to the great saint Rai~Nka?) became unhappy (shuk) and thus ran (dru to meet Rai~Nka. The word shUdra here means "he who was unhappy" and "he who ran." The sage uses the word shUdra here to display his omniscience in knowing the previous events. The word is not used here to indicate the fourth class of men: the shUdras.
If JAnashruti is not a shUdra, then to what class does he belong? To answer this question the next sUtra says he is a kShatriya.
SUtra 35
kShatriyatvAvagatesh cottaratra caitrarathena li~NgAt
kShatriyatva - status of being a kShatriya; avagatesh - from the understanding; ca - also; uttaratra - in a later passage; caitrarathena - with Caitraratha; li~NgAt - because of the sign.
That he is a kShatriya is understood from the clue related to the caitraratha.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
JAnashruti is understood to be a kShatriya. He possesses religious faith and a host of other virtues. He is very charitable. He gives charity generously. He is the ruler of the people. For these reasons it is said that he is a kShatriya. Because he sent (a messenger to search for Rai~Nka) and because he gave cows, necklaces, chariots, his daughter, and many other things in charity, it is said that he is a kShatriya. It is not possible for anyone but a kShatriya to possess these qualities. Because he thus displays the qualities of a king, JAnashruti should be understood to be a kShatriya. At the end of the story it is also understood that he is a kShatriya. At the end of the story, where the description of saMvarga-vidyA is concluded, there is mention of the kShatriya status of a person named AbhipratArI Caitraratha. In the concluding passage a brahmacArI begged alms from shaunaka KApeya and AbhipratArI KAkShaseni when these two were serving food to others.
If someone objects: "In this passage the status of AbhipratArI as either a kShatriya or caitraratha is not proved in any way," then the sUtra answers: li~NgAt (because of a clue). The clue that shaunaka KApeya and AbhipratArI KAkShaseni were friends proves it. The TANDya BrAhmaNa (20.12.5) says: caitena caitrarathaM kApeyo ayAjayan (The members of the KApeya family made Caitraratha perform a sacrifice). In this way the shruti maintains that because of his relationship with the KApeyas, AbhipratArI must have been a Caitraratha.
That the Caitraratha family were kShatriyas is confirmed by the words tasmAc
caitrarathir nAma kShatra-patir ajAyata (From him was born another kShatriya of the Caitraratha family). In this way his kShatriya status is clearly proved.
Therefore shaunaka KApeya and AbhipratArI Caitraratha, who were both learned in saMvarga-vidyA, were a brAhmaNa and a kShatriya respectively, and in the subject of saMvarga-vidyA they were also guru and disciple respectively. Rai~Nka and JAnashruti had the same relationship, and therefore JAnashruti must have been a kShatriya. In this way it is proved that a shUdra is not qualified to study the Vedas.
Referring to the shruti , he again establishes this point.
SUtra 36
saMskAra-parAmarShAt tad-abhAvAbhilApAc ca
saMskAra - of the purificatory rituals; parAmarShAt - because of the reference; tad - of them; abhAva - of the non-existence; abhilApAt - because of the explanation; ca - also.
This is also so because the scriptures state both the necessity of undergoing the saMskAras (rituals of purification) and the exclusion of the shUdras from these rituals.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the shruti-shAstra is the passage aShTa-varShaM brAhmaNam upanIyata tam adhyApayed ekAdeshe kShatriyaM dvAdashe vaishyam (One should perform the saMskAra and teach a brAhmaNa boy when he is eight years old a kShatriya boy when he is eleven years old, and a vaishya boy when he is twelve years old). This shows that brAhmaNas are eligible to study the Vedas because they are also eligible for the saMskAras. The scriptures also say nAgnir na yaj~no na kriyA na saMskAro na vratAni shUdrasya (A shudra is not allowed to light the sacred fire, perform a fire-sacrifice, perform religious rituals, undergo the saMskAras, or follow vows of penance). In this way it is established that because a shUdra is not allowed to undergo the saMskAras he is also not allowed to study the Vedas. Now he confirms the view that the shUdras are not eligible for the saMskAras.
SUtra 37
tad-abhAva-nirdhAraNe ca pravR^itteH
tat - of that; abhAva - of the non-existence; nirdhAraNe - in ascertaining; ca - also; pravR^itteH - because of endeavor.
(This is so) also because care is taken to determine that (a student) is not (a shUdra).
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the ChAndogya UpaniShad (4.4.4-5) (when asked about his caste, JAbAli said) nAham etad vede bho yad gotro .aham asmi (I do not know into what caste I was born). These truthful words convinced the sage Gautama that JAbAla was not a shUdra. Gautama then said naitad abrAhmaNo vivaktum arhati samidhaM saumyAhara tvopaneShye na satyAd agAH (One who is not a brAhmaNa cannot speak in this way. O gentle one, please bring the sacred fuel and I shall initiate you as a brAhmaNa. You did not deviate from the truth). This endeavor by the guru Gautama demonstrates that only the brAhmaNas, kShatriyas, and vaishyas are eligible to receive the saMskAras. The shUdras are not eligible.
SUtra 38
shravaNAdhyayanArthaM pratiShedhAt smR^itesh ca
shravaNa - hearing; Adhyayana - study;arthaM - for the purpose; pratiShedhAt - because of the prohibition; smR^iteH - from the smR^iti-shAstra ca - also.
This is so because the smR^iti-shAstra also prohibits the shUdras from hearing and studying (the Vedas.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The smR^iti-shAstra says pady u ha vA etat shmashAnaM yac chUdras tasmAc chUdra-samIpe nAdhyetavyam (A shUdra is a beast. He is a crematorium. For this reason he should not be taught the Vedas). The smR^iti also says tasmAc chUdro bahu-pashur ayaj 24IyaH (A shUdra is a big beast. He cannot perform the Vedic sacrifices). Because of these prohibitions a shUdra is not eligible to hear the Vedas . Because he is not allowed to hear the Vedas, it is therefore also not possible for him to study the Vedas, understand their meaning, or follow the rituals and penances described in them. All these are forbidden for him. The smR^iti-shAstra says nAgnir na yaj 24aH shUdrasya tathaivAdhyayanaM kutaH kevalaiva tu shushruShA tri-varNAnAM vidhIyate (A shUdra is not allowed to light the sacred fire or perform Vedic sacrifices. Neither is he allowed to study the Vedas. What is he allowed to do? His sole duty is to faithfully serve the three higher castes). The smR^iti also says vedAkShara-vicAraNe shUdro patati tat-kShaNAt (A shUdra who studies the Vedas at once falls into degraded life).
Some souls, such as Vidura and others, although born as shUdras, become elevated by their attainment of perfect transcendental knowledge. By hearing and understanding the PurANas and other transcendental literatures, shUdras and others can become liberated. The only real classes of higher and lower among men are determined by the final result of their lives.
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