Brahmin by Birth?

[Mahadevasharma]

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It is said that he who has or seeks brahma gnana is brahmana. Does the previous statement mean that anyone can be a brahmin as long they pursue brahma gnana. I was thinking of making a seperate thread for seeking the caste question(Caste is defined by birth or by practice?), but then decided to hear views on the criteria for being a brahmin.

 

[ravida]

Brahmin is the one who lives by knowledge alone
Kshatriya is the one who lives by action alone
Vaishya is the one who lives by business alone
Sudra is the one who lives by work alone

In kaliyuga, where dharma stands on one leg, sudra will rule while brahma will do work. Everything will go upside down. Truth will be distorted.

At the peak of suffering to establish dharma, the divine will emerge for a balancing act.

This will set the cycle again, to give birth to the golden era again.

Subham !

 

[N.R.Ranganathan]

A much discussed topic in this forum. Please go thru' the previous threads. Thanks

 

[Brahmanyan]

It is said that he who has or seeks brahma gnana is brahmana. Does the previous statement mean that anyone can be a brahmin as long they pursue brahma gnana. I was thinking of making a seperate thread for seeking the caste question(Caste is defined by birth or by practice?), but then decided to hear views on the criteria for being a brahmin.

This topic is a popular one. Many a time discussed in this Forum under different threads. I wish you go through the same before starting another one. At present another thread under the caption Enge Brahmanana? with active participation of learned members is discussing the same subject in the forum.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

 

[sarma-61]

It is said that he who has or seeks brahma gnana is brahmana. Does the previous statement mean that anyone can be a brahmin as long they pursue brahma gnana. I was thinking of making a seperate thread for seeking the caste question(Caste is defined by birth or by practice?), but then decided to hear views on the criteria for being a brahmin.

Shri Mahadevasharma Sir,

Today "brahmin" is just a word to fill columns in forms asking for caste, nothing more. i feel we should understand this very very well and keep quiet absolutely. Like actress Manorama said in one film "chumma gammnu keda". if we go on discussing 'who is brahmin' - this forum seems to have this malignant cancer attack - it is going to show to others that brahmins are even now also the old casteist people only. imho, it is brahmins who unnecessarily discussed many, many useless items,- because they did not have to do hard work like farmer or artisan and had lots of leisure and idle minds become devils' workshops as the saying is - called philosophy or vedhantam and caused ruin to the whole country when outsiders came with guns and other cannon. our brahmins had no philosophy, no brahman, no mantra or tantra, no god or goddess to help them magically in front of these guns and cannon fire! no surprise that any thinking person will therefore feel against brahmins. i appeal to forum owner and moderator to see no further discussion on "who is brahmin?", "is anthanan and brahmin same?" (going on like Rajini's entiran in another thread) etc. it will be the best thing for brahmins to do now. usually brahmin superiority complex persons only get this sort of itch and want to assure they are very great and high-class, just like an unattended child starts crying for inviting attention to it.

 

[suba42]

1. Around 15000 years ago, Swaayambu who ruled before the present Vaivaswatha Manu, created class among the mass for ease in civilization structure (Manu Shmruthi). Brahmin : Brahmasya Gyaajuhu Braamanaha – The one knows or tries to know the Brahman is a Brahmin, he can engage in religious and teaching matters. Kshaya Athra Veeryaha : Kshathriyaha – The one who has limitless body and mind power is Kshathriya – He can guard the kingdom and the people of the kingdom from enemies; Vishyasya Sooryaha : Vaishyaha – The one is bright like sun in finance matter of the society is a Vaishya; Sha – Adhra : Shoodrha – One who can not be catagorised in the first three classes belongs to this class. All the people of the 4 classes had to go through Thread Ceremony and worship the maker. During Shukla Yajuveda period i.e during Raama’s period, i.e around 12000 years ago, in a single family, persons interested in spending more time in matters pertaining to Almighty will become a Brahmin, able bodied persons who were interested in physical fights became Kshathriyas; persons who liked to get involved in business became Vaishyas and who did not have any such above cited capabilities became Shoodras doing minial works in the society. Thus the classes were only on the basis of ability and profession and not on the basis of birth.This went on for several thousand years, but boys born to a Brahmin father liked to spend their time in matters pertaining to Almighty like their fathers, boys born to Kshthriya father liked to get themselves involved in fighting and using arms like their fathers, boys born to Vaishyaas liked to get themselves involved in financial or business matters like their fathers and boys born to Shoodhra father liked themselves to be involved in doing minial works like their fathers. Thus a classification which was started on the basis of ability slowly changed in to classification on the basis of birth. Thus a Brahmin’s son invariably became a Brahmin and engaged in religious matters, a Kshthriya’s son invariably became a Kshathriya guarding his kingdom, a Vaishya’s son invariably became a Vaishya doing business matters and a Shoodhra’s son invariably became a Shoodhra doing minial work. Hence the Classes were though basically formed on the basis of ability later changed in to classification on the basis of birth. This is the negative side of the classification. The positive side is that since father and son belonged to the same working group, improvement in all the fields were visibly noted since father will teach his sons the nuances of work. Hence outcome in all walks of life was beyond compare.

 

[VPK]

Valmiky
.
Valya was a thief, lower cast.
Under Narada's direction obtained knowledge.
Became rishi.

 

[rsnrishi]

swaminathan

It is said that he who has or seeks brahma gnana is brahmana. Does the previous statement mean that anyone can be a brahmin as long they pursue brahma gnana. I was thinking of making a seperate thread for seeking the caste question(Caste is defined by birth or by practice?), but then decided to hear views on the criteria for being a brahmin.

I appreciate ur search. According to literatures, one who pursues Brahman is "Brahmacari" i.e., Brahmani Carati iti (one who stands in the path of/walks staunchly to Brahman). In the conversation b/w the Yaksha and Yudhisthira, in Mahabharatha, Dharman answers that "Brahmin is by discipline alone, and not by either birth or education". thank you.