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Caste and Hinduism: Where do we start?
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Subject: Caste and Hinduism: Where do we start?
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From: Rajiv Varma <rvarma@ccaix.jsums.edu>
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Date: Sun, 16 Jul 1995 23:38:38 -0500 (CDT)
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From rvarma@ccaix.jsums.edu Mon Jul 17 00: 28:58 1995
[Cross-posted to all India and Hindu related ngs, where caste has been
discussed in the past, or presently being discussed, or being mentioned as a
part of a debate under another subject.]
Preface
-------
Caste in modern times has been a potent weapon in the hands of enemies of
Hinduism, both external and from within. Hindus readily go on the
defensive whenever, the word 'Caste' is uttered by the combine of
Macaulite perverts-Nehruvian secularists-Islamic Jihadists-Marxist
debauchers-Christian missionaries and their surrogates. Unfortunately,
till date there has been lacking a Hindu perspective on this issue. What
is needed is a Hindu School of Thought on this issue (among many others),
which can put the whole issue in proper perspective, so that the stifled
Hindu society can move on into the future. Even more importantly, proper
justice to our Hindu brethern who have been denied opportunities over the
centuries of mlechha (alien) political domination, can be awarded only
when a proper Hindu perspective on this issue is developed. In its
absence, power-hungry politicians have caught the Hindu society off-gaurd
and have put it into a quagmire of politics of casteism, politics of
subtraction and politics of division. This is a minimum and the foremost
requirement for laying the foundation of a resurgent Hindu society. Also,
such perspective should form the basis of a viable policy and program for
the Antyodaya (self-upliftment) of the Dalits.
There have been many white lies perpetrated by Hindu-baiters over caste.
Fortunately for the Hindu society, the foremost leader coming out of the
ranks of SCs in modern times, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar never fell for these
blatant lies. [He seemed to have gone wrong on an entirely different
issue, viz. Hinduism and Buddhism. But as is found now, his
misconceptions about relationship between Hinduism and Buddhism arose
from the same set of factors, i.e. concocted theories by the
Hindu-baiters, which rather fell in the complex shades of gray.]
Let's start this complex issue with Babasaheb's views on caste.
[Dr. Ambedkar's views do not necessarily reflect those of this poster.
But are listed here only due to his stature as a great thinker.]
Dr. Ambedkar on the Conspiracy Theory of Caste:
----------------------------------------------
First of all, Dr. Ambedkar rejected the conspiracy theory of caste, i.e.
the notion that the caste system was cunningly and malaciously imposed on
the Indian society by the machinations of the sly Brahmins. This was the
view fed to Jyotirao Phule by the missionaries, and is nowadays the most
popular and politically exploited belief about caste. The conspiracy
theory of caste is a variation on the pop-Marxist view of religion. Hence
.....
A little necessary digression into Marx and (esp. his Desi) followers.
Marxist view of religion as the "opium for the people" is well known.
However, Karl Marx's own view on religion and that of his followers
differed considerably. Marx saw religion as a genuine reflection (though
a mistaken belief) of people's actual condition: without needing outside
inspiration, the common people themselves would create religion as a
source of consolation for their misery.
But his followers (esp. the desi variety) saw it as "opium FOR the
people," a false belief system concocted by the exploiters who sat down
one day, thought of a way to fool the people in submissiveness, and then
improvised the Bible, or the Veda, etc., which they fed to these
unbelievably gullibale masses. In this view, sly exploiters could make
the millions accept a religion which they had hitherto not known or
needed, and similarly, the sly Brahmins (esp. the law-giver Manu) could
make the millions adopt a rigorous and all-encompassing system of
practices which they had not known nor needed and which moreover meant
against their own interests.
......
In his paper "Caste in India", Ambedkar wrote:
"One thing I want impress upon you is that Manu did not give the
law of caste and that he could not do so. Caste existed long
before Manu. He was a upholder of it and therefore philosophized
about it, but certainly he did not and could not ordain the
present order of Hindu society .... The spread and growth of the
Caste system is too gigantic a task to be achieved by the power or
cunning of an individual or of a class. .... Similar in argument
is the theory that the Brahmins created the Caste. After what I
said regarding Manu, I need hardly say anything more, except to
point out that it is incorrect in thought and malicious in intent.
The Brahmins may have been guilty of many things, and I dare say
they were, but the imposing of the caste system on the non-Brahmin
population was beyond their mettle."
[Source: Dr. Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol I, p. 16]
Thus, both Manu, as an individual, and Brahmins as a class stand
exonerated by the greatest thinker coming out of the ranks of SCs himself,
for their supposed "crime" of foisting the Caste System on the Hindu
Society, as alleged by the Hindu-baiters.
...............
I am not sure where this debate would lead us. But I thought first it was
necessary to "free" both Manu and Brahmins of the white lies perpetuated
by the Hindu-baiters.
...... will continue to add to this from time to time.
regards,
Rajiv
