DMK definition of Aryan and Dravidian

Mr. Stalin, the CM of Tamilnadu has given a statement recently that: If Aryan is to give different things to different people, Dravidian is to give everything to everyone.

Answer:

Mr. Stalin has totally changed the meaning of the Vedic words of Aryan and Dravidian. Aryan means noble and Dravidian means resourceful. The words complement each other.

Dravidian DMK has twisted it to mean racial. DMK is not giving anything to Hindus and brahmins, except pure hatred. It is only giving everything to non-Hindus and to its own leaders.

It is simply not possible to give everything to everyone. Are the DMK leaders ready to give away their entire bank balance to everyone? Can everybody become a top DMK leader? Can everybody fight the enemy and defend the border? Can everybody become business owners? Likewise, can everybody become laborers? Can a criminal and a law-abiding citizen be treated equally?

Do you think a CEO of a company will accept the same salary as a laborer? Are the DMK leaders taking the same salary as the janitors in their office? This is simply not possible in reality. These words are used by untruthful DMK to fool innocent people.

Not everybody is created equal. In every society people are rewarded according to the work they do. People can work only according to their capability and capacity which they naturally possess. Good work yields good results and bad yields bad. The reward always depends on the nature and the quality of job or service rendered. This is the universal immutable law of karma.  DMK is simply reiterating its communist idea of same wages/reward for all, irrespective of the nature and quality of job performed. This is simply unnatural and artificial.

Aryan or Vedic view is to recognize and nurture differences which is fundamental for the healthy functioning of any society or organization in addition to recognizing the one divine God in all. This Vedic Hindu view alone, of recognizing and nurturing differences and also seeing the same divine in all the different beings and entities, can sustain, integrate and establish unity in diversity. The entire universe is God and service to the universe in whatever way one is capable of rendering, is service to God. This is the Aryan or noble view and Vedas urge all sane humans to make the entire world Aryan.

Namaste

Suresh

Refutation of Suraj Yengde's Claims - 2

 Continued from Refutation of Suraj Yengde's Claims - 1

 

4. Isn't class the real differentiator today and not caste?

SY: Class alone was a differentiator then there would have been a revolution by now. But in India people are harassed by caste also and so there is a need to fight caste along with class. In India labor is exploited based on caste and after using it can be thrown as they are paying for the bad karma they have done. Yes, class-based exploitation of labor is there in all countries and that needs to be eliminated.

But in India caste based on karma provides a support or ground for the sapling of class and so both needs to be eliminated. In India there is a study that says 93% of asset is owned by brahmins and baniyas.

Answer:

Labor class consists of all castes and is not restricted to only dalits in India. In companies and factories there are many brahmins working as laborers. Yes, poor brahmins also work as domestic help. Everything cannot be attributed to bad karma. Anything can be corrected with our right karma / action on which everybody has control

Like in other countries, it is just the physical/mental/intellectual ability and poverty that makes people go for such labor-intensive jobs. As already said, class based on guna or characteristics can never be eliminated. More than half of brahmin population is much below poverty line in India and this would counter the statistics Mr. Yengde has provided.

As per Bhagavad gita, Varna is based on Guna (characteristics) and Karma (as in whatever work that one is capable of doing). This can always change based on one’s inclination. Not all Brahmins are engaged in priest/religious work. Likewise, not all dalits are doing cleaning work. Maybe it was so, many years in the past. But Hindu religion has changed and is changing too. So Mr. Yengde is simply harping upon old and obsolete ideas that is getting replaced.

5. The violence that Dalit’s face often comes from the OBC community. Yet caste activists only target brahmins. why is not OBC called out?

SY: When you take a group photo we always want to look at ourselves. We are fighting all upper castes that includes brahmins. If brahmins feel they alone are targeted then it is their problem. It is true that OBC are imposing violence. But they are doing it under a structure of varnashrama. Everybody is actually a human. But by caste one becomes brahmin, OBC or dalit. Brahmin community have to issue a fatwa saying that if any OBC commits violence against dalits/adivasis then they will be prohibited from entering temples, because this is against dharma. Brahmins are not doing it.

In fact, OBC's have been given "superficial" superiority that makes them engage in violence. They have been authorized by their superiors to engage in violence for which they are compensated spiritually, politically and what not.

 

Answer:

Brahmin is not a mullah to issue Fatwa. They don’t even own or manage the temples. Majority of the Hindu temples are owned by the Government who take all the income coming through donations and give it to minorities. So, Mr. Yengde should urge the government to issue the fatwa!

True Brahmins practice non-violence and vegetarianism. They don't even hurt an ant let alone humans. Brahmins are not responsible for OBCs violence. There are many cases where dalits also have engaged in unprovoked violence. Caste based violence is punishable under the law anyway. No Brahmin will approve violence against the weak and innocent. This is not supported by scriptures also.

Mr. Yengde is simply bashing Brahmins instead of directly taking on the OBCs. This is because he knows Brahmins are peaceful and passive and will never retaliate. If he directly takes on the OBCs they will surely hit back!

 

6. I treat my house help like family. Why do you accuse me as castiest.

SY: The help is a help because she comes from a particular caste and you have employed her because you are from a better caste which has granted you that ability. In other countries there has been slavery. But in India, slavery is tied to the caste which is hereditary. If someone wants to say he is caste free, the question needs to be asked - what have you done to eliminate this distinction of master and slave? In upper class house the servants are served food and drink in separate utensils and they are not allowed into the kitchen or sanctum sanctorum.

Good news is, younger generation of upper caste is noticing this and understanding that it is not right.

Answer:

The answer for this is same as #4 above. Domestic help is not slavery and it is not tied to any caste. Non-dalits including brahmins engage in domestic help also. What grants the privilege to keep domestic help is money, not caste. Even rich Dalits use domestic help. What are they doing to eliminate the Master-Slave distinction? Majority of Brahmins are actually very poor and so cannot afford to have help.  

 

7. Some progressives say, I don’t believe in caste and don’t even use my caste surname. How could I be among the oppressors?

SY: Just by giving up name does not make the slate clean. In Tamilnadu there is no surname, it is like in Iceland where children take the name of their father. But still one should not mock such people and welcome their motive to give up caste. But quite often they side with upper caste in their activities. But there are some genuine progressives who are not right wing and they are ready to change but they need guidance. But still, they have so much privileges that just giving up last name does not cut it. There last name is unnecessary for them to exercise their privileges with caste because in a cosmopolitan society what you need is your connections. so let us be critical with regard to what we need to do with anti casteism and how well we are going to engage in eliminating the divisions.

 

Answer:

It is Dalits who are reaping the birth-based caste privileges and not brahmins. There is reservation for Dalits and OBCs everywhere, so much so that Brahmins have no other option at all but to settle for low level schools/jobs. In spite of that Brahmins strive to obtain education and become successful. This is because they are naturally intelligent and hardworking. Others could learn from that.

Many rich dalit landlords in India always rent out their property to brahmins. This is because brahmins are peaceful, law-abiding , spiritual and pay their rent promptly without any complaints as opposed to other non-brahmins.

Genuine privilege or respect is available to anyone with good conduct. So the need of the hour is mutual respect between dalits and brahmins and not unwarranted mudslinging.

 

8. It is not about caste at all, but I have noticed that being from the same community often makes for an easier marriage. It is culture.

SY: It is ok for people to marry anyone they like. But culture is caste in India. British Marxist historian Eric Hobsbawm has written a “Critique of tradition”. He says there is no such thing as tradition and it is something humans created to impose on others. Culture needs to have historical citation and caste provides that.

It is ok to marry within caste but if someone wants to marry from other caste, they should be allowed. But if a dalit marries an upper caste, the society is killing them.

Answer:

Actually, inter-caste marriages go against Dalit's interest. If a Dalit girl marries a brahmin boy then she may lose her dalit status and the child that is born to them could not be dalit and so will lose all the privileges given by the Indian government. Also, if it is argued that the Brahmin boy would become a dalit, it is also good for him as he gets to enjoy the benefits of reservation.

Birth based caste matters for dalits and not so much for "progressive" Brahmins!

Eric Hobsbawm’s theory may be true with respect to human created cultures/religions. But Hindu tradition is based on the eternal impersonal consciousness which is always going to be eternal.

 

9. How do you manage to connect every single thing with caste.

SY: We actually oppose many other forms of oppression but caste is the main thing. Man oppressing women, majority religion oppressing minority and so on, has its roots in the caste which has sanction from the Hindu scripture. In addition to perpetuating discrimination the caste provides power for upper caste. But still not every oppression is connected to caste and they need to be opposed also, but certainly there is an economy of cultural production that maintain the status co of the society and to challenge that we need to go to the roots. Long time ago we used to say population is the cause for all problems right, but now caste is the mother of all problems.

Answer:

All the above questions are essentially saying the same thing that all kinds of oppression has it's roots in varna/caste taught in the Hindu scripture. The philosophical basis of that has been already explained earlier. It is sheer stupidity to argue that one's own face/arms are oppressing one's own legs!

The Varnasrama dharma in simple terms is just a "division in labor". The division is essentially based on one's innate characteristics and capability (guna & karma) as taught in the Bhagavad gita.

The root of Hindu culture is the indubitable Absolute Self, that nobody can deny. Varnasrama dharma would then be a natural consequence of accepting the society and the universe in the form of body where all the parts are doing their respective dharma/duty. The relationship between the Self and the society/body is in the form of sustainer/sustained or protector/protected.  

Mr. Yengde's obsolete idea of oppressor and oppressed based on Marxism will never succeed.

 

10. If you want me to engage with caste you have to stop being so abrasive in your tone.

SY: Why does the principle of civility apply only to the oppressed. We dont live in a civilized society yet. We just learned civic education. We are living in a very intolerant, violent and obnoxious society. But still, I have the privilege of being nice and can tone down my language. But a poor dalit who is going through oppression need not be polite and you can expect him to be so.

Answer:

The same logic applies to poor/oppressed brahmins also but still Brahmins who are essentially peaceful and dharmic will not hit back.

Mr. Yengde should realize that other non-Brahmins may not keep quiet without any retaliation. Yes, like any other religion, there are cases of oppression of the weak are there in Hindu society and the root cause of that is ignorance and selfishness which is there in all humans belonging to any caste/gender.

So, the need of the hour is for all varna/caste to work collectively to support and uplift the downtrodden with mutual trust and co-operation.  

Here is a thought experiment:

Imagine a society where there is no caste OR where everybody is a dalit. In such a society someone has to be spiritual/intellectual, someone has to govern and fight the enemies, someone has to do business/trading and someone has to do the labor and clean the gutters. What else is this if not varnasrama dharma? In such a society could it be said that rich dalits would be oppressing poor dalits!!??

In other videos, Mr. Yengde is advising children to break away from their families as their parents are instilling caste ideas in their minds. What about dalit children? should they also have to break away as their parents are teaching birth-based identification of their dalit-hood and hatred for non-dalits?

So, the problem will not end with mutual mud-slinging. Based on the principle of VedAnta, we need to recognize God in each other and only then there can be mutual respect and prosperity.

Namaste

Suresh

Refutation of Suraj Yengde's Claims - 1

In the following video, T.M.Krishnan, a famous Carnatic musician interviews Suraj Yengde (SY) - a dalit scholar from Harvard, both happily engaged in demonizing Hindu religion and Brahmins:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKqGzTbCNg8

Every society has good (sattvic) people, bad (tamasic) people and in-between (rajasic) people. Good (sattvic) people will never oppress anyone. Generally, brahmins in India are predominantly good (sattvic) people and practice a peaceful lifestyle given to spirituality, devotion, non-violence and sacrifice. Likewise, there are so many non-brahmins also who lead a sattvic (good) life without oppressing anyone. In every society there will be cases of oppression and all kinds of oppression happens only because of lack of spiritual awareness and education. But blaming the entire community of Brahmins and others based on such stray incidents is not right. Caste is essentially an extended family and is a natural consequence of retaining the job skills within the family. In every society, people tend to keep trade secrets within the family. So, diversity of varna/caste helps to retain and nurture various job skills that are essential for the society. Thus, castes are not bad but inter-caste hatred and the feeling of high and low needs to be eliminated. All kinds of oppressions in the society needs to be condemned and people have to be educated and corrected to respect each other. The word dalit is not there in the Vedas. The Vedic varnashrama is a system that recognizes diversity in society based on the capability and tendencies of people and is based on mutual co-operation. Oppression is not prescribed in the Veda. Dalits and downtrodden people have to be educated and taken care by the society so that they can realize their true potential. But it is wrong to blame the entire brahmin community for oppressions practiced by ignorant (tamasic) people who are unfortunately in majority, in these days.

In this regard the conclusions drawn by many, so called “intellectuals” like Mr. T.M.Krishnan and Suraj Yengde, is blatantly wrong. Here is an attempt to capture their allegations or purvapaksha and refute the same:

1) "Caste is something of the past and so why do you make me pay for the atrocities done by my ancestors" - (this is supposed to be a question asked by a brahmin.)

SY: "Caste is not of the past, it is very much now. Little children are taught how to differentiate between them and others (untouchables). There are so many incidents of atrocities by brahmins on the dalits. Brahmins are only 4% but still own about 49% of assets while rest of the poor lower caste don’t own anything. These assets, brahmins have are not earned by them but have been accumulated by looting, thuggering and exploiting. But, no, they don’t have to pay anything. They just have to give up their identity and their cultural capital and return back whatever they have robbed to the lower caste.

If Dalits are getting monitory help from the govt, they are actually paying back with their services. Their labor helps to produce things in the society unlike brahmins who don’t do any physical work but still make hefty sums of money.

Answer:

Well, knowledgeable traditional brahmin's will never ask such a question! because they know for sure that they have not harmed any living being and whatever they have is earned by them through dharmic means.

Yes, caste has existed in the past, existing now and will continue to exist in future. Not all humans are created equal. Every soul, the moment it is born, is casted into a body. The work that humans do for a living would always be as per the nature and capability of one's body, mind and intellect. In any free society, humans of same or similar nature and profession tend to form groups, in general. So Varnasrama, whether based on birth or guna/nature is going to be there in all human society. Yes, labor class in general would always be a majority and that simply does not make them oppressed and their employers as oppressors. This Marxist idea, pedaled by perverted intellectuals from Harward and other "elite" universities, is quite obsolete and not relevant any more. 

Hindus generally do not touch anyone. They just greet by folding hands. Brahmins themselves don't touch other brahmins and nobody touches a traditional sanyasi! Hindu parents generally teach their children to be clean, respect every human being, greet others with folded hands and to SEE God in every being and in everything in nature. This universal view gives rise to values like cleanliness, ahimsa or non-violence, mutual respect and harmony. Yes, parents may also teach children to be away from evil people, but definitely not to look down upon or hate anyone based on caste or religion. 

In the Bhagavad gita, it is taught that educated people will look upon, a learned brahmin, cow, elephant, dog and a dog eater with equal vision. So, the narrative that parents teach children how to differentiate between – “us and they (untouchables)”, is a baseless generalization.

Yes, cases of oppression and consequent retaliation has happened and can happen in all societies. That would be definitely due to ignorance and ego, that needs to be opposed and controlled and perpetrators have to be punished under the law. But it is wrong to generalize the same and label the entire varna/community as either oppressor or oppressed. This is obviously Communist / Marxist idea used to demonize Hindus and in particular brahmins. 

So, what needs to be eliminated is not the varna/caste but the feeling of high and low and the hatred that obtains between them. The VedAntic teaching of seeing One Brahman/God as the connecting link between every being belonging to any varna, should help to achieve the spiritual unity in diversity. True Brahmins are already practicing these values.

2. Upper caste includes all the forward caste. But why do you use the word brahmin?

SY: Brahmins have mistakenly taken this as applicable to them. But it is partly yes and partly no. Brahminical is the system which believes in the teaching called purusha sukta where all upper caste comes from head, hands and thighs of God while dalits come from the leg. This has given unmeritorious upper status to brahmins without having to do any work or contribute anything and lowermost status for sudras in spite of their hard work and labor. This is the root cause of discrimination. 

To counter this, we have to have a system that penetrates not just caste but other issues like sexism, misogyny and so on and Brahminical is the right word that includes all of these.

Answer:

Not all humans are created equal and so their duties depend on their nature and capability. Every civilized society will have the four varnas consisting of spiritual/intellectual, Administrative / Defense, Business/Trader and Service/Labor, whether it is recognized openly or not.

In the Purusha Sukta, which is the essence of Veda, the entire universe is looked upon as the body of God! He is described to be having 1000 heads, eyes and limbs. It simply means, everybody’s head is God’s head and everybody’s limbs are God’s limbs. Every part of God is sacred. So, the idea that Sudras are considered low as they have come from God’s leg is a blatantly false. The Bhagavad Gita 11^th chapter also teaches this universal form of God. Accordingly, the entire world and the society are structured and supposed to work exactly like a human body where all the different parts are engaged in discharging their respective duties without fear or favor, in total co-operation and mutual trust. The differences in the body parts are recognized and accordingly the nature of one’s duty is determined. Though there is difference in the nature of service of each body part / varna, they all ultimately culminate in the service of the Self / God only indwelling in the body/society. No other structure can be as natural and experientially real as this Self-body relation taught in the Purusha sukta. 

Yes, brahmana's duty is to protect the scripture by memorizing and performing sacrifice for the good of the world, and Kshatriya's duty is to protect the society as a whole and they both are supposed to do the same even at the cost of their life. That is why they are respected. On the same tone, a Brahmana without knowledge and a Kshatriya without courage to face the enemy, are totally useless and they lose all their respect. The same can be said about Vaishyas and Sudras engaged in their respective duties. People who go against this principle of not doing their sva-dharma can come from any varna. So, it is not just the birth but the conduct that makes one high or low!

It is childish to say brAhmaNas have not contributed anything to the Indian society. There is no knowledge area that brAhmanas have not excelled. In addition to protecting scriptures and being spiritual, brahmin's contribution in the field of Spirituality, Philosophy, Mathematics, Medicine, Music, Dance, Literature and so on is very well known. A true brahmin’s life is given to learning, teaching and sacrifice. Likewise, there is no part on the earth that Dharmic Kshatriyas have not ruled. No society can sustain itself if there are only traders and laborers.

3. Caste is found in all religions but why are only Hindus being targeted?

SY: Yes, this caste hierarchy is not just a Hindu thing and is present in all religions in India where women and dalits are made to wake up at 4am in the morning and clean the shit that people do. Even Ambedkar went thru caste discrimination and this is the system where the lower caste is oppressed and this is what we are fighting against.

Answer:

Mr. Yengde is right for once that caste is present in every society. He should also realize that currently, it is not just dalits and women but others are also doing cleaning work, in India. As already mentioned, all cases of oppression at any point of time happens due to selfishness and ignorance and true dharmic brahmin community itself has taken many actions to eradicate that much before the British. Sri Ramanujacharya was one such spiritual saint who legitimized entry of dalits into the temple. Likewise, many other saints and sadhus have done lot of work to eliminate oppression. There have been many saints and sadhus coming from the lower caste and brahmins worship them even today.

It is true that there are still many dalit communities are still engaging themselves in sewage work and society as a whole must do everything to help them move out of that profession and improve their life condition. Nowadays, people from other communities also are engaged in cleaning/sewage work. In any society someone has to do that job and generally it is not the caste but the economic status that drives people to take up such jobs.

No society/religion is free from defects and Hinduism is flexible enough to change the smruthi texts that govern the practical aspects of social life and Sadhus and Saints have been continuously helping to reform and re-establish dharma. There are many Brahmins engaged in this kind of social reforms. Instead of demonizing true brahmins and the all-encompassing Hindu religion, dalit leaders have to recognize their good intentions and work with them co-operatively for overall good. 

Namaste

Suresh

Refutation of Udayanidhi Stalin's claims

Udayanidhi Stalin - son of the chief minister of Tamilnadu, belonging to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) - gave a public speech recently and said - Sanatana dharma is an epidemic disease just like Covid, Cholera and so on and needs to be not just controlled, but totally eliminated.

In the following video, the editor of HINDU - N.Ram justifies the denigration of sanAtana dharma by the DMK leader Udayanidhi Stalin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEqzRRp3nLA

He says that DMK is not denigrating Hindus in general. But their main opposition is with sanAtana (unchanging) aspect of Hinduism which is nothing but the VarnAsrama dharma or caste system. He quotes Ambedkar who says that there is nothing in the world that is not changing. But Hindus are upholding Vedas and Varnashrama dharma as sanatana or unchanging and this is the root cause for all caste related inequalities and violence and that needs to be eradicated.

When the questioner says that by referring to sanAtana they are pointing to Hindus only - Mr. Ram says "no, how can anyone oppose the majority community. They are not opposing the beliefs of Hindus and they can believe in any God they want. But the main thing to be eradicated is VarnAsrama or Caste which is denying equal treatment to dalits. 

Mr. Ram also quotes from Puri Shankaracharya Sri Bharathi Krishna Thirtha Swami's book – “sanAtana dharma”, where according to him, it is claimed that - "SanAtana dharma includes varnasrama dharma in which lower caste people cannot enter temples. They can get the same benefit as upper caste by just looking from a distance. Only upper castes have the right to do the worship in the temple". This gives undue importance to Brahmins and upper castes and denies all facilities for shudras/dalits who are lower castes. This is surely a disease and needs to be eradicated.

SanAtana means eternal or unchanging. But there is nothing in the world that is eternal. Everything is changing and the society and culture also has to change. Change is the law of life. No Hindu can justify sanAtana dharma. 

Ambedkar in his last speech says - in democracy one man stands for one vote. But SanAtana Hindu society is denying this equality. 

Reply from a SanAtani Hindu:

Mr. N. Ram is simply parroting the Buddhistic teaching that the world is changing and hence not real. He forgets the fact that the Atman / Conscious Self that witnesses change, cannot change and therefore eternal or sanAtana. The Hindu shAstra or Veda, which is rooted in this indwelling absolute eternal Self that abides in all, also has to be eternal or sanAtana.

The world may be changing, but still there is a regularity and a system in these changes. They are governed by natural laws which cannot change. The rotation and revolution of the earth and planets around the Sun, and the movement of the Sun and stars, the cycle of day and night, seasons and so on - all follow a rhythmic pattern and are governed by eternal natural laws. The nature of the five basic elements – space, air, fire, water and earth also don’t change.

The same natural laws that are governing the workings of the universe is governing the human body also. All these are due to the presence of Brahman or the universal consciousness that never changes, which always remains as the absolute cause for the entire changing universe. Modern science is now coming in terms with this VedAntic truth - but Vedic Hindu Rishis realized this thousands of years ago.

Why do we have VarnAsrama dharma? 

The Vedic view is that the entire universe is the body of the supreme God Brahman who indwells and sustains it, as the Supreme Self / ParamAtma. The structure of human family, society, world and the universe are exactly similar to the human body, where there are different parts performing their respective duties with full co-operation and unison. Every element in the universe, like earth, air, water and so on are like different parts of the cosmic body of God, engaging in their respective duties for the good of the world. Vedic Hindu God is thus teaching sanatana dharma through all the five elements and nature that are unconditionally offering themselves according to their nature to sustain all life forms. Humans are supposed to emulate the same by performing their respective duties according to their capability and capacity. Only then there can be lasting peace and harmony. 

Not all human beings are created equal. Every civilized human society and organization, will have these four varna or classes consisting of spiritual/intellectuals, administrators/defense personnel, business men/traders and laborers. These skills are a function of the individual characteristics or guna with which one is born. Though it is possible to have mobility among varnas when needed, the gunas and the respective skills run in the family. This results in caste which is nothing but an extended family that helps to retain and nurture the specific culture, diversity and lifestyle needed to sustain the skills that are useful to the society. Every caste and varna has its own unique culture and life style that is needed to discharge their respective duties. People belonging to different caste within the four varna are supposed to discharge their duties without fear or favor as a service to the indwelling God manifesting as the society, nation and the universe as a whole. Again, this is very much similar to the workings of all the different parts of the human body that engage in their respective functions as a service to the inhabiting soul. Thus, varnashrama is quite natural and spiritual. 

Mr. Ram has mis-interpreted the Puri ShankarAchArya's statement. In the book "SanAtana dharma" Swamiji has never mentioned that lower caste people should not enter temple. He only has mentioned that people who are not physically clean or if there is any birth or death in the family, such people should not enter any temple but can get the benefit by just having the darshan of the gopuram of the temple. This is applicable to all people, irrespective of caste/gender and no where he has mentioned that lower caste cannot enter temple. In fact, in the Puri Jagannath temple, people of all castes are allowed and after darshan everybody is provided with sumptuous prasad or sacred food offered to the Lord.

In a healthy body/society, all the constituent parts will be discharging their respective duty with full co-operation and unison as a service to the indwelling God established as the indwelling Self/Consciousness. In return they all get protected and nourished collectively as a whole by the Self/God. Anything that disrupts this organization results in a disease which is nothing but adharma and that needs to be eradicated.

So, Sanatana dharma is not a disease - On the contrary, Udayanidhi Stalin's claim that goes against the sanAtana dharma is a disease and that needs to be eliminated. His remark against sanAtana dharma is hitting back him only, with redoubled force.

The DMK, like any other non-Vedic / adhArmic religions, is trying in vain to divide and conquer Hindus based on varna/caste. But what unites and equalizes all Hindus belonging to various varna/caste is the One eternal God who is equally present in all. The one and the only Hindu God abiding in all as the universal absolute Self and manifesting as this universe, is both the master and servant at the same time. In the form of the universe, He is unconditionally sustaining/serving all life forms, thus teaching / leading by example. This non-dual, universal Hindu God cuts across all human created religions and sustains and unites all diversities. Even adhArmic people who denigrate Hindus are absolutely dependent for their existence on this Hindu God manifesting as the universe. DhArmic Hindus on the other hand recognize this truth and do their best to serve God manifesting as the society/universe by engaging in their respective duties/svadharma.  

Vedic VarnAsrama dharma is as timeless and eternal as the Elements/Sun/Moon/Stars and the indwelling absolute Self/Atman/Ishwara/Brahman that always remains as the source of all existence, consciousness and bliss.

Namaste

Suresh

Reconciling Advaita and Dvaita

Are Advaita and Dvaita opposed to each other? - It may appear so but in reality, they are not! 

But Advaita teaches tat tvamasi - you are that - and Dvaita teaches atat tvamasi - you are not that. How can they be the same?

Actually, both the views are complimentary. Traditional pundits may disagree but as all traditions accept the all pervading and indwelling Vedic truth of Brahman as non-dual and VarnAshrama-dharma as the means, both Advaita and Dvaita have to be taken together.

Tat tvamasi directly identifies atman as Brahman while atat tvamasi helps to eliminate ahankAra and  Ishwara bhAva. It can also be said that tat tvamasi establishes lakshyartha while atat tvamasi helps to eliminate vAchyArtha. Sri ShankarAchArya himself clarifies that he is only teaching lakshyartha through tat tvamasi. He uses bAdhAyAm sAmAnAdhikarNya to arrive at the lakshyArtha. 

The Advaitic mahAvAkyas would be true from the point of view of Ishwara established as the inner soul of All on whom the entire jagat or universe of sentient and insentient entities depend for existence.

What about VishishtAdvaita?

V.Advaita splits the sandhi as tat tvamasi only as in Advaita. But here there is no need to eliminate the vAchyArtha as the words tat and tvam both denotes Brahman only, indwelling as the inner Self of jada/prakrithi and jiva/chetana respectively, supporting both as it's body which has no separate identification. But the identification is said to be upAsanA sAmAnAdhikarNya.

V.Advaita helps to establish the integral nature of truth. In other words, it integrates Advaita and Dvaita by using the oneness and difference based on the body-soul relationship between universe and Brahman/God.

The whole point of Vedantic religion is to eliminate ahankAra that virtually divides God and Man. VedAntic God is sarvAtma - the soul of all. So, the entire universe is the body of God on whom all living beings depend absolutely for existence. Absolute dependence on the universe for our existence is very much experiential and undeniable.

If Varnashrama dharma is defined as performance of one’s prescribed duties as per one’s capability and capacity, as a service to the universe – then whatever may be the nature of work, it will culminate as a service to the indwelling God. All Vedantic views come together in this view of looking upon the entire universe as the body of God/Ishwara/Brahman.

Namaste

Suresh