The Lost Spiritual Order - Revelations from Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru.

Different from most other ashrams and sages who continue to function under the Trimurti order, Navajyoti Sree Karunakara Guru’s ideology calls for a fundamental shift in our understanding of Sanatana Dharma. The Guru brings to our cognizance the true nature of Sanatana Dharma – the science of human life and the evolution of human consciousness in the solar system.

Every solar system is born and administered by a Cosmic Mind – the Cosmic Purusha. through the guidance of a long lineage of Gurusor Guru Parampara. Manu is that Cosmic Mind, the primordial father of the human race. He is the originator and sustainer of life in the solar system. The words ‘Manushya’, ‘Manav’ and ‘Man’ originated from Manu. The present age belongs to Vaivasvatha Manu, who is the seventh out of fourteen Manus in a long episode of creation called Kalpa.

A basic error seems to have happened in this ageless system of Sanatana Dharma, according to the revelations from the Supreme Light made known throughNavajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru in the year 1973 during the spiritual ascension of the Guru. The important points of those revelations are:

1. A great preceptor in the Manu Parampara committed an error by equating himself toBrahman, the Almighty. He uttered ‘AhamBrahmasmi’ (I am God) which was against the Will of God. An individual soul may realize Brahman but can not equate itself to Brahman. The mistake had an egoistic origin. The first sin of mankind is related to this error.

2. The above-said error occurred in the third Chaturyuga of the present VaivaswataManvantara. (A Manvanatra has 71 Chaturyugas. Chaturyuga means a cluster of four Yugas, Satya, Treta, Dwapara, and Kali. We are in the Kaliyuga of the 28thChaturyuga of the present Vaivasvata Manvantara).

3. As a consequence, the memory of Manu and Sanatana Dharma was lost to mankind in the subsequent ages. A dark period of spiritual eclipse followed after this error in the 3rd Chaturyuga. Many ages went without any light and it lasted till the 7th Chaturyuga. The history related to Manu was also lost.

4. In the 7th Chaturyuga, Brahman initiated a correction through three spiritual evolutes - Siva, Vishnu, and Brahma, who later came to be known as the Trimurti. They were the gurus of past ages. Their spiritual regime (Trimurti tradition) continued till the 12th Chaturyuga.

5. Then, the same error that happened to a preceptor in the Manu Parmpara earlier gets repeated in the Trimurti tradition also as the Trimurti began to be equated with Brahman in the Smritis and Puranas.

6. A preceptor in the Trimurti tradition charts the cosmic time order of Manu as subservient to Brahma, the god of creation in Trimurti tradition. The Cosmic Time Order of Manu gets distorted in order to give prominence to Trimurti.

7. Santana Dharma gets dissected into many sects on the basis of Saiva, Sakteya, and Vaishnavasects, each sect claiming superiority over the other.

8. The Vedic Priestsdevelop the tantric system of ritualistic worship abandoning the Jnana Kanda (wisdom path) of the Vedas. A ridiculous story is available in the Puranas that the Jnana face of god Brahma was cut off as he was unable to answer a question.

9. The concept of ‘Varna’ in the Vedas is changed into a caste system by greedy priests. People were divided on the basis of birth and occupations.

10. The spiritual leadership of the sages and gurus under the Manu Parampara is ignored. A system of worship based on the propitiation of Devi-Devas and Trimurti gains strength in which the priests became the custodian of dharma.

11. The fall of Santana Dharma begins. After a few thousand years into Kaliyuga, India loses its leadership role in spirituality, culture, politics, and economy.

12. When Santana Dharma continued to suffer in India despite the efforts of great avatars like Sri Krishna, Sri Buddha, Mahavir, and various other sages, Brahman sends other messengers in different parts of the world such as Moses, Jesus Christ, and Prophet Mohammed for short periods of time with a limited theological framework.

13. It has been revealed that since the beginning of this Kaliyuga 2444 Gurus have appeared in India and in different parts of the world for preparing the ground for the re-establishment of Sanatana Dharma leading to a great socio-cultural renaissance.

14. Unfortunately, the messengers of God get persecuted by powerful demonic spirits in the subtle and these Guru lineages get affected by spiritual pollution. The history of persecution suffered by great souls like Sri Krishna, Sri Buddha, Mahavir, the Sikh Gurus as well as by Moses, Jesus Christ, and Prophet Mohammad is well known. Today mankind is suffering great unrest and bloodshed in the name of religion. The Will of Brahman remains unfulfilled. The human race is left like a rudderless boat without the guidance of Manu Parampara.

15. Brahman initiates a long-awaited correction. A great soul, who had evolved through all spiritual stages through self-sacrifices and austerities spanning many ages is sent to the earth plane. The name of that Mahatma is Navajyoti Sri KarunakaraGuru. He was born at Chandiroor in Alappuzha, Kerala On 1 September 1927. Revelations were made to the Guru from the Supreme Light about the heretofore unknown chronicle of mankind’s spiritual history.

16. One of the revelations from the Supreme Light is about the impending rise of India. Within 350 years, India will regain its lost glory. It will regain its status as Vishwa Guru.

17. Navajyotisri Karunakara Guru said that only through the creation of a global organization that works beyond the confines of caste, class, and religion and which is established in human love and righteousness, the world can be rightly guided.

18. Such an organization should function under the guidance of an omniscient Guru from whom the rights and wrongs could be ascertained, including matters related to governance and all other areas of social life. Only such a Guru can guide humanity to spiritual uplift in line with the evolutionary character of Yuga Dharma with the belief in Brahman, the One Supreme Light.

After Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru left his body on 6th May 1999, His successor Her Holiness Sishya Poojitha Amrita Jnana Tapaswini guides the Guru Parampara in all spiritual matters. By aligning with the ideology of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru, India along with the rest of the world can resurrect itself from the ancient spiritual wrongs and become the rightful heir to the new world order.

What is Sanatana Dharma? Sanatana Dharma in a Nut Shell

Structure and Definition

What is Sanatana Dharma? Sanatana Dharma means God’s eternal spiritual order. Everybody knows that its nature and definition are known from the revelations of Rishis and Sages who are the authors of the Vedas and Upanishads, philosophies such as Vedanta, Sankhya, Yoga, and Nyaya. There are auxiliary texts like Bhagavad Gita, Jnana Vasishta, Guru Gita, and Narada Bhakti Sutra that are secular in nature and supportive of the basic tenets of Sanatana Dharma. These constitute the wisdom bank of Sanatana Dharma. Puranas, Epics, Smritis, etc. are the elaboration of these ideas focusing on ethics, history, rituals, and so on through the eyes and interpretation of various sects. These are the source material or different ways through which the question of God, Creation, the meaning and purpose of life have been approached.

But what one does not know is that their interpretation and application change from Yuga to Yuga through the authority of Dharma, namely a Kalanthara Guru, in order to fulfill the directive purpose of spiritual evolution as envisaged by Brahma Nischayam or Brahma Sankalpam. This Will of Brahman gets implemented through the sages or Kalanthara Gurus in the Manu Parampara under Manvanatara Time Order. This is the basic structure and definition of Sanatana Dharma.

Creation Theory in Sanatana Dharma

The idea of creation in Sanatana Dharma differs from the Puranic myths, which mention that god Brahma is the Creator. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru reveals that every solar system, in which all living beings have their abode, is created through the medium of an Archetypal Manu who is said to be the first self-projection of God and through whose ideation or sankalpam manifests the visible universe consisting of planetary units and stellar systems. Because of this, the Indian rishis calculated the age of the cosmos in terms of Manvantara after the name of Manu. Manu is the God manifest - the primordial Purusha, the Hiranya Garbha, or the Mahat or Ishwara mentioned in the Vedas and Upanishads - that creates our local universe consisting of twelve zodiacs, twenty-seven stars, and nine planets. This Manu, therefore, is not to be related to the author of Manusmriti, one of the dharmic treatises (Smriti) in Hinduism.

Spiritual Authority - The Kalanthara Guru

The great rishis have said that God is pure Consciousness and Light indefinable. However, God transforms Himself into a Cosmic Person (i.e. Manu) wishing to create the human universe. Various divinities, humans, and other sentient and insentient beings in the solar system get evolved through a long process of cyclical evolution by the limitless potential of knowledge and action potential (jnana shakti and kriya shakti) and ideation (sankalpam) of this Cosmic Person. Four Trikala Jnani Gurus or Kalanthara Gurus, plus one Santhi Guru, like Sri Krishna who appeared in between Dwapara and Kali Yuga, appear in every yuga to guide the spiritual evolution of Jeevas.

Sanatana Dharma - the Natural Spiritual Order

The pathetic religious discords today arise owing to the ignorance about this natural spiritual order. Every sect claims that theirs is the only way to God or the true path, which produces discord and conflicts in society. Numerous gurus, seers, and prophets of different caliber come for a different duration such as 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, or 5000 years according to the socio-spiritual evolution of society. Sri Ram, Sri Krishna, Sri Buddha, Mahavir, Zarathustra, Moses, Jesus Christ, Prophet Mohammad, Guru Nanak, and others were great preceptors who appeared for such spiritual renovation during historical intervals.

This process of spiritual renovation goes on until the end of a cosmic age that has a length of billions of years. The spiritual evolution of humanity is not limited to 2000 or 5000 years. Therefore, no prophet or guru can claim to be the final messenger of God or the only way to God. It is this spiritual culture or character of Indian spirituality known as Sanatana Dharma which makes it eternally relevant, vibrant, and tolerant of other religions.

What Should be the Dharma of a New India?

What is the reason behind the enslavement of Hindus for a thousand years? Why Hindus are unable to be united despite the best efforts of so many great souls? Why Hindus are unable to assert their cultural identity and freedom in their motherland? Why Hindus suffer the onslaught of conversions and distortion of the idea of Bharat? What should be the religion of a New India? The discussion here explains the whole background of these issues.

There are three spiritual systems in the world that embrace all spiritual visions. The first one is the Manvantara Spiritual Order or Sanatana Dharma (Jnana tradition of Rishis). The second one is the Trimurti Order, in which three major sects are integrated into a single order under the idea of Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer, by the authors of Puranas. For this reason, the Trimurti system can also be referred to as Puranic Hinduism or Smartha tradition. Some Indologists call it Brahmanical Hinduism too, because a Brahmin is extolled as a Deva (Brahmana Devo Bhava) and therefore, superior to all other castes.

The third one is Prophetical Religions that promote faith in the One God through the medium of a Prophet.

The Manvantara Spiritual Order is centered around Manu, who is God in creation mode. Manvantara Spiritual Order upholds the concept of Brahm or Paramatma, the One God of the universe. Between the Paramatma and man, there is only one medium - His messengers, i.e. the sages, seers, and gurus.

Although the Abrahamic religions believe in One God and the mediumship of a Prophet, their worldview, as well as the idea of creation, is crude. Moreover, the Abrahamic religions lack important concepts such as Cosmic Time Order, Evolution of Jeevas through various Lokas, the theory of Karma, and Reincarnation.

The Puranic tradition through the eighteen Puranas and Itihasas propagates the idea of Trimurti and the large family of deities under them for worship. There are hundreds of sects and schools of thought under the Trimurti Order. There are no fixed laws or common rituals. There is total freedom to be a believer or a non-believer. There is no spiritual authority also to interfere or control the freedom of people in the matter of faith. Although freedom of individuals is commendable, there is rampant misuse of this freedom and a person is able to escape without any punishment even if he denounces the faith.

Hinduism has six philosophical systems. One can find the roots of all thoughts in the world in these philosophies. Among the philosophies of Hindus, Vedanta occupies an important place as it is the basic thought-current of the Vedas and Upanishads. Advaita Vedanta, a branch of Vedanta, has been placed on the highest pedestal by all great thinkers in the world as man’s ultimate spiritual thought-process. Nevertheless, the Advaita philosophy of pure Non-Dual Truth (i.e. God, the Absolute Truth alone exists) has not been found favor with many god-fearing sages in Trimurti Order itself. Madvacharya was one of the main opponents of Advaita Vedanta. He advocated Dvaita philosophy (accepting the medium of a Guru or Devata to achieve the state of Advaita, i.e. the non-dual state of Absolute Truth.

It is against the Will of God to consider what God has created imagining itself to be the Creator as suggested by the saying ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ (I am God), said Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru. Navajyothi Sri Karunakara Guru reveals that ‘Ahama Brahmasmi’ is a major error that had occurred in Indian spirituality. Any evil spirit can be elevated to the level of God by this concept.

Is there any difference between Sanatana Dharma and Puranic Hinduism? This is an important question that all practitioners of Hinduism should give a thought to. Since both these systems draw from a common source, it is difficult to distinguish the difference. The fundamental principles of Sanatana Dharma rest on the concept of Manu and the world teachers (Kalanthara Gurus) appearing in the epoch of Manu. Manu is the originator of every episode of creation, i.e. the Kalpa and Manvantara time cycles.

14 Manus prepare the blueprint of every solar system in a Kalpa and guide the Jeevas (souls) in their spiritual evolution through the Yuga cycles. For this reason, Sanatana Dharma is also known as Manu Parampara or Manvantara Spiritual Order. The Rishis have even mentioned the name of 14 Manus. We are living in the seventh Manvantara and the Manu is Vaivasvata Manu.

The Manvantara Spiritual Order believes that all human beings came from a Single Source, i.e. Manu, the Cosmic Purusha. So Manu is God in creation mode. The man was created in the image of that Cosmic Purusha. For this reason, Manu is mentioned as the Progenitor of mankind, the Supreme Father. The purpose of life is to evolve and to merge with the Cosmic Purusha and attain Mukthi. The Abrahamic religions borrowed this idea from Indian spirituality and prospered.

For achieving Mukthi, the soul incarnates innumerable times. A Kalanthara Guru guides the evolution of souls. Manu Parampara means the spiritual brotherhood of these gurus and the dharma revealed by these Mahatmas become the Veda. Sanatana Dharma is the spiritual culture of these Mahatmas or Rishis. At the beginning of every yuga, the Veda gets revealed through the Kalanthara Guru under Manu Parampara. Sanatana Dharma means the eternal or everlasting dharma guiding the spiritual evolution of humanity. By its own definition, Sanatana Dharma is the God-ordained spiritual system universally applicable to all people.

In contrast to the basic tenets of Sanatana Dharma, the Trimurti order identifies itself with the Karamakanda of Vedas and the mythology in the Puranas that extol the supremacy of gods and worship of deities through mantra and `tantra. The Vedas were revealed in the earlier Yugas, i.e. Satya Yuga, Treta, and Dwapara and that was the dharma of those ages. While the basic principles remain the same, the modes of worship and spiritual authorities change in every Yuga. This change is applicable to Kali Yuga also. It is a science related to evolution through the Manvantara time order.

The above said truth was first revealed by Sri Krishna. But the orthodoxy did not welcome the change and continued to stick on to the old system. When they refused to accept the Yuga Dharma of Kali Yuga, God gave the message in various ways through Lord Buddha, Lord Mahavir, and so many other Mahatmas highlighting the spiritual transition in Kali Yuga. Unfortunately, their efforts did not succeed. Then God sent other messengers in different parts of the world in order to implement the dharma of Kali Yuga by force or choice. In short, India was left behind in this spiritual transition or advancement.

The worship of Devatas, the performance of Siddhis, etc. belong to past ages - Treta Yuga and Dwapara Yuga. Kali Yuga is the age of Jnana or spiritual realization. Kali Yuga is the stepping stone to Satya Yuga, the all truthful age. So the souls must attain necessary qualifications to be promoted to Satya Yuga by achieving spiritual excellence in Kali Yuga through a realized Guru. For this reason, even the Devatas want to be born in Kali Yuga in Bharat, the scriptures say. However, the orthodoxy portrayed Kali Yuga as a ruinous Yuga because the old ways of worship lose significance in Kali Yuga. Kali Yuga is the age of spiritual and material advancement. All people have equal opportunities to evolve into Satya Yuga. This is an age for correction of mistakes that occurred in the previous Yugas.

The other schools of thought have not accepted the orthodox Trimurti order, the Puranic Hinduism because of its time-barred worship system and caste-based division of society. The birth of different spiritual movements in India like Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and sects like Kabir Panth, Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, etc. and religious conversions of Hindus to Islam and Christianity can be seen in the light of this rift. The only way to prevent the disintegration of Hindus is to follow the Manvantara Spiritual Order, i.e. Sanatana Dharma in its purity. This forms the discourse of Navajyothi Sree Karunakara Guru, the great Guru in prophecies.

In the Trimurti system, the nucleus of society is the temple and the priest. In Sanatana Dharma, the nucleus is the Ashram and a Trikala Jnani Guru, who sits in the Ashram for the guidance of society. Every Grihasthashrami (householders) is thus guided by Guru. When the Griha (family) gets linked with Ashram and Guru, that becomes Grihasthashrama Dharma. Grihasthashrama Dharma can be fulfilled only through the guidance of Guru.

India has distanced itself from the Ashram culture and therefore, Gurus are not given a proper place in the society. The main reason behind it is the spiritual distortion prevailing at present. Today, gurus and ashrams proclaim the glory of Sanatana Dharma without knowing the true spiritual framework of Sanatana Dharma.

The Kalanthara Guru has control over the whole people, including the government. That is the concept of governance in Sanatana Dharma. In ancient times, the kings governed the country under the guidance of such Gurus only. Sanatana Dharma envisages a singular control over society. As there are no divisions of caste, creed, gender, etc. there is an absolute sense of unity.

In the Trimurti order, this unity and singular control are not possible because of the importance of three main sects, which have different deities as objects of worship and different Karmakanda and philosophies as well as different spiritual authorities. While one sect considers Siva as the Originator, the other as Vishnu, and yet another as Brahma, Goddess, and so on. The people are divided among unequal caste groups. And there is no possibility of getting united under a singular spiritual authority as different deities and priests are the media between man and God. All efforts to unite Hindus have so far failed because of this spiritual disunity and social fragmentation.

Friction exists between these two thought currents from ancient times. The concept of Yuga Dharma through the cycles of Yugas and Manvantaras is fundamental to the inner teachings of Sanatana Dharma. It’s time the Hindu society and its leaders review the original concepts in order to confront the forces that threaten their very existence in their motherland Bharat.

Only through the acceptance of the Manvantara Spiritual Order Hindus can unite and confront the onslaught of outside religions and bring peace to the world. India can again rise to the status of Vishwa Guru and show others the right path. The spiritual movement of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru is a beginning in this direction.

A Diaologue between Lord Siva and Parvati on Guru Tatva.

Gurugita-14

Yasmaad-anugraham Labdhwaa Mahad-ajnaanam-utsrujet
Tasmai Srii-desikendraaya Namascha-abhiishta-siddhaye
Yadanugraha Maatrena, Shoka Mohau Vinashyatah
Tasmai Srii Desikendraaya, Namostu Paramaatmane

Meaning:
(Salutations to that Lord among Teachers, on receiving whose blessing, great ignorance is dispelled and also wishes fulfilled. Salutations to that Lord among teachers, that Supreme Self whose blessing ends all sorrows and delusions the moment it is received).

Explanation:
What does our soul desire? Lasting peace. There cannot be peace when we are in the middle of problems. There are wants, desires, and duties to be fulfilled. Every man has to pass through this because our soul is in an elemental state. We are born with a passion to enjoy life on the earth plane. So long as the soul is attached to the elemental world, to the senses and egoistic existence, it has to be born again and again to enrich itself and evolve to its full potential. That is why the sages called the earth karma bhumi – the place of actions. The seeds of karma in us make us what we are. You reap what you sow. What we are today is the result of what we were yesterday. We are evolving through this process.
Evolution is related to the upward journey of consciousness from gross planes of existence to the fort of purity and tranquillity experienced in the subtler state of consciousness. That is called Chidananda, the bliss of pure consciousness. Reaching that state, Adi Sankaracharya uttered the words, ‘Chidoham’, Chidoham’, i.e. I am bliss, I am bliss. There are no fights, no fear, no struggles, no grievances, no wants and desires there. It is an endless ocean of pure bliss and love. To reach that state of stillness the soul has to evolve achieving victory over the ever miserable ego, whose ignorance is so difficult to transcend. So long as the veil of ego exists, there is no possibility of experiencing the bliss of God.

The serpents of base instincts, shameful actions, and cruel deeds crawl in the ego-pit of ignorant souls. However, there is hope for those who have a Guru of supreme realization. They can surrender all their bad karmas at the lotus feet of Guru and remain relaxed forever. ‘My devotees never perish’, that seems to be the assurance from the great Guru, Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru. All sins get washed away by the purifying light of Guru. Those who live according to the dictates of dharma, who are able to control and discipline their thoughts and actions evolve, become upwardly oriented. They get disgusted by the pendulum of pain and pleasure and its ceaseless repetition. They desire to ascend the peak of spiritual tranquillity, freed from the dark valley of ignorance below. The Merciful Guru is ever eager to reach out to such blessed souls.

India is the Motherland of Hindus

India is the land where Sanatana Dharma originated from primordial times and its people practiced Dharmic religions viz. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and in recent times Sikhism. Since the forced entry of Islam at the beginning of the middle ages, there is now a large population of Muslims also in India. The Islamic invaders looted the wealth of India and pierced its cultural soul. After the arrival of St. Thomas and other Christian missionaries, Christianity has also a presence here. Apart from political and economic subjugation, one of the major aims of British colonial rulers was the conversion of Indians into Christianity. As was the case during the Islamic rule, the British too compelled Indians to learn their language and culture. They achieved this aim by enforcing their own model of education, administrative as well as the judicial system, replacing the age-old native social institutions, an important one of which was the Gurukula system of education. The British thus succeeded to tear away the Indian social system. But there were also some positive changes in the Indian society by the British rule. After the golden period of Buddhist India, there was a general degeneration in all fields - science, technology, art, and culture and India had relapsed into a primitive superstitious society. Modernity came to India through the British. Caste laws and other harmful customs and traditions such as Sati lost their legal sanction.

 

The Muslims of India opted for a theocratic nation (Pakistan) exclusively for Muslims, rejecting democracy, after gaining independence from the British. A great population of Muslims went to Pakistan. However, a small population of Muslims wanted to remain in India. Their population steadily increased under the favorable constitution of India which promotes the interests of minorities. India is a democratic state which guarantees equal rights for all religions. This is in line with the vision of Indian rishis who treated all religions with sympathy and granted freedom of thought as well as the right to choose their own path for salvation. However, while enjoying special privileges for themselves in the name of minorities using the constitutional provisions, the minorities, especially Muslim religious leaders oppose the rituals and customs of Hindus and their right to identify their motherland with Hinduism.

 

By their opposition to a Uniform Civil Code, Triple Talaq, singing of Vande Mataram, Cow Slaughter, the practice of Yoga (now the protest against CAA, NRC), etc. the Muslim leadership has sent the message that they cannot tolerate any un-Islamic practices and can go by only sharia, even though it violates the rights and freedom of Hindus. It means that India has to remain without a soul, cut off from its spiritual and cultural roots in the name of a secular democratic constitution. There are several predominantly Christian democratic nations in other parts of the world, in Europe and America. They never suppress Christian values and aspirations. They take pride that the provision of democratic-secular rule springs from Christian values. The values of people spring from their spiritual and cultural world views. Can it be otherwise in the case of Hindus? The Muslim religious leaders want to take advantage of the liberal secular democratic rule but refuse to respect the spiritual and cultural world views of Indian religions.

 

It creates a perpetual fear among Hindus that once the Muslims become the majority in any part of India, they would no longer opt for democracy but will force others to accept Islamic laws under sharia. Already, a struggle is on in Kashmir for cessation driven by strong Islamic fundamentalism. In the background of a rising Muslim population in India, many Muslim leaders have begun to openly challenge the majority community on many sensitive issues. Their confrontational attitude has fueled the growth of an equally belligerent form of Hindutva. Hindus take it as a battle for religious sovereignty in their motherland and the right to preserve their age-old culture and spiritual tradition, whether good or bad, novel or outdated in others’ views.

 

It is an unfortunate instance of a negative and unhealthy interpretation of secularism. A nation and its people have the right to identify their motherland with the culture and religion of their own. Only that gives them a national identity and the freedom to express, nurture and fulfill their spiritual and cultural aspirations. Only that gives a nation the soul-strength to forge ahead. The concept of secular democracy can only help to create soulless societies and soulless people detached from its culture and worldview. The spiritual and cultural edifice of India is built upon the vision of great rishis and Mahatmas like Sri Krishna, Sri Buddha, Mahavir, Guru Nanak, and innumerable other sages. India cannot advance in the world forsaking its own identity.

 

All religions should be able to coexist peacefully in India. For thousands of years, India has been the motherland of all isms and thoughts, where one can freely go on with their beliefs and cultural practices. However, the trouble started with the arrival of Islam and Christianity. Both these religions claim that theirs is the only path that can save mankind. Therefore, they constantly try to impose their worldviews on other people and try to convert them by choice or force. Millions of people were butchered and continue to be butchered because of this bigoted view of religion. Despite several centuries of cruel massacre and persecution of millions of Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists, Islam could not triumph over the dharmic religions of India. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism still flourish in India as before, which shows the strength, resilience, and relevance of these ancient spiritual paths for God-realization. They would continue to exist so long as the creation exists because they provide rational answers to the mysteries of life and death with incomparable depth and insight.

 

However, over the long ages Hinduism has worn out and reform is essential if Hinduism is to survive. Many distortions have taken place in the original concept of Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma. These distortions make Hinduism easy prey for criticism and ridicule by others. Although Hindus constitute eighty percent of the population, their voices are not heard. It is difficult for them to have a common goal because they are divided by sects, castes, regions, and language identities. Their object of worship also differs from caste groups to caste groups. Even the worship of demonic spirits (matan, maruta, mantramuti, yakshi, chathan, etc.) and associated rituals and festivals are celebrated with pomp and show. The Hinduism practiced by the Hindu masses is mainly based on the mythical stories in the Puranas. Some of these myths have no scriptural sanctity. Such distortions generate aversion among the believers of one God, inside Hinduism and outside of it.

 

Hinduism, therefore, should be reinterpreted because no archaic spiritual culture can reinvigorate the people in this new era of Kali. Unfortunately, the Hindutva leadership has accepted the flawed foundation of Hinduism for the revival of Hinduism. This would not have happened had they started from the reformatory path initiated by the great mahatmas beginning from Sri Krishna, Sri Buddha, Mahavir, Guru Nanak, Maharshi Dayanand, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Narayana Guru, Chattambi Swamikal, and several others who stressed the belief in One God and One People concept of rishis. The heart of Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma is to be found in the Vedas and Upanishads, which have upheld monotheism, the worshiping of Supreme Brahman, the One God. The Hindus in general glue to the poetical tales in the Puranas depicting the glory and valor of several gods and kings. The rishis were the most rational thinkers. They believed only in the Supreme Brahman, the One God without a Second.

One can find the heart of Hinduism in the following verses of Rig Veda:

 

‘Who knows the secret?

Who proclaimed it here?

Whence, whence this manifold creation sprang?

The gods themselves came later into being –

Who knows from whence this great creation sprang?

Then,

“He who gives breath,

He who gives strength;

Who commands all the bright gods revere,

Whose shadow is immortality, whose shadow is death; -

Who is the God to whom we shall offer our sacrifice?...

He through whom the sky is bright and the earth firm-

He through whom the heaven was stabilized,

Nay the highest heaven –

He who measured out space in the sky? –

Who is the God to whom we shall offer our sacrifice?

He who by His might looked even over the waters,

Which held power and generated the sacrificial fire,

He who alone is God above all gods;

Who is the God to whom we shall offer our sacrifice?

(Rig Veda, X.129, translated by Max Muller)

Seven Signs of a God's Messenger - A Checklist

Seven Signs of a Messenger of God

Guru is the bridge between man and God. It is said in the scriptures that God’s first creations were the Rishis. In the beginning, God revealed the secret of creation as well as all laws (dharma) first to the primordial Rishis. The secret of creation and its laws are universal, eternal, and changeless, therefore, it is called Sanatana Dharma. These laws are interpreted from time to time by Epochal Guru incarnations or Messengers of God in accordance with the evolving nature of ages.

An important revelation in the Vedic lore is that Brahman, the One God (not the trinity god Brahma) can be known only through the medium of a Guru, who has realized Brahman. However, the question is how to recognize such a Poorna Guru, a Messenger of God? The checklist is here:

1. A Poorna Guru will be a Trikala Jnani – knower of past, present, and future, which means he knows our soul and where we stand in terms of our inner evolution. He also knows the process of soul evolution through the course of Manvantara time cycles or yugas. Having known the soul and its karma, he guides us appropriately and helps upgrade our inner potency, in proportion to which, one's worldly fortunes also peak. The Poorna Guru should be able to fathom the influences that you carry, i.e. the spiritual entanglements from your past and present, and be also able to nullify them.

2. The Poorna Guru takes only the name of Absolute Brahman, which means he is not subservient to a Deva, Devi, or angel from whom spiritual energy or communication (in the form of revelation) is channelized. He must have transcended the spiritual stages of such intermediaries and submerged fully with the Supreme Light. The Poorna Guru receives direct messages in the form of visions or revelations from the Light, not through an angel or deva.

3. You may come across great gurus whose wisdom may amaze you, but check what is the object of their worship. Those who perform miracles should be totally avoided as the performance of miracles is against God. Many people channelize satanic spirits and perform miracles and healing to increase the number of followers. Performance of miracles was a feat of great yogis in the past ages - dwapara and treta, but should not be imitated in Kali Yuga. Kali Yuga is the age of jnana, karma, bhakti, and self-surrender to God. Even in Yogic science, the performance of miracles is not advised.

4. The Poorna Guru is born with the mission for a universal change. He modifies the prevailing (old) belief systems and organizes life anew. He will be the initiator of a new mantra and a way of worship transcending the distinctions of caste, creed, race, or gender. By this, be brings all people under one umbrella. The Poorna Guru is a harmonizer and will never claim that he is the only Messenger or final Messenger of God. He considers the work of all mahatmas as well as their teachings worthy to the extent of its merit. They revealed what they knew. The Poorna Guru does not coerce others to accept his teachings.

5. The Poorna Guru is the maker of man (Srishti kartha). He teaches the science of nourishing a family. Only the Poorna Guru can teach how to purify the bloodline. He teaches the secret of begetting healthy and fortunate children free from mental and physical flaws and also the knowledge of how to nurture them to their absolute potential by way of marriage between two compatible souls looking into their past lives, purity of ancestral souls, and family stock (gotra).

6. The Poorna Guru preserves the life of humanity (Sthithi Kartha). He preserves the human race by bonding them in love and compassion. He protects the balance between man and nature by means of dharma and helps the human race in its spiritual as well as material advancement.

7. The Poorna Guru helps transcend death by removing the fear of death (Samhara Kartha). He places the souls after death at appropriate mandalas in order to exhaust their karma and gives them an opportunity for rebirth in good wombs for further spiritual evolution.

We can see that the dharma and karma (Yugadharma) being observed today belongs to a remote past, i.e. Dwapara Yuga and Treta Yuga. When the laws and values appropriate to the age (yuga) are not followed in accordance with the Will of God, human civilization stagnates. In this new age of Kali Yuga, we must follow the teachings of a Poorna Guru and seek His guidance and leadership to bring about the desired transformation of human society.

God has again blessed India with a Poorna Guru – Navajyothi Sri Karunakara Guru, whose 93rd Birth Anniversary is being celebrated on 3 September 2019. By accepting His teachings and guidance, the world can overcome all the ills that it is facing today.

What is Ailing Hinduism?

Much before the advent of Christianity and Islam, India gave the world the monotheistic view of God and theories related to the creation, the evolution of life, time concept, karma, reincarnation, etc. Although the Vedas venerate gods that are organic to the cosmic apparatus, they go beyond and present us the concept of formless and manifest facets of God. The formless God is called Brahman, who with a desire to create the universe manifested Himself as the Cosmic Purusha. So Purusha is the First Born of God, the kinetic form of the unborn, unknowable God. Vedas and Upanishads clearly say the formless Brahman made Him known by appearing in the form of a Cosmic Person. Borrowing this Vedic idea Bible writers say that God created man in His own image.

According to the theory of creation in Hindu scriptures, Purusha remained in the fluid of the universal egg for a long time and finding Him alone, He split himself into two, as a man and a woman with a desire to create. (His first creations were sages or rishis, it is said). The name of the Purusha is Manu and the woman Satarupa. It is mentioned further that from this pair the human race originated; hence Manu is considered the progenitor of mankind. These ideas of creation traveled worldwide and took regional forms. The Purusha began to be worshipped in various forms and names in subsequent ages. The Hindus equated Him with the trinity gods Siva, Vishnu, Brahma and so on. In the prophetical religions, Purusha is worshipped as the Father in Heaven, Allah, etc. The Manu became the myth of Adam in Christianity and Islam.

Manu in Indian spirituality is the Creator himself, not just the human ancestor. Manu is God in creative mode. For this reason, the world-time is named Manvantara after Manu’s name by the primordial rishis. Therefore, Indian spirituality is monotheistic in essence although not in practice currently. The concept of a monotheistic God originated in India. However, during the course of time, certain socio-spiritual distortions occurred in India. The Vedic scribes re-wrote Purana Samhita (mythological treatise which was one in the beginning) and portrayed Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva as the authorities of creation probably to bring these pre-Vedic traditions together. They altered the Manvantara time calculation subservient to trinity god Brahma instead of Manu, according to the revelations received through Sri Karunakara Guru. Manu lost all significance. During the long ages of editions and re-editions of Vedic texts in the hands of Vaidikas, the history of Manu was lost except his name. The Vedic priests not only made trinity gods equal to Brahman but made the community of priests too equal to a god. They instituted a hierarchical caste system that gave no spiritual rights to others. The other communities were prohibited from learning Vedas and rituals and were left to worship evil spirits and tribal gods.

According to Manu Parampara or Sanatana Dharma, only Trikala jnani (all-knowing) gurus are the spiritual authorities in every yuga. Sri Ram was the Guru of Treta yuga and Sri Krishna of Dwapara Yuga. The object of Worship in Sanatana Dharma is Brahman alone, the formless Supreme Light, through the medium of an epochal Guru, who appears in every age. From the beginning of this new age Kali Yuga (which began approx. 5200 years ago), God sent great souls like Sri Krishna, Sri Buddha, Mahavir, Guru Nanak, Kabir Das, and others. However, the Vaidikas brought these great souls under the Trimurti system through interpolated Puranas which portrayed them as avatars of one or the other gods. For example, is the myth of Sri Krishna and Sri Buddha who are mentioned as avatars of Vishnu in the Puranas. The great Mahatmas and their words were not recognized in order to promote the monopoly of Vaidikas.

Further, Vedanta philosophy brought great spiritual distortion in the minds of people as its real essence was misunderstood. The people became full of ‘ahamkara’ or ego-ness as they were taught to think they are Brahman (Aham Brahmasmi). Any sinful person and even an evil spirit can become equal to God in this way. A person can attain Brahman only after cleansing all karma doshas and pitru doshas (karmic and genetic imprints and debilities) through many reincarnations and after crossing many spiritual stages. A fully realized Guru who knows the past, present, and future and who is the spiritual authority of age is necessary for such spiritual cleansing and a spiritual voyage through the cosmic egg.

Thus the Sanatana spiritual order was distorted. God sent other messengers like Moses, Jesus and Prophet Mohammad outside India and tried to re-establish Sanatana Dharma world-view. Since the origin of Sanatana Dharma is in India, the prophets of Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) did not get revealed the full idea of the secret of creation and related knowledge with regard to the evolution of life, the theory of karma, reincarnation, etc. So Christianity and Islam present only a dogmatic half-baked view of God and creation. Only Sanatana Dharma presents an all-encompassing inclusive world view. Sanatana Dharma is time tested, eternal and the divine plan for spiritual evolution.

God sends an epochal Guru, a Kalanthara Guru in every age. Accordingly, He sent another great reformer, a divine messenger to India as the spiritual authority of this new age - Kali Yuga. The name of that great Soul is Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru (1927-1999), whose abode is in Thiruvananthapuram, at the southern tip of India, in Kerala. The great Guru’s spiritual intercession cleanses the individual and family from all karmic and genetic sins and leads one to peace and divine joy. The Guru has led thousands of families to the new order - Guru Margam getting rid of all caste, gender, and religious segregations. In the new order, the venerable is only Brahman, the One God. Mediators are not priests, but the all-knowing Guru and his lineage of realized spiritual masters.

The Theory of Evolution Basic to Indian Thought

The riddle behind the origin of universe, its sustenance and transformation has always vexed human intelligence and imagination. Nevertheless, the vigour of man’s search to discover the unknown has never weakened. That there is an ‘Invisible Idea’ behind Creation is fundamental in spirituality. This fundamental ‘plan’ or idea is behind the origin of life-energy (soul or jeeva), its manifestation and transformation through a physical medium.

Indian spiritual thought is related to this perception regarding the successive evolvement of soul and body through the conduit of time (in the form of Yugas and Manvantaras). A person who tries to know Indian philosophy in depth could discern this fact. In that way, we can see this nature as a perfect setting inherent with different shades of life-potencies for evolvement of individual life forms.

The soul in its infinitesimal form should evolve to its Absolute nature, which necessitates an evolutionary scheme.  Nature has an inherent character to evolve the jeeva to its Absolute status through a series of evolutionary incarnations. There is the process of moulding the physical setting according to the nature and quality of evolution presupposing an inter-relationship between spirit’s evolutionary status and physical attributes.

There exists, also a divine intervention that creates or directs this rhythmic evolution. The uniqueness of Indian spirituality is this idea of a divine intervention, in the form of a spiritual embodiment that exists as the ‘witnessing authority of all actions and knowledge (Karma-Dharma-Saakshi, i.e. Guru Incarnation) in the evolutionary process of soul and body. In the practical plane, this concept existed in India in the form of Guru-Disciple spirituality in the scheme of Sanatana Dharma.

     

Since the evolutionary process is successive, the manifestation of ‘Karma-Dharma- Saakshi’ (the Guru Incarnation) is also successive in terms of humanity’s spiritual progression. This process has been ordained in a manner of ‘karma and dharma’ according to the age, which is referred as Yuga Dharma.

Yuga Dharma is the dharmic orientation of life in accordance with the evolving cycles of time for the soul and body to evolve from its imperfect state to its Absolute status or from the state of nescience to absolute enlightenment. Indian spirituality considers the relationship between an enlightened Guru - who is the embodiment of absolute realization- and the souls who are struggling to attain freedom from the chains of imperfection as the fundamental dharma for the evolvement and fulfilment of all living beings.

There is a revelatory knowledge, which gives the information about such Guru Incarnations who help the imperfect souls to reach the path of perfection. We were not able to comprehend the history of revelations about such great souls and about the prophesies made by them about the incarnations that are to come in succession.

We should realize that beyond the wondrous feats and occult performances, there is this path of spiritual evolvement for the soul and body in accordance with a perennial law in nature. There should be a correction to our ignorance on this subject, as it is not good to wait yet.

(From the Introduction to the book ‘The Riddle of Manu, Manvantara Avatars and World Teacher Prophecies’ published by Santhigiri Ashram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala)

Sanatana Dharma Will Rule the World

“Islam and Christianity are prophetic religions which do not have a long history. Besides, there is a deviation from the time of Moses. Also these two religions have more or less performed their functions, in their respective paths. The changes brought about by the Christian and Islamic presence in India were considerable. The Christian British bettered the lot of the lower castes and educated them. They started getting sufficient to improve their physique. Some from among these sections identified themselves with the occupying suzerain and became part of the new religious and educational institutions. They soon participated in the governance and outstripped the Brahmins in cleverness. Those who embraced Islam practiced it as a rigorous discipline. They relied on physical aggression at times and expanded the areas of their influence. Still, the majority of them are disadvantaged as they came from these Hindu communities which were uncultivated in the finer graces of religious culture. However elevated these religious groups might have become through education and affluence and however long they might have stayed close to political power, there is something lacking. The refinement of Sanatana Dharma is that it comes with a virtuous way of life combining cleanliness, tidiness and humility envisaged in the Hindu way of life.
 
The Sanatana law has come to mean a mixing of myths and legends of the ancient past and more recent stories up to the propounder of the Gita. All these are put together with an eagerness to establish Advaita. Those who spout this Advaita, non-duality, are often unsympathetic to neighbors and even to their own brothers and sisters. We are talking all the time. Vedanta degenerates into pedantry. That is why a correction is difficult in this path. As far as Islam and Christianity are concerned conflicts and consequent divisions occurred within them even as they were coming up. This divisive tendency had led to disasters. It is not yet time for another coming (of a prophet or great soul), bringing peace and rejuvenating these faiths. Besides, other paramparas have not been able to go deep into spirituality as the Sanatana or perennial law of the Manvantara system. It is a matter of divine intervention. Such depth of spirituality as this is difficult to find elsewhere. And so is such extensive history and religious culture. Still more significantly, the responsibility of working for the remaining time period of this Manuparampara is vested in the Dharma of the Hindus.
The Manuparampara is the means to impart the Law of the Supreme to the world. Therefore the essence of all religions inheres in this system. An alternative to this way cannot evolve easily in the world.

India is a land of great wisdoms and great civilizations grown over vast periods of time. It should, therefore, strive to establish the perfect culture willed by the Almighty. Not only Christians or Muslims alone, all religions ought to heed this. Though each world religion is essentially part of a totality, each has been separately ennobled by many great men from time to time with their self-sacrifice and effort which have given rise to different customs and traditions. Many such traditions are visible in Hinduism itself. It is doubtful if any other religion is enriched to this extent. In order to mold life in keeping with this Age -the Kali, theologians and all believers of various religions should assess this Kali and its composite culture – the samkara mentioned in the Gita. This is a process to be achieved by the present and future generations…

A reorganization of our society, of our country, is required. All of us, believers, should free ourselves from the destructive effects of the caste system. We should overcome ethnic and religious differences. All children of this land should come together in humility and in devotion to God. That is the way to reorganize. This will give us the strength of mind, and power. The community that could contribute greatly towards this reorganization is the Brahmin community. In them intelligence, skill, ability and shrewdness blend as it were. They should give up their varnasrama caste trappings completely and lay the foundation of a composite—samkara—culture, the culture that is meant for Kali, indicated by the author of the Bhagavad Gita. They should unite with others to build a complete society, totally free from caste or class. They should not be distracted by the differences seen today. The pattern of having one mode of worship for themselves and other modes for the rest should change first. Instead of securing tantric rites people should be firm in the experiential worship of the Divine. Those who strive wholeheartedly for this should lead others who lack awareness. If we do not do this, the births of great souls would be diverted elsewhere away from our ethnic stream. The focus of redemption will move away and we will be left in a complex of Karma…” (Quoted from the book ‘A Dialogue on Human Prospects’ by Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru, published by Santhigiri Ashram) 

Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru (1927-1999) is the Founder Guru of Santhigiri Ashram at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

India Has a Unique Role in the Spiritual Guidance of Humanity

The Word (Guruvani) of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru

“Islam and Christianity are prophetic religions which do not have a long history. Besides, there is a deviation from the time of Moses. Also these two religions have more or less performed their functions, in their respective paths. The changes brought about by the Christian and Islamic presence in India were considerable. The Christian British bettered the lot of the lower castes and educated them. They started getting sufficient to improve their physique. Some from among these sections identified themselves with the occupying suzerain and became part of the new religious and educational institutions. They soon participated in the governance and outstripped the Brahmins in cleverness. Those who embraced Islam practiced it as a rigorous discipline. They relied on physical aggression at times and expanded the areas of their influence. Still, the majority of them are disadvantaged as they came from these Hindu communities which were uncultivated in the finer graces of religious culture. However elevated these religious groups might have become through education and affluence and however long they might have stayed close to political power, there is something lacking. The refinement of Sanatana Dharma is that it comes with a virtuous way of life combining cleanliness, tidiness and humility envisaged in the Hindu way of life.

 

The Sanatana law has come to mean a mixing of myths and legends of the ancient past and more recent stories up to the propounder of the Gita. All these are put together with an eagerness to establish Advaita. Those who spout this Advaita, non-duality, are often unsympathetic to neighbors and even to their own brothers and sisters. We are talking all the time. Vedanta degenerates into pedantry. That is why a correction is difficult in this path. 

As far as Islam and Christianity are concerned conflicts and consequent divisions occurred within them even as they were coming up. This divisive tendency had led to disasters. It is not yet time for another coming (of a prophet or great soul), bringing peace and rejuvenating these faiths. Besides, other paramparas have not been able to go deep into spirituality as the Sanatana or perennial law of the Manvantara system. It is a matter of divine intervention. Such depth of spirituality as this is difficult to find elsewhere. And so is such extensive history and religious culture. Still more significantly, the responsibility of working for the remaining time period of this Manuparampara is vested in the Dharma of the Hindus. The Manuparampara is the means to impart the Law of the Supreme to the world. Therefore the essence of all religions inheres in this system. An alternative to this way cannot evolve easily in the world.

India is a land of great wisdoms and great civilizations grown over vast periods of time. It should, therefore, strive to establish the perfect culture willed by the Almighty. Not only Christians or Muslims alone, all religions ought to heed this. Though each world religion is essentially part of a totality, each has been separately ennobled by many great men from time to time with their self-sacrifice and effort which have given rise to different customs and traditions. Many such traditions are visible in Hinduism itself. It is doubtful if any other religion is enriched to this extent. In order to mold life in keeping with this Age -the Kali, theologians and all believers of various religions should assess this Kali and its composite culture - the samkara mentioned in the Gita. This is a process to be achieved by the present and future generations...

A reorganization of our society, of our country, is required. All of us, believers, should free ourselves from the destructive effects of the caste system. We should overcome ethnic and religious differences. All children of this land should come together in humility and in devotion to God. That is the way to reorganize. This will give us the strength of mind, and power. The community that could contribute greatly towards this reorganization is the Brahmin community. In them intelligence, skill, ability and shrewdness blend as it were. They should give up their varnasrama caste trappings completely and lay the foundation of a composite—samkara—culture, the culture that is meant for Kali, indicated by the author of the Bhagavad Gita. They should unite with others to build a complete society, totally free from caste or class. They should not be distracted by the differences seen today. The pattern of having one mode of worship for themselves and other modes for the rest should change first. Instead of securing tantric rites people should be firm in the experiential worship of the Divine. Those who strive wholeheartedly for this should lead others who lack awareness. If we do not do this, the births of great souls would be diverted elsewhere away from our ethnic stream. The focus of redemption will move away and we will be left in a complex of Karma...” (Quoted from the book ‘A Dialogue on Human Prospects’ by Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru, published by Santhigiri Ashram)

 (Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru (1927-1999) is the Founder Guru of Santhigiri Ashram at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala) 

Caste System and the Vedas

Gurucharanam Saranam

With the introduction of Vedic caste system, the Indian society had lost its unity which greatly helped outsiders to conquer and plunder India, both culturally and politically. The majority of people was suffering under the millstone of caste system. They remained impassive even when the country was plundered by outsiders. Caste is different from the Varna concept. Caste was the invention of a group of greedy vaidikas to subjugate the subaltern population of India.

The Varna system was not based on hereditary or external features but on innate soul qualities. After observing austerities, the Kshatriyas and Vaisyas obtain spiritual elevation and thus become qualified to be initiated into the path of spiritual realization. Through such spiritual realization they become brahmanas. Brahmana means the possessor of transcendental knowledge or one who has realized Brahman (the Supreme Light).

Great sages like Vishwamitra attained the title of Brahma Rishi (Brahmanhood) by performing long years of penance. It is with such penance (tapas) the kshatriya and vaisya become eligible for initiation (deeksha). The Sudra is also eligible for initiation which becomes clear from the mantra in Aitareya Brahmana – ‘Yadyapah Sudranam Sah Daksha’. The Sudras were initiated by water in yagna ceremony. From this mantra as well as from some others, it becomes clear that Sudras also had the right to initiation as against the institutes of Manu and other dharma shastras, which are obviously interpolated versions.

The desire for brahmanhood is denoted by brahma varchasa kamana. It is said about a person in Srimad Bhagavata Purana that he obtained brahma-varchasam (brahmanhood) discarding kshatriyahood. Tapasaa kshatram utrujyo lalabhe brahma varchasam. Indra, the head of devas (gods), is said to have desired brahma varchasam (brahmanhood) through the performance of a yaga. Brahmavarchasam praayachhat (indra).

Sayana in his treatise on Vedas has defined the word brahmana as one who lives by the knowledge of Brahman and Vedas or who has realized Brahman. (Braahmana Vedenaananthena Cheshtanthe, Nitya naimittikaadiini karmaani Kurvanthiiti Braahmana, or ‘Brahma adhiiyate vidanthi va braahmanaa.) Whatever Varna one belongs to, the basis for becoming a brahmana is internal qualities like self-enquiry through a life of penance.

Vedasya ashtau upanishado bhavanthi Vithishcha- Upastavashcha, Damascha, Sraddha cha, Samprasnascha, Anaakiikaranam cha, Yogascha,Aachaarya Sushruusha iti.

The above verse enumerates the eight qualities that disciples require for initiation into Vedas. Here vitthi means pragna (self consciousness). It may also mean the offering (dakshina) to Guru by the disciples; Upastavam means living with Guru; Damam is physical and mental self control through a life of penance; Sraddha – the desire for knowledge; Samprasna –clarification of doubts from Guru; Anaakiikaranam – not imparting the acquired knowledge to unqualified people; Yoga means living in constant thought of the acquired knowledge.

The Bhavishya Purana states that from Soma the brahmanas were born, from the Sun kshatriyas, from the Ocean vaisyas and from Daksha the sudras (Somaadvaii braahmanaah jaataah, suuryaad raajanya vamshajah, Samudraat sakalaah vaishyaah, dakshaat sudraah babhuuvire).

If the origin of the four varnas were from the above sources, the corresponding physical differences should also have been created for the different varnas. God has created all beings including man with distinct physical features. Even among men and in the same varna every individual is distinctly different from each other. Then why weren’t the four varnas created with appropriate physical distinctions? If it were so, all would have observed the caste rules from birth itself.

Purusha Sukta of the Rig Veda similarly mentions the birth of four varnas from the different parts of Brahman (God); brahmana was born from His (Brahman’s) face, kshatriya from the shoulders, from the thigh vaisya and from the feet sudra. If one thinks that castes can be determined on the basis of origin from the different parts of Brahman that also would not be logical, for the son of a Yogi does not necessarily become a yogi by birth. It is only by the practice of yoga, one becomes a yogi.

Therefore it becomes clear that the qualitative division of varna in the Vedas is not supposed to be on the basis of birth. To ask someone to what varna he belongs is something like enquiring whether he is a good or wicked man. The concept of Varna is based on the qualities of self and they are subject to transformation by individual effort.

With regard to women, the Vedas have classified all women into one Varna, i.e. women-hood. For example Manu Smriti mentions that in the event of killing women, to whatever varna she belongs, expiation is the same for all. The rituals related to women such as puberty, marriage, chastity etc are common for all women (Chaturvarnaja streenaam hanane, Praayaschittameka vidham, Rajaswala dharma paativritya dharmaadhikam cha sarvaasaam ekavidham6 )

In the Aitareya Brahmana, the definition of other three varnas is given as under:

Kshatrajam sevate karma

Vedaadhyayana sangata

Daanaadana ratiryastu

Savai kshatriya uchyate

(One who observes the duties of a kshatriya (warrior class) and finds enjoyment in giving and taking and learned in the Vedas is a kshatriya)

Vanijyaa pashu rakshaa cha

Krishyaa daana ratih suchih

Vedaadhyayana sampannah

Sa vai vaisya iti samjnitah

(One who is engaged in trade, rearing of cattle and agriculture and finds happiness in charities, of pure nature and learned in the Vedas is a vaisya).

Sarvabhaksha ratir nityam

Sarvakarmakaro asuchih

Tyakta vedastvanaachaarah

Sa vai sudra iti smritah

(One who eats everything (without discrimination), indulges always in sensual pleasures, does every action ugly and has become immoral abandoning the Vedas, such a person is a sudra).

Among sudras also there are two categories – sat-sudra and asat-sudra (Bhagavat Gita-7th chapter).

From the analysis of above references from Vedic literature, it can be seen that varnas are based on internal qualities alone and not based on birth or hereditary. In this context it would be worth to quote Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru on caste system:

‘Kali Dharma is not based on caste or religion. It is based on the innate goodness of humanity. It was laid down that we should not step into, see, touch or take… We fought one another within these edicts. As a result, varnashrama dharma was lost and in its place emerged the caste system. All the karmas were hit by this system’.

Through an experiential Guru-Disciple order, Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru delinked the burden of iniquitous caste system and has founded a new social order based on Sanatana Dharma opposed to Brahmanical Hinduism that nurtures the system of caste and pagan rituals. Sanatana Dharma is the set of eternal and universal values propounded by the Rishis of transcendental realization. There is no place for religious dogma and discrimination of any kind in it.

Mukundan P.R.

References:

1. Jaatyupaadi Vivekah (Sanskrit), Swami Madhava Chaitanya Bharati, Varanasi, 1990

2. Matsya - 114/55

3. Kanvasata Brahmana 2/4/412

4. (Aitareya Brahmana -41)

5. (Bhagavata 9/16/25

6. Tandya Brahmana5 (13/417)

7. (Manu Smriti 11.139)