How anyone can become a Brahmana - Yudhishtra's insight

            We saw in How anyone can become a Brahmana – Bhagwan Krishna’s insight article, how Guna and Karma determine the Brahmanahood and not birth. By cultivating the traits identified by Krishna, anyone expressing them becomes a Brahmana. Almost a decade prior to recording Krishna’s Bhagavad Gita, Yudhishtra is challenged to define who is a Brahmana in order to save Bhima. Also, in another instance, he is taken to task to answer the subtleties of dharma as a part of 124 question answer session with Yama as Yaksha Prashna. These two episodes give us a very clear picture from an evolved human’s perspective, rather than Bhagwan Krishna.

Episode 1 – Ajagara Parva

            This incident is captured as an upaparva – Ajagara Parva which occurs as a part of the Vana Parva in the Mahabharata. When the Pandavas were banished to the forests for a 12 year period to be followed by a year of incognito following their loss in the game of dice, upon Krishna’s advice, Arjuna departs to do penance to obtain divyastras. The remaining four Pandavas with Draupadi spent a lackluster life in Arjuna’s absence. One day, Bhima, during a hunting expedition, gets caught by a huge python. The power of ten thousand elephants in Bhima was no match in front of the snake, who was his ancestor Nahusha, who assumed this accursed form due to his bad behavior against Sage Agastya. Nahusha was threatening to consume Bhima, while a concerned Yudhishtra found him in this miserable plight. Nahusha had a grave ignorance about who was a Brahmana and sought this information from Yudhishtra, in return to release Bhima.

            Yudhishtra not only gave a deep insight to Nahusha, but also counters him with his own set of questions. In the end, Nahusha released Bhima and ascends to heaven in his human form. So let us focus on the question of Nahusha, Who is a Brahmana? Yudhishtra responds:

सत्यं दानं क्षमा शीलम आनृशंस्यं दमॊ घृणा
दृश्यन्ते यत्र नागेन्द्र स बराह्मण इति समृतः

 satyaṃ dānaṃ kṣamā śīlam ānṛśaṃsyaṃ damo ghṛṇā
 dṛśyante yatra nāgendra sa brāhmaṇa iti smṛtaḥ

Truthfulness, generosity, patience, good character, compassion, self-control, tenderness

One in whom these are seen, O King of Snakes, he is a Brahmana. Thus it is known.

            The first thing to be noted again that Varna is not a genetic condition like the Abrahamic born sinner, but a mere reflection of one’s real character. It is very evident that Yudhishtra shares a large number of character traits defining a Brahmana with Krishna. It appears that Krishna’s pool of gunas are more from a spiritual / paramarthika plane, which Yudhishtra’s though perfectly in alignment seems to be more from a human stand point / vyavaharika plane. Unless one masters Yudhishtra’s set of characters, it will be impossible to perfect Krishna’s subtler, esoteric values.

सत्यं - Truth – The very first advice, in Taittreya Upanishad, a student leaving Gurukula is given is to Speak TRUTH. Vedas identify Paramathma/Brahman as Satyam. The reason why we bring this character to our lives is to mirror the eternal, all-pervading Only Reality. As one gets rooted in Satyam, one can perceive different layers of Truth, leading to the Absolute Truth. It may be ironical to note that some religions even promote deception in their holy texts to spread their idea, a complete anti thesis to Sanatana Dharma.

दानं - Generosity – Is borne out of Self-sacrifice. When one sees the single Truth reflected in everyone, including oneself as the same, a natural tendency not to discriminate or distinguish based on ego based limitations blossoms. There is no feeling of “I” giving or sharing “My” or “Mine”. It appears just like the hands rush to the defence of the eyes or other parts of the body naturally, giving and generosity happens naturally. Till that state occurs, it has to be cultivated.

क्षमा - Patience, forgiveness - (Read more in How anyone can become a Brahmana – Bhagwan Krishna’s insight as क्षान्तिः)

शीलम - Good Character – Is an ensemble of all good virtues. Since many such ideas are nonexistent outside Sanatana Dharma, it becomes very hard to find translatables. It also implies discipline as it is impossible to cultivate sheela without it.

आनृशंस्यं - Compassion – It is again a natural expression of sympathy as one seeks to find the unity behind all things and beings in the Universe. A secular or westernized idea of feeling sorry for others is a far cry from the natural feeling of karuna that wells to someone in distress. This is not expectation based. 

दम - Self-Control – (Read more in How anyone can become a Brahmana – Bhagwan Krishna’s insight)

घृणा - Tenderness – They occur in the same family as compassion. Softness for the feelings of others, though one may be at an exalted state, is a trait of the spiritually evolved. A Bhakta feels this as a duty towards other beings in whom (S)he sees the Paramatma. A Jnani though may have transcended one’s feelings still exhibits this trait feeling the ignorance of the other being that has led to its misery.

            Nahusha rightly counters Yudhishtra that qualities of Truthfulness, generosity, non-anger, compassion, nonviolence, and tenderness are found even in Shudras so how can it be an identifying trait of a Brahmana. Yudhishtra responds:

शूद्रे चैतद भवेल लक्ष्यं दविजे तच च न विद्यते
न वै शूद्रॊ भवेच छूद्रॊ बराह्मणॊ न च बराह्मणः

 śūdre caitad bhavel lakṣyaṃ dvije tac ca na vidyate
 na vai śūdro bhavec chūdro brāhmaṇo na ca brāhmaṇaḥ

A shudra in whom these virtues exist and a dvija in whom they do not exist, that shudra is not a shudra and that Brahmana is not a Brahmana.

यत्रैतल लक्ष्यते सर्पवृत्तं स बराह्मणः समृतः
यत्रैतन न भवेत सर्पतं शूद्रम इति निर्दिशेत

yatraital lakṣyate sarpavṛttaṃ sa brāhmaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ
 yatraitan na bhavet sarpataṃ śūdram iti nirdiśet

O Snake, in whom these virtues exist, he is a Brahmana, it is said. O snake, in whom these virtues do not exist, he is a shudra. Thus it is taught.

            Yudhishtra clarifies beyond a shadow of doubt that the presence of virtuous characters alone qualifies a person as a Brahmana and the lack of it brings down to a default state, Shudra. 

Skanda Purana declares

 जन्मना जायते शूद्रः संस्कारात् द्विज उच्यते।
शापानुग्रहसामर्थ्यं तथा क्रोधः प्रसन्नता ।|31-34||

By birth we are all a shudra, irrespective of where we are born. It becomes the responsibility of the person’s Purushartha, an expression of his gunas through his karmas. Yudhishtra’s authoritative insights affirm the reasoning that Gunas and Karma determine our Varna and not birth as it is deemed to be in current context.

Episode 2 - Yaksha Prashna

            The second conclusive insight into Yudhishtra’s mind comes in the form of a discussion between Yaksha and Yudhishtra as Dharma Baka Upakhyan or popularly known as Yaksha Prashna found in the Vana Parva portion of the Mahabharata.

            Just prior to the time when the Pandavas have to go incognito, according to the rules of the game, one day a mysterious Brahmin appeared in front of the them, pleading to retrieve the Arani sticks (These are the sticks used to create friction and fire for the daily fire rituals) which got entangled in a deer’s antlers. Chasing this deer, an exhausted, thirsty Pandavas decided to quench before relaunching the mission. Nakula was first sent in the direction of a pond where an akashavani, bodiless voice, warned him to first respond to a series of questions, before quenching his thirst. Nakula ignored and sipped water to fall dead. Sahadeva who followed suit, shocked by a dead Nakula met the same result for his similar actions. Arjuna and Bhima came one after the other to exhibit the same behavior only to perish. 

Yudhishtra arrives at the scene and is shocked to see his dead brothers. At a distance he spots a crane, which boasts that it is the reason for his brother’s death as they did not heed to its words. Yudhishtra challenges the crane to show its form and a Yaksha appeared. The Yaksha poses 124 questions in sets of four (in a theme) and Yudhishtra satisfactorily gives insightful response. A quick glance at the questions, especially for the ones who have no practical understanding of Sanatana Dharma, makes one feel as a silly riddles. While a comprehensive treatment of Yaksha Prashna is outside our topic, it is important to note that there are layers of meanings hidden behind the simple question and answers. Eventually the Yaksha reveals that he was Yama, his father, who came to test the depth of his dharma understanding.

The third set of four questions from Yaksha is the subject of our study.

      [यक्ष]
     किं बराह्मणानां देवत्वं कश च धर्मः सताम इव
     कश चैषां मानुषॊ भावः किम एषाम असताम इव

    [yakṣa]
     kiṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ devatvaṃ kaś ca dharmaḥ satām iva
     kaś caiṣāṃ mānuṣo bhāvaḥ kim eṣām asatām iva

Yaksha places the next set of four questions – What constitutes divinity for Brahmanas? What is their eternal dharma? What defines the human level of action for Brahmanas? What is impious action for a Brahmana?

   [युधिष्ठिरः]

   स्वाध्याय एषां देवत्वं तप एषां सतामिव।
   मरणं मानुषो भावः परिवादोऽसतामिव

     [y]
     svādhyāya eṣāṃ devatvaṃ tapa eṣāṃ satām iva
     maraṇaṃ mānuṣo bhāvaḥ parivādo 'satām iva

Yudhishtra responds – Svadhyaya (The study of Vedas) defines the divinity for a Brahmana. Tapas is the essence of a Brahmana’s dharma. Death defines the human level of a Brahmana. Talking ill about others, slander (Condemn, complain, criticize) is the most impious act forbidden for a Brahamana.

            Let us analyze the questions first. Yaksha wants to know if there is an elevated level of Brahmanatva, the divine aspect and if there is a human level of the floor for being defined as Brahmanatva. He also wants clarity on what amongst their practices is the most pious or the real essence of Brahmanatva. Lastly he wants Yudhishtra to identify the characteristic which is unbecoming of a Brahamana.

            Yudhistra’s responses are terse and precise. 

• Svadhyaaya, study of Vedas is the highest or the divine aspect of a Brahmana. This is in line with the much misinterpreted maligned Manusmriti

अध्यापनम् अध्ययनं यजनं याजनं तथा | दानं प्रतिग्रहं च-एव ब्राह्मणानां अकल्पयत्  ||  1.88

To Brahmanas he assigned teaching and studying (the Veda), sacrificing for their own benefit and for others, giving and accepting (of alms). Note: This does not forbade others from reading it. It only makes it mandatory for Brahmana, again that is Guna and karma based, not birth.

           

In today’s context, we will be forced to expand Svadhyaya to include Itihasas, puranas, Upanishads, Gita and Vedanta texts. But caution must be exercised not to include commentaries or twisted versions of narratives given by self styled non practicing mythologists or indologists. 

• Tapas constitutes the real essence of a Brahamana’s dharma. We have dealt it in detail How anyone can become a Brahmana – Bhagwan Krishna’s insight and understood that austerity is of three types – words, mind and action. Tapascharya is the bedrock of being a Brahmana, a far cry in today’s world.

• Death is the human level of being a Brahmana. Western minded and ignoramuses are amused at such an utterance. Does that make a real Brahmana an immortal? Death in normal parlance is understood as that of the body. When a person misunderstands that anantman the body as the real atman, this Dehatmabhiman is verily death to a real Brahmana understanding of real atman as eternal, as Satchitananda. Unless one rises above this limited thinking, such a Brahmana is at the floor of being a real Brahmana. Brahmavichar leads to identification with the Atman which transcends all the Anantman( viz., body, mind and its constructs). When one operates at the Atman level, they realize the descriptions of Krishna in Bhagavad Gita.

• What defines the anti-thesis of a Brahmana – slander, talking ill about others behind their back. Complain, condemn and criticize are the traits defined as parivada. In today’s context we must hasten to add watching soaps and serials that are not mere time wasters but also poison of the mind, hours on internet, social media in the name of tracking what others do, which is nothing more than glorified gossip will be under the ambit of parivada. In other words absence of shama and dama (How anyone can become a Brahmana – Bhagwan Krishna’s insight).

Brahmana Today

            In today’s context, where is the Brahmana? We have reduced it to a birth based system, thanks to the politician’s frenzied idea of votebank. They have been subject to constant attack by hoisting falsely cooked ideas by historians, politicians and society at large. But that is not the worst. The ones who are born in Brahmin families either follow the rituals without any understanding or not connecting with the real values outlined. Such a divorcing of values has left hardly any Brahmanas in the society.

            The late sage of Kanchi, Chandrasekhara Saraswati (MahaPeriyava) through his Deivathin Kural (also available in English as Voice of God) warned that a majority of the social issues in India is due to the fact that Brahmins are not acting like real Brahmanas. The insight is so precise that even after half a century; it has only become more evident.

            Instilling the real values of a Brahmana is of prime importance. The traditionally Brahmin by birth communities must take a lead amongst other saattvic individuals of any background. The only reason being they have the mental ecosystem, but the spiritual challenge is available to all. Reviving these traits outlined by Krishna, Yudhishtra and countless sages of this great Bharatvarsha, we can re-establish pockets of real Brahmanatva. Even if we have a handful of people with such real traits, they can revive and revitalize the society. We know how a single Narendra chose to become a Brahmana by his spiritual quest, shook the world as Swami Vivekananda. 

            We already saw in the two parts of this article series what traits one must acquire. Yet we must focus on some simple daily steps to climb this staircase to Brahmanatva.

• Svadhdhyaya – unless we get a periodic dose of spiritual insight by engaging with scriptures, it is impossible to work on our mind. This is akin to daily recharging our smartphones. If we want our minds to be charged we need this input.

• Sadhana – This is the internal application of what we have imbibed. What good is a charged smartphone if not put to use.

• Satsang – Association with the real wise and liberated is a real key to making progress. This is the association with the power source.

• Sewa – Unless we go back to society and contribute intellectually, spiritually, we cannot expect a change. We may be just one step ahead, but must learn to share not as an advanced person, but as a co-passenger in this cosmic spiritual journey. This helps rebuild the spiritual ecosystem we have lost. The smartphone ecosystem is the reason why we continue to get newer models. If there is only one phone in the entire world, will we be able to create any value?

The most important aspect is to fix the false narrative broadcast on powerful megaphones that Brahmana is a caste which oppressed others for generations. It is important that every reader strives to become a Brahmana and their lives will correct this false narrative. Identify the traits we need to work on. There is so much to burnish our minds before these saatvic qualities radiate from within, to make a difference all around, but also to lead us on the path of being a Brahamana, enroute to a complete identification of ourselves as  Atman.

May we pray to the inner Narayana to guide us in this uphill task.

ॐ तत् सत्

     

How anyone can become a Brahmana - Bhagwan Krishna's insight

            Brahmanas have always remained a fraction and a minority in Indian society. Though their contributions have been stupendous in the past, they have been highly maligned, used as a punching bag for vote bank politicians, some even fake themselves as one making it almost impossible to understand the original flavor in our Indian society. The colonial masters had used Brahmins as their scapegoat to pin all the faults including the Varnashrama dharma. They successfully engineered a caste system based on the defunct Varna dharma. Post independence politicians exploited these fissures and made them into highly polarized votebanks, deep caste lines to facilitate their petty myopic needs without a modicum of morality. The negative narrative is sustained by western indologists like Sheldon Pollock who deliberately misinterpret for their motivated aims; the lies get an Indian megaphone with non practicing mythologists like Devdutt Pattnaik, the left leaning media which is openly hinduphobic besides missionaries, radical elements and politicians.

            Hence this article series is a reminder to make everyone realize who is a Brahmana, how can anyone achieve that, is there a need for us to become one and a litany of questions both critics and believers pose. Knowledge alone can dispel ignorance, just as light removes darkness. We will dive into the wisdom of Krishna in Bhagavad Gita to unearth the guidance for all ages.

            In Kshatriya – do you still exist? article, we saw how Kshatriyata is a mere blend of characters, actions and orientation. We also understood that guna-karma is not hereditary and is a factor of Purushartha. Krishna precedes his insight on Kshariyata with who is a real Brahmana. Krishna clearly sets this definition as a foundational edifice on which the varnas are explained.

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परंतप।
कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः।।18.41।।

 brāhmaṇa-kṣhatriya-viśhāṁ śhūdrāṇāṁ cha parantapa
karmāṇi pravibhaktāni svabhāva-prabhavair guṇaiḥ

Of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas, as also of Sudras, O Arjuna, the duties are distributed according to the qualities born of their own nature.

            Anyone who pays attention to कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः will understand that Varnas are a mere factor of Gunas and Karmas, which are an interaction of Vasanas and Purushartha.

            Based on this axiom, let us understand Krishna’s idea of Brahmana.

शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च।
ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम्।।18.42।।

 śhamo damas tapaḥ śhauchaṁ kṣhāntir ārjavam eva cha
jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam

 Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness and also uprightness, knowledge, realization and belief in God are the duties of the Brahmanas, born of (their own) nature.

            Krishna gives nine characters of an individual that define a Brahmana. Applying this, most birth based Brahmanas of today will fail this standard and obtaining these characters which can be cultivated by anyone will make them a real Brahmana. These characteristics are not necessarily to be developed in the written order. Interestingly, even if we stick with one, the remaining starts developing without much effort.

            The first six listed are efforts one has to make through Purushartha and the other three are a manifestation of traits borne out of the intensity of practicing the former six. Seeing character from a secular or a western lens will definitely make one miss the depth of this multi-layer information. Hence it is strongly urged to view any Indian scripture only from a traditional point of view, the one given by our rishis.

            Let us dive into each character we need to cultivate, not only for a better self but also for benefit to the society.

शमः – Serenity, Control of mind – The state of mind where it is calm, unperturbed by the events. There is evenness of temper. When vrittis or disturbances arise in the mind, especially in the form of desires, Sama enables us not to be going up and down with the whims of the mental disturbance.

            Sama is the topmost virtue in the group of Shad sampat or six fold wealth of the four fold Sadhana of Jnana Yoga – Swami Sivananda.

            Sama comes through the eradication of vasanas. This gets augmented when the mind which usually goes after the Indriyas(Senses) gets fixated on Japa, dhyana, bhakti, vichara or Brahma-cintana. Viveka and Vairagya are powerful aids to developing Sama. This takes time and practice. It is very easy to be critical of oneself and admit failure, yet to overpower the vasanas arising incessantly in the mind, it takes persistent Sadhana.

            Without Sama, Dama alone will not be sufficient to achieve our objective. The force of a consistently restrained mind only through Dama can be very violent in its expression.

 दमः – Self-restraint, Control of senses – Dama is the restraint of external activities of Indriyas. Dama is also part of the Shad Sampat, which are like a pre-requisite for any spiritual aspirant. Sama and Dama work complimentarily and complete each other. Without one, the effectiveness of the other is highly nullified.

            Let us say someone wants to not eat sweets. Renouncing the desire to eat them will be Sama. This may not be sufficient to overpower the desire. Restraining the legs to go to the shop or hands to purchase or even eyes to see the sweets or ads, redirecting the ears from listening to anything related with sweets, will constitute Dama. So a strong willed person will eventually wilt under the constant assault of Indriyas and without Dama, it is impossible to quell the desire in the mind with Sama alone. The popular three monkeys, one closing its mouth not to speak evil, one blindfolding itself not to see evil and the last one closing it ears not to hear anything evil summarizes Dama. 

            In practical life we see how many strong new year resolutions to lose weight are lost only by lack of Dama. 

तपः – Austerity – Tapah is the process where an individual chooses to intensely focus on a single task, by avoiding energy wastage on distractions. Bhagwan Krishna explains this in great detail by classifying Tapah into three categories in Chapter XVII, slokas 14-16 at the body, words and mental levels.

            Tapas at the bodily level is defined as the worship of devas, dvijas (Self realized), gurus and the wise, maintaining exemplary standards of shaucham, arjavam, having constant Brahmacharya (fixated on thoughts of Brahman) and ahimsa.

            Tapas at the speech level is achieved by speaking only Satya which is also expressed with Priya and Hitam as evinced in the Vedic statement – Satyam vada, priyam vada, hitam vada. Speech level austerity is also achieved by constant study and practice of the Vedas and maintaining speech that doesn’t cause excitement to oneself or others.

            Tapas of the mind involves serenity of the mind, being large hearted and compassionate, maintaining mental silence and self control and purity in outlook.

Best grasped in the words of Swami Chinmayananda:- Conscious physical self-denial in order to economise the expenditure of human energy so lavishly spent in the wrong channels of self-indulgence and conserving it for reaching the higher unfoldment within is called Tapas.

शौचम् – Cleanliness, Purity – Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Though the western world bought this religion based idea, they never implemented it as the idea was not organic to them. This idea of cleanliness is very fundamental to Indian civilization. We have lots of evidence starting from Saraswati Valley civilization to puranas, itihasas and other documented literature. Shaucham is always envisioned as both internal and external. One complements the other. Taking bath, wearing fresh clothes, having basic hygiene and practicing common sense civic cleanliness constitute the external element. Internal cleanliness involves cleansing the mind of bad traits, by implementing counter measures like Japa, dhyana, namsankirtan, svadhyaya amongst others.

            Just as even a house locked for months gathers dust, mere living normal lives is enough to get both the external and internal aspects dirty. Hence a daily routine helps a sadak to keep his Bhahishkarana (external instruments) and antahkarana (internal instruments) calibrated for optimal use.

            The fact that in a land where Shaucham was a core daily life ideal, today it is such a travesty where India is the land of open defecation, dirt and sewage flow unchecked and values are topsy turvy. (Read more on Ailing Hinduism – Inversion of values)

            Swami Chinmayananda includes negating disorderliness as cleanliness. Disorderliness increases the Tamas resulting in a diametrically opposite trait. 

क्षान्तिः Forbearance, Forgiveness – Patiently bearing the odds meted without an internal struggle is a much evolved trait. This does not mean be docile or refrain from acting as commonly misunderstood. It only implies that the actions remain true actions and not a reaction borne from any perceived negative stimulus, within and without.

            Thanks to the way Indian Independence struggle was orchestrated by a slight twist of Ahimsa, the majority of Indian populace has a nebulous idea. Inaction and silently suffering, despite of the internal turmoil is understood as Forbearance. Nothing can be farther from truth than such an absurdity. 

            The best example we have is Rama, who advices a reluctant Vibhishana to carry out the last rites for the fallen Ravana. Rama admonishes Vibhishana for harboring thoughts of hate and dislike. Action must not be colored by the stimulus as it sets of a chain reaction.

            At the same time, forbearance allows one to practice mercy, compassion, self-restraint and overlook other’s faults. The silly notion pedaled by New Age groups to do unto others as you want them to do unto you is real distortion. Forbearance is a highly effective weapon to weaken the toughest of opposing egos. Yet, expecting such a fruit based action is contrary to the spirit of forgiveness.

            When contrary stimulus is encountered, staying on values and principles manifests as kshanti. A Dharma centered life enables cultivation and development of forgiveness. Also it teaches the person to live in the NOW. The memory of hurt and anger of a past action can disturb Sama and hence both are connected.

आर्जवम् Uprightness, Straight forwardness – This is a factor of being fearless. Having an innocence and frankness keeps the mind childlike and less prone to picking up bad vasanas. This enables the personality to interact with integrity in all its dealings. In the external world, one can have a poker face and yet hide their true colors. But in Spirituality where one understands the interconnectedness of everything, arjavam becomes default as the thoughts, words and deeds are aligned not only in relation to each other but also with dharma. This congruence manifests in the external world as an upright personality and in the internal world sets the mind in an exalted state, ever ready to expand and realize the paramatma.

ज्ञानम्  - Knowledge –  The ability to understand wisdom of the realized, the teachings in Vedas, Upanishads, the structure of the internal and external equipments to perceive its relationship with the surrounding Universe and the theoretical understanding of Vedanta can be deemed as the Knowledge spoken here. This also includes a good grasp of the Purusharthas.

विज्ञानम्  - Wisdom – When the above theoretical knowledge gets assimilated and manifests as a practical experience, intuition and a deeper understanding borne out of internalization, it reflects wisdom. This wisdom can be imbibed from great masters by living with them constantly as evinced in Upanishads. Wisdom will deepen the knowledge procured by practice of sadhana.

आस्तिक्यम् - Faith – Best understood in the words of Swami Sivananda as, Faith is that personal attitude by which divine revelation is subjectively appropriated. Typically Faith is understood as an outlook towards divinity and cannot be understood in a secular translation. Faith is not a delusion of believing in whatever one chooses to, but is rooted firmly in jnanam and vijnanam. It is rooted in the TRUTH that is absolute and is beyond the isms created by humans. Astikyam not only deepens the understanding but also guides every step of our actions.

            The Faith manifests in all the above eight traits outlined by Krishna, in the scriptures likes Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, in the words and experiences of the realized Mahatmas, in being disciplined in Sadhana. This is not based on blind faith or mindlessly following, but reinforced by in jnanam and vijnanam. In a sense, astikyam is both an entry point as well as an expression of the final outcome just like jnanam and vijnanam.

            Just as sandalwood is defined by the fragrance it carries around, a real Brahmana is defined by these nine characters. As it is very easy to understand that such traits cannot be fully expressed in all sorts of normal professions, unless it is solely centered around a life based on scriptures. 

            In the next part we will have a similar insight from Yudhishtra besides the implications in today’s society. (Continued as part II)

ॐ तत् सत्

Suggested Reading

Tapas or Austerity – Swami Krishnananda