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VEDÂNTA-SOTRAS.
hearing Itihâsas and Puranas; and there are texts which allow Sudras to become acquainted with texts of that kind; cp. e.g. 'one is to make the four castes to hear texts, the Brahmana coming first.' Moreover, those Puranas and Itihasas make mention of Sudras, such as Vidura, who had a knowledge of Brahman. And the Upanishads themselves, viz. in the so-called Samvarga-vidya, show that a Sûdra is qualified for the knowledge of Brahman; for there the teacher Raikva addresses Ganasruti, who wishes to learn from him, as Sudra, and thereupon instructs him in the knowledge of Brahman (Kh. Up. IV, 2, 3). All this proves that Sadras also have a claim to the knowledge of Brahman.
This conclusion we deny, on the ground of the absence of capability. It is impossible that the capability of performing meditations on Brahman should belong to a person not knowing the nature of Brahman and the due modes of meditation, and not qualified by the knowledge of the requisite preliminaries of such meditation, viz. recitation of the Veda, sacrifices, and so on. Mere want or desire does not impart qualification to a person destitute of the required capability. And this absence of capability is due, in the Sudra's case, to absence of legitimate study of the Veda. The injunctions of sacrificial works naturally connect themselves with the knowledge and the means of knowledge (i.e. religious ceremonies and the like) that belong to the three higher castes, for these castes actually possess the knowledge (required for the sacrifices), owing to their studying the Veda in agreement with the injunction which prescribes such study for the higher castes; the same injunctions do not, on the other hand, connect themselves with the knowledge and means of knowledge belonging to others (than members of the three higher castes). And the same naturally holds good with regard to the injunctions of meditation on Brahman. And as thus only such knowledge as is acquired by study prompted by the Vedic injunction of study supplies a means for meditation on Brahman, it follows that the Sadra for whom that injunction is not meant is incapable of such meditation. Itihasas
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| SR No. | 007680 |
| Book Title | Satapatha Bramhana Part 05 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Julius Eggeling |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1900 |
| Total Pages | 2017 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 44 MB |