Caste System - Misconceptions about Hinduism

Peace Punjabee in USA

I was waiting for you to pick up the mistake of our brother USResident, but you did not pick it up. Rather you have fallen into the same hole that he fell into.

USResident :salam:

Please read the first post again and see that the article writer is agreeing with you. You said that you fail to see what verse 1:41 has to do with the caste system. In actual fact it does not have anything to do with the caste system. The article writer said that this verse however is misrepresented and used by the anti-hindu caste people to show how Hindu scriptures grade humanity. But on many levels this verse does not show this. You are actually agreeing with the article writer except that he did not seem to pick up on the fact that it has nothing to do with the caste system anyway. Now our brother Punjabee in USA justs wants to argue with you telling you that your translation is wrong but he does not realise what it is you are saying …

Correct me if I am wrong but you saying “This verse cannot be used to support the idea of inequality of castes, because it is not even about the caste system”

PIU on the other hand is saying that it is about the caste system, which in my view is doubly wrong.

The other thing is that the Hindu scriptures are amongst the hardest to understand and they are written as narratives, quoting the words of people in dialogue. The context extends further than just a few passages before or after the given verses.

Firstly I believe like the article writer that Hindu scriptures are on the most part wrongly interpreted by many Hindus and I also believe we should separate Hindu tradition from Hindu creed. I insist that the majority of “higher” classes have taken advantage of the lower classes by not allowing them to learn the scriptures not because the people are “religiously unclean” but because they would not want them to find the truth in them.

Now looking at the Baghwad-Gita … The verses that are written in Chapter 1 37 through to the end of Chapter 1 should be read in a certain frame of mind … Here it is to summarise …

Arjun stands on the battlefield he is talking to Krishn (his advisor) using his logic and reasoning skills convincing himself that he should not fight. On the other hand Krishn listens carefully and in Chapter 2 comes up with a devasting rebuttal to the reasoning of Arjun. Telling him that he should fight.

The texts in verses you have quoted are all the words of Arjun using his reasoning to deny fighting on the battlefield. In response to these words Krishn asks him (On the authority of God) My dear Arjun how have these impurities come upon you? 2:2

So not only is the verse 1:41 not talking about the caste system (yes it’s context is talking about the respect of dynasty and maintaining lineage ties and familial relations) but it is not even part of the word or wisdom of God according to the narrative itself it is Arjun finding excuses not to fight. Those verses could not be used as rulings if they were in Islamic scriptures.