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Ramayana is an autonomous work. Here I would like is not here is nowhere! It is indeed an all encompassing to dwell a little on one doha which has created text. Let us see how Gandhiji interprets this great epic: controversy as well as numerous interpretations. The "I regard Duryodhan and his party as the baser doha is:
impulses in man, and Arjuna and his party as the higher Dhol, gawaar, shudra, pashu, naari
impulses. The field of battle is our own body. And Yeh sab tadan ke adhikari.
eternal battle is going on between the two camps and (Drum, illiterate person, a person of low caste, the poet seer has vividly described it. Krishna is the animal and woman should be subjected to beating.) dweller within, ever whispering in a pure heart. Like
Why did Tulsidas write this in the first place? Was the watch the heart needs the winding of purity, or the it required? Someone has tried to explain that Tulsidas dweller ceases to speak." (Gandhi: Essential Writings, has mentioned prevalent practice of his times. Another p.114) scholar interprets it differently. According to him, this Brevity and lucidity are the hall-mark of Gandhiji's was uttered by the ocean, Samudra when Ram language and thought. Quintessence of this huge epic threatened to bind him if he did not obey. So Samudra spread over 18 Parvas comprising 100,000 shlokas while defending himself says that only those five can is given by Gandhiji in these five sentences. Gandhiji be threatened, not he. Yet another explanation is that further says that it is the duty of every cultured man or Tulsidas actually uses those five as metaphors, leading woman to read sympathetically the scriptures of the towards training of the mind. For example a drum can world. Respect for diversity of religious scriptures of give beautiful music if its ropes are properly tightened, the world is the characteristic of a cultured person. an illiterate should always keep learning, Shudra is our One of my favourite quotes from Gandhiji's writings is own lowly mind, not the caste; and lastly, a woman is from the Harijan of 9.5.1936. I quote, "The Indian about the mind that is engaged in sensual gratification. culture of our times is in the making. Many of us are This explanation also raises many questions but then striving to produce a blend of all the cultures which each one draws from one's own culture.
seem today to be in clash with one another. No culture How did Gandhiji explain the word shudra? Why can live if it attempts to be exclusive. There is no such some people think that they should stay away from thing as pure Aryan culture in existence today in India. religious scriptures? Gandhiji's definition of shudra is Whether the Aryans were indigenous to India or were not exactly caste-based.
unwelcome intruders, does not interest me much. "A prayerful study and experience are essential What does interest me is the fact that my remote for a correct interpretation of the scriptures. The ancestors blended with one another with the utmost injunction that a shudra may not study the scriptures freedom, and we of the present generation are a result is not entirely without meaning. A shudra means a of that blend. Whether we are doing any good to the spiritually uncultured, ignorant man. He is more country of our birth and the tiny globe that sustains us likely than not to misinterpret the Vedas and other or whether we are a burden, the future alone will show. scriptures. Everyone cannot solve algebraical "Gandhiji has repeated this thought in many different equation." ( 12.11.1925, Gandhi: Essential Writings ways and on many occasions. Looking at the present p. 111) According to this yardstick anyone of us can scenario of the country we can clearly see that the called Shudra. If a man steeped in sins proudly says present generation instead of being inclusive and that he is a Brahmin, that itself would be so lowly! expansive takes pride in becoming exclusive, narrow
The epic Mahabharata has played a significant role and shallow. This is quite contrary to Gandhiji's views in Indian culture. Gandhiji's favourite scripture on culture. It is imperative on the part of those of us Bhagavad-geeta is part of this epic. It is mentioned in who agree with Gandhiji, to demonstrate his views in the epic itself:
our day to day life. That is the only way to prove the "dharme chaarthe cha kaame cha, mokshe cha validity of his work and philosophy of life. We have no purusharshabha /
other option. Yad ihaasti tadanyatra yannehaasti na tat kvachit // Culture blossoms in peace and peace spreads It means that what exists here exists elsewhere, what culture. Aesthetic sensibility and positive emotions
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