विनोबा भावे ने १६-६-८६ को ‘भूमिपुत्र‘ में एक लेख में वस्त्र बन८ना कैसे प्रारंभ हुआ, इसका वर्णन किया है। वस्त्रोद्योग के मूल में सूत है और सूत का उत्पादन कपास से होता है। वैदिक आख्यानों में वर्णन आता है कि सर्वप्रथम ऋषि गृत्स्मद ने कपास का पेड़ बोया और अपने इस प्रयोग से दस सेर कपास प्राप्त की। इस कपास से सूत बनाया। इस सूत से वस्त्र कैसे बनाना, यह समस्या थी। इसके समाधान के लिए उन्होंने लकड़ी की तकली बनायी। वैदिक भाषा में कच्चे धागे को तंतु कहते हैं। तंतु बनाते समय अधिक बचा हिस्सा ओतु कहा जाता है। इस प्रकार सूत से वस्त्र बनाने की प्रक्रिया ऋषि गृत्स्मद ने दी।
आगे चलकर विकास होता गया और सूती से आगे बढ़कर रेशम, कोशा आदि के द्वारा वस्त्र बनने लगे। बने हुए वस्त्रों, साड़ियों आदि पर सोने, चांदी आदि की कढ़ाई, रंगाई का काम होने लगा। वस्त्रों को भिन्न-भिन्न प्राकृतिक रंगों में रंग कर तैयार किया जाने लगा और एक समय में भारतीय वस्त्रों का सारे विश्व में निर्यात होता था। यहां के सूती वस्त्र तथा विशेष रूप से बंगाल की मलमल ढाका की मलमल के नाम से जगत् में प्रसिद्ध हुई। इनकी मांग प्राचीन ग्रीक, इजिप्ट और अरब व्यापारियों द्वारा भारी मात्रा में होती थी और ये व्यापारी इसका अपने देश के विभिन्न प्रांतों व नगरों में विक्रय करते थे।
प्रमोद कुमार दत्त अपने शोध प्रबंध की प्रस्तावना में भारतीय वस्त्रों के वैशिष्ट्य और उनके संदर्भ में विभिन्न लोगों की टिप्पणियों के संदर्भ में लिखते हैं-
‘नवीं शताब्दी में अरब के दो यात्री यहां आए। उन्होंने लिखा कि भारतीय वस्त्र इतने असामान्य हैं कि ऐसे वस्त्र और कहीं नहीं देखे गए। इतना महीन तथा इतनी सफाई और सुन्दरता का वस्त्र बनता है कि एक पूरा थान अंगूठी के अन्दर से निकाल लिया जाए।‘
तेरहवीं सदी में आए मार्क◌ो पोलो ने तो अनूठी घोषणा की कि ‘विश्व के किसी भी कोने में प्राप्त सुन्दर व बढ़िया सूती वस्त्र का निर्माण स्थल कोरोमंडल और मछलीपट्टनम् के किनारे होंगे।‘
इन वस्त्रों की बारीकी और सफाई को लेकर कहानियां प्रचलित हैं। एक बार औरंगजेब की पुत्री दरबार में गई तो औरंगजेब उसके वस्त्रों को देखकर बहुत खफा हुआ और उसने कहा, नामाकूल! तेरे अंदर की शर्म-हया कहां चली गई जो दुनिया को तू अपने अंग दिखा रही है। उस पर उसकी पुत्री ने कहा, क्या करूं अब्बाजान, यह वस्त्र जो पहना है, वह एक के ऊपर एक ऐसे सात बार तह करने के बाद पहना है।
सत्रहवीं सदी के मध्य में भारत भ्रमण पर आने वाले फ्र्ांसीसी व्यापारी टेवर्नीय सूती वस्त्रों का वर्णन करते हुए लिखता है ‘वे इतने सुन्दर और हल्के हैं कि हाथ पर रखें तो पता भी नहीं लगता। सूत की महीन कढ़ाई मुश्किल से नजर आती है।‘ वह आगे कहता है कि कालीकट की ही भांति सिकन्ज (मालवा प्रांत) में भी इतना महीन ‘कालीकट‘ (सूती कपड़े का नाम) बनता है कि पहनने वाले का शरीर ऐसा साफ दिखता था मानों वह नग्न ही हो। टेवर्नीय अपना एक और संस्मरण लिखता है, ‘एक पर्शियन राजदूत भारत से वापस गया तो उसने अपने सुल्तान को एक नारियल भेंट में दिया। दरबारियों को आश्चर्य हुआ कि सुल्तान को नारियल भेंट में दे रहा है, पर उनके आश्चर्य का ठिकाना न रहा जब उस नारियल को खोला तो उसमें से ३० गज लम्बा मलमल का थान निकला।‘ सर जोसेफ बेक को मि. विल्कीन्स ने ढाका की मलमल का एक टुकड़ा दिया। बेक कहते हैं कि यह विगत कुछ समय का वस्त्र की बारीकी का श्रेष्ठतम नमूना है। बेक ने स्वयं जो विश्लेषण, माप उस वस्त्र का निकालकर इंडिया हाउस को लिखकर भेजा, वह निम्न प्रकार है-
मि. बेक कहते हैं कि विल्कीन्स द्वारा दिए गए टुकड़े का वजन-३४.३ ग्रेन था (एक पाउण्ड में ७००० ग्रेन होते हैं तथा १ ग्राम में १५.५ ग्रेन होते हैं।), लम्बाई-५ गज ७ इंच थी, इसमें धागे-१९८ थे। यानी धागे की कुल लम्बाई-१०२८.५ गज थी। अर्थात् १ ग्रेन में २९.९८ गज धागा बना था। इसका मतलब है कि यह धागा २४२५ काऊंट का था। आज की आधुनिक तकनीक में भी धागा ५००-६०० काऊंट से ज्यादा नहीं होता।
सर जी. बर्डवुड ने सेक्रेटरी ऑफ स्टेट इण्डिया के अनुरोध पर एक पुस्तक लिखी थी ‘दी इंडस्ट्रियल आट्र्स ऑफ इंडिया‘। इसके पृष्ठ ८३ पर वे लिखते हैं कि ‘बताया जाता है कि जहांगीर के काल में पंद्रह गज लम्बी और एक गज चौड़ी ढाका की मलमल का वजन केवल १०० ग्रेन होता था।‘ इसी पुस्तक के पृष्ठ ९५ पर लिखा है-‘अंग्रेज और अन्य यूरोपीय लेखकों ने तो यहां की मलमल, सूती व रेशमी वस्त्रों को ‘बुलबुल की आंख‘ ‘मयूर कंठ‘ ‘चांद सितारे‘ ‘बफ्ते हवा‘ (पवन के तारे) ‘बहता पानी‘ और ‘संध्या की ओस‘ जैसी अनेक काव्यमय उपमाएं दी हैं। सूती कपड़े और मलमल का उत्पादन इंग्लैण्ड में क्रमश: १७७२ तथा १७८१ में प्रारंभ हुआ।
१८३५ में एडवर्ड बेञ्ज ने लिखा ‘अपने वस्त्र उद्योग में भारतीयों ने प्रत्येक युग के अतुलित और अनुपमेय मानदंड को बनाए रखा। उनके कुछ मलमल के वस्त्र तो मानो मानवों के नहीं अपितु परियों और तितलियों द्वारा तैयार किए लगते हैं। ऐसे वस्त्र जहां बनते थे, उन कुटीर उद्योगों को अंग्रेजों ने षड्यंत्रपूर्वक नष्ट किया। जो अगूंठे उन्हें बनाते थे, उन्हें काट दिया गया। देश आजाद होने के बाद आशा थी, हम पुन: अपनी जड़ों में जुड़ेंगे। जो अंगूठे कटे, वे वापस मिलेंगे। पर आज भी पश्चिमी तकनीक के आभामंडल में देश जी रहा है। इसे बदलने हेतु चितंन की आवश्यकता है।
How Tulsi Help Human being in their life as well as in medicine?
Why Every Hindu Planted Tulsi in their home?
*** तुलसी एक ‘दिव्य पौधा’ ***
भारतीय संस्कृति में तुलसी के पौधे का बहुत महत्व है और इस पौधे को बहुत पवित्र माना जाता है। ऎसा माना जाता है कि जिस घर में तुलसी का पौधा नहीं होता उस घर में भगवान भी रहना पसंद नहीं करते। माना जाता है कि घर के आंगन में तुलसी का पौधा लगा कलह और दरिद्रता दूर करता है। इसे घर के आंगन में स्थापित कर सारा परिवार सुबह-सवेरे इसकी पूजा-अर्चना करता है। यह मन और तन दोनों को स्वच्छ करती है। इसके गुणों के कारण इसे पूजनीय मानकर उसे देवी का दर्जा दिया जाता है। तुलसी केवल हमारी आस्था का प्रतीक भर नहीं है। इस पौधे में पाए जाने वाले औषधीय गुणों के कारण आयुर्वेद में भी तुलसी को महत्वपूर्ण माना गया है। भारत में सदियों से तुलसी का इस्तेमाल होता चला आ रहा है।
* लिवर (यकृत) संबंधी समस्या: तुलसी की 10-12 पत्तियों को गर्म पानी से धोकर रोज सुबह खाएं। लिवर की समस्याओं में यह बहुत फायदेमंद है।
* पेटदर्द होना: एक चम्मच तुलसी की पिसी हुई पत्तियों को पानी के साथ मिलाकर गाढा पेस्ट बना लें। पेटदर्द होने पर इस लेप को नाभि और पेट के आस-पास लगाने से आराम मिलता है।
* पाचन संबंधी समस्या : पाचन संबंधी समस्याओं जैसे दस्त लगना, पेट में गैस बनना आदि होने पर एक ग्लास पानी में 10-15 तुलसी की पत्तियां डालकर उबालें और काढा बना लें। इसमें चुटकी भर सेंधा नमक डालकर पीएं।
* बुखार आने पर : दो कप पानी में एक चम्मच तुलसी की पत्तियों का पाउडर और एक चम्मच इलायची पाउडर मिलाकर उबालें और काढा बना लें। दिन में दो से तीन बार यह काढा पीएं। स्वाद के लिए चाहें तो इसमें दूध और चीनी भी मिला सकते हैं।
* खांसी-जुकाम : करीब सभी कफ सीरप को बनाने में तुलसी का इस्तेमाल किया जाता है। तुलसी की पत्तियां कफ साफ करने में मदद करती हैं। तुलसी की कोमल पत्तियों को थोडी- थोडी देर पर अदरक के साथ चबाने से खांसी-जुकाम से राहत मिलती है। चाय की पत्तियों को उबालकर पीने से गले की खराश दूर हो जाती है। इस पानी को आप गरारा करने के लिए भी इस्तेमाल कर सकते हैं।
* सर्दी से बचाव : बारिश या ठंड के मौसम में सर्दी से बचाव के लिए तुलसी की लगभग 10-12 पत्तियों को एक कप दूध में उबालकर पीएं। सर्दी की दवा के साथ-साथ यह एक न्यूट्रिटिव ड्रिंक के रूप में भी काम करता है। सर्दी जुकाम होने पर तुलसी की पत्तियों को चाय में उबालकर पीने से राहत मिलती है। तुलसी का अर्क तेज बुखार को कम करने में भी कारगर साबित होता है।
* श्वास की समस्या : श्वास संबंधी समस्याओं का उपचार करने में तुलसी खासी उपयोगी साबित होती है। शहद, अदरक और तुलसी को मिलाकर बनाया गया काढ़ा पीने से ब्रोंकाइटिस, दमा, कफ और सर्दी में राहत मिलती है। नमक, लौंग और तुलसी के पत्तों से बनाया गया काढ़ा इंफ्लुएंजा (एक तरह का बुखार) में फौरन राहत देता है।
* गुर्दे की पथरी : तुलसी गुर्दे को मजबूत बनाती है। यदि किसी के गुर्दे में पथरी हो गई हो तो उसे शहद में मिलाकर तुलसी के अर्क का नियमित सेवन करना चाहिए। छह महीने में फर्क दिखेगा।
* हृदय रोग : तुलसी खून में कोलेस्ट्राल के स्तर को घटाती है। ऐसे में हृदय रोगियों के लिए यह खासी कारगर साबित होती है।
* तनाव : तुलसी की पत्तियों में तनाव रोधीगुण भी पाए जाते हैं। तनाव को खुद से दूर रखने के लिए कोई भी व्यक्ति तुलसी के 12 पत्तों का रोज दो बार सेवन कर सकता है।
* मुंह का संक्रमण : अल्सर और मुंह के अन्य संक्रमण में तुलसी की पत्तियां फायदेमंद साबित होती हैं। रोजाना तुलसी की कुछ पत्तियों को चबाने से मुंह का संक्रमण दूर हो जाता है।
* त्वचा रोग : दाद, खुजली और त्वचा की अन्य समस्याओं में तुलसी के अर्क को प्रभावित जगह पर लगाने से कुछ ही दिनों में रोग दूर हो जाता है। नैचुरोपैथों द्वारा ल्यूकोडर्मा का इलाज करने में तुलसी के पत्तों को सफलता पूर्वक इस्तेमाल किया गया है।
तुलसी की ताजा पत्तियों को संक्रमित त्वचा पर रगडे। इससे इंफेक्शन ज्यादा नहीं फैल पाता।
* सांसों की दुर्गध : तुलसी की सूखी पत्तियों को सरसों के तेल में मिलाकर दांत साफ करने से सांसों की दुर्गध चली जाती है। पायरिया जैसी समस्या में भी यह खासा कारगर साबित होती है।
* सिर का दर्द : सिर के दर्द में तुलसी एक बढि़या दवा के तौर पर काम करती है। तुलसी का काढ़ा पीने से सिर के दर्द में आराम मिलता है।
* आंखों की समस्या : आंखों की जलन में तुलसी का अर्क बहुत कारगर साबित होता है। रात में रोजाना श्यामा तुलसी के अर्क को दो बूंद आंखों में डालना चाहिए।
* कान में दर्द : तुलसी के पत्तों को सरसों के तेल में भून लें और लहसुन का रस मिलाकर कान में डाल लें। दर्द में आराम मिलेगा।
* ब्लड-प्रेशर को सामान्य रखने के लिए तुलसी के पत्तों का सेवन करना चाहिए।
* तुलसी के पांच पत्ते और दो काली मिर्च मिलाकर खाने से वात रोग दूर हो जाता है।
*वमन: वमन की स्थिति में तुलसी पत्र स्वरस मधु के साथ प्रातःकाल व जब आवश्यकता हो पिलाते हैं। पाचन शक्ति बढ़ाने के लिए, अपच रोगों के लिए तथा बालकों के यकृत प्लीहा संबंधी रोगों के लिए तुलसी के पत्रों का फाण्ट पिलाते हैं। छोटी इलायची, अदरक का रस व तुलसी के पत्र का स्वरस मिलाकर देने पर उल्टी की स्थिति को शान्त करते हैं। दस्त लगने पर तुलसी पत्र भुने जीरे के साथ मिलाकर (10 तुलसीदल + 1 माशा जीरा) शहद के साथ दिन में तीन बार चाटने से लाभ मिलता है।
*तुलसी के चार-पांच ग्राम बीजों का मिश्री युक्त शर्बत पीने से आंव ठीक रहता है। तुलसी के पत्तों को चाय की तरह पानी में उबाल कर पीने से आंव (पेंचिस) ठीक होती है। अपच में मंजरी को काले नमक के साथ देते हैं। बवासीर रोग में तुलसी पत्र स्वरस मुँह से लेने पर तथा स्थानीय लेप रूप में तुरन्त लाभ करता है। अर्श में इसी चूर्ण को दही के साथ भी दिया जाता है।
* कैंसर रोग में तुलसी के पत्ते चबाकर ऊपर से पानी पीने से काफी लाभ मिलता है।
* तुलसी तथा पान के पत्तों का रस बराबर मात्रा में मिलाकर देने से बच्चों के पेट फूलने का रोग समाप्त हो जाता है।
* तुलसी का तेल विटामिन सी, कैल्शियम और फास्फोरस से भरपूर होता है।
* तुलसी का तेल मक्खी- मच्छरों को भी दूर रखता है।
* बदलते मौसम में चाय बनाते हुए हमेशा तुलसी की कुछ पत्तियां डाल दें। वायरल से बचाव रहेगा।
* शहद में तुलसी की पत्तियों के रस को मिलाकर चाटने से चक्कर आना बंद हो जाता है।
* तुलसी के बीज का चूर्ण दही के साथ लेने से खूनी बवासीर में खून आना बंद हो जाता है।
* तुलसी के बीजों का चूर्ण दूध के साथ लेने से नपुंसकता दूर होती है और यौन-शक्ति में वृध्दि होती है।
प्रातःकाल ख़ाली पेट 2-3 चम्मच तुलसी के रस का सेवन करें तो शारीरिक बल एवं स्मरण शक्ति में वृद्धि के साथ-साथ आपका व्यक्तित्व भी प्रभावशाली होगा।
शरीर के वजन को नियंत्रित रखने हेतु तुलसी अत्यंत गुणकारी है। इसके नियमित सेवन से भारी व्यक्ति का वजन घटता है एवं पतले व्यक्ति का वजन बढ़ता है यानी तुलसी शरीर का वजन आनुपातिक रूप से नियंत्रित करती है।
तुलसी के रस की कुछ बूँदों में थोड़ा-सा नमक मिलाकर बेहोश व्यक्ति की नाक में डालने से उसे शीघ्र होश आ जाता है।
चाय बनाते समय तुलसी के कुछ पत्ते साथ में उबाल लिए जाएँ तो सर्दी, बुखार एवं मांसपेशियों के दर्द में राहत मिलती है।
ज़हरीले जीव से जुङे समस्या में —
ज़हरीले जीव सांप, ततैया, बिच्छू के काटने पर तुलसी पत्तों का रस उस स्थान पर लगाने से आराम मिलता है।
तुलसी का रस शरीर पर मलकर सोयें, मच्छरों से छुटकारा मिलेगा। मलेरिया मच्छर का दुश्मन है तुलसी का रस।
तुलसी के बीज खाने से विष का असर नहीं होता।
तुलसी की पत्तियां अफीम के साथ खरल करके चूहे के काटे स्थान पर लगाने से चूहे का विष उतर जाता है।
किसी के पेट में यदि विष चला गया हो तो तुलसी का पत्र जितना पी सके पिये, विष दोष शांत हो जाता है।
सर्दी के मौसम में खांसी जुकाम होना एक आम समस्या हैं। इनसे बचे रहने का सबसे सरल उपाय है तुलसी की चाय। तुलसी की चाय बनाने के लिए, तुलसी की दस पन्द्रह ग्राम ताजी पत्रितयां लें और धो कर कुचल लें। फिर उसे एक कप पानी में डालें उसमें पीपला मूल, सौंठ, इलायची पाउड़र तथा एक चम्मच चीनी मिला लें, इस मिश्रण को उबालकर बिना छाने सुबह गर्मा-गर्म पीना चाहिये। इस प्रकार की चाय पीने से शरीर में चुस्ती स्फूर्ति आती है और भूख बढ़ती हैं। जिन लोगों को सर्दियों में बारबार चाय पीने की आदत है। उनके लिए तुलसी की चाय बहुत लाभदायक होगी। जो न केवल उन्हें स्वास्थ्य लाभ देगी अपितु उन्हें साधारण चाय के हानिकारक प्रभावो से भी बचाएगीं।
सर्दी, जवर, अरूचि, सुस्ती, दाह, वायु तथा पित्त संबंधी विकारों को दूर करने के लिए भी तुलसी की औषधीय रचना और अपना महत्व हैं। इसके लिए तुलसी की दस पन्द्रह ग्राम ताजी धुली पत्तियों को लगभग 150 ग्राम पानी में उबाल लें। जब लगभग आधा या चौथाई पानी ही शेष रह जाए। तो उसमें उतनी ही मात्रा में दूध तथा जरूरत के अनुसार मिश्री मिला लें। यह अनेक रोगों को तो दूर करता ही है साथ ही क्षुधावर्धक भी होता हैं। इसी विधि के अनुसार काढ़ा बनाकर उसमें एक दो इलायची का चूर्ण और दस पन्द्रह सुधामूली डालकर सर्दियों में पीना बहुत लाभकारी होता हैं। इसमें शारीरिक पुष्टता बढ़ती हैं।
तुलसी के पत्ते का चूर्ण बनाकर मर्तबान में रख लें, जब भी चाय बनाएं तो दस पन्द्रह ग्राम इस चूर्ण का प्रयोग करें यह चाय ज्वर, दमा, जुकाम, कफ तथा गले के रोगों के लिए बहुत लाभकारी हैं।
तुलसी का काढ़ा बनाने के लिए तीन चार काली मिर्च के साथ तुलसी की सात आठ पत्रितयों को रगड़ लें और अच्छी तरह मिलाकर एक गिलास द्रव तैयार करें इक्कीस दिनों तक सुबह लगातार ख़ाली पेट इस काढ़े का सेवन करने से मस्तिष्क की गर्मी दूर होती है और उसे शांति मिलती हैं। क्योंकि यह काढ़ा हृदयोत्तेजक होता है, इसलिए यह हृदय को पुष्ट करता है और हृदय संबंधी रोगों से बचाव करता हैं।
एसिडिटी, संधिवात, मधुमेह, स्थूलता, खुजली, यौन दुर्बलता, प्रदाह आदि अनेक बीमारियों के उपचार के लिए तुलसी की चटनी बनाई जा सकती हैं। इसके लिए लगभग दस-दस ग्राम धानिया, पुदिना लें उसमें थोड़ा सा लहसुन अदरख, सेंधा नमक, खजूर का गुड़, अंकुरित मेथी, अंकुरित चने, अंकुरित मूग, तिल और लगभग पांच ग्राम तुलसी के पत्ते मिलाकर महीन पीस लें। अब इसमें एक नींबू का रस और लगभग पन्द्रह ग्राम नारियल की छीन डाले। इस चटनी को रोटी के साथ या साग में मिलाकर खाया जा सकता हैं। चटनी से कैल्शियम, पोटेशियम, गंधाक, आयरन, प्रोटीन तथा एन्जाइम आदि हमारे शरीर को प्राप्त होते हैं। एक बात ध्यान रखें कि यह चटनी दो घांटे तक ही अच्छी रहती है। अत: इसका प्रयोग सदा ताजा बनाकर ही करें दो घांटे के बाद इसके गुण में परिवर्तन आ जाता हैं। इस चटनी को कभी फ्रिज में नहीं रखें।
शीतऋतु में तुलसी का पाक भी एक गुणकारी औषधि के रूप में प्रयोग किया जा सकता हैं। इसके लिए तुलसी के बीजों को निकाल कर आटे जैसा बारीक पीस लें अब लगभग 125 ग्राम चने के आटे में मोयन के लिए देसी घी व थोड़ा सा दूध डालकर उसे लोहे या पीतल की कड़ाही में घी डालकर धीमी आंच पर भूनें। बाद में लगभग 125 ग्राम खोआ डालकर, उसे भूनें इसके बात उसमें बादाम की गिरि व तुलसी के बीजों का चूर्ण मिला लें। जब लाल हो जाए, तो इसमें इलायची व काली मिर्च ड़ालकर इस मिश्रण को तुरंत उतार लें। अब मिश्री की चाशनी में केसर डालकर, इस मिश्रण को उसमें डाल दें और अच्छी तरह मिलाएं, गाढ़ा होने पर थाली में ठंड़ा कर टुकड़े करें सर्दी में प्रतिदिन 20 से 100 ग्राम मात्रा दूध के साथ खाने से बल वीर्य बढ़ता हैं। इससे पेट के रोग वातजन्य रोग, शीघ्रपतन, कामशीलता, मस्तिष्क की कमज़ोरी, पुराना जुकाम, कफ आदि में बहुत लाभ होता हैं।
तुलसी का अरिष्ट आसव बनाने के लिए 100 ग्राम बबूल की छाल को लगभग डेढ़ किलो पानी में तब तक उबालें जब तक कि पानी एक चौथाई न हो जाएं। अब इसे छानकर इसमें लगभग अस्सी ग्राम तुलसी का चूर्ण, पांच सौ ग्राम गुड़, 10 ग्राम पीपल तथा 80 ग्राम आंवले के फूल मिला दें। काली मिर्च, जायफल, दालचीनी,ाीतलचीनी, नागकेसर, तमालपत्र तथा छोटी इलायचीं,
रोज सुबह तुलसी की पत्तियों के रस को एक चम्मच शहद के साथ मिलाकर पीने से स्वास्थ्य बेहतर बना रहता है। तुलसी की केवल पत्तियां ही लाभकारी नहीं होती। तुलसी के पौधे पर लगने वाले फल जिन्हें अमतौर पर मंजर कहते हैं, पत्तियों की तुलना में कहीं अघिक फायदेमंद होता है। विभिन्न रोगों में दवा और काढे के रूप में तुलसी की पत्तियों की जगह मंजर का उपयोग भी किया जा सकता है। इससे कफ द्वारा पैदा होने वाले रोगों से बचाने वाला और शरीर की प्रतिरोधक क्षमता को बढ़ाने वाला माना गया है। किंतु जब भी तुलसी के पत्ते मुंह में रखें, उन्हें दांतों से न चबाकर सीधे ही निगल लें। इसके पीछे का विज्ञान यह है कि तुलसी के पत्तों में पारा धातु के अंश होते हैं। जो चबाने पर बाहर निकलकर दांतों की सुरक्षा परत को नुकसान पहुंचाते हैं। जिससे दंत और मुख रोग होने का खतरा बढ़ जाता है।
तुलसी का पौधा मलेरिया के कीटाणु नष्ट करता है। नई खोज से पता चला है इसमें कीनोल, एस्कार्बिक एसिड, केरोटिन और एल्केलाइड होते हैं। तुलसी पत्र मिला हुआ पानी पीने से कई रोग दूर हो जाते हैं। इसीलिए चरणामृत में तुलसी का पत्ता डाला जाता है। तुलसी के स्पर्श से भी रोग दूर होते हैं। तुलसी पर किए गए प्रयोगों से सिद्ध हुआ है कि रक्तचाप और पाचनतंत्र के नियमन में तथा मानसिक रोगों में यह लाभकारी है। इससे रक्तकणों की वृद्धि होती है। तुलसी ब्र्म्ह्चर्य की रक्षा करने एवं यह त्रिदोषनाशक है।
जय हिन्द, जय भारत !!
The Amazing Benefits of Holy
Basil For close to 5000 years,
ancient
texts have proclaimed the
benefits of consuming holy
basil or tulsi. Holy basil is currently used in over 300
medical treatments and
numerous benefits have been
published. Here are some of the
holy basil benefits: Overall
Health – Because the herb has a high anti-oxidant
content, is anti-fungal, anti-
bacterial, and anti-viral, it is
widely used to treat a variety
of conditions and is promoted
for every day use to promote a long life and wellness. It also
boosts immunity and acts as
an anti-inflammatory agent
producing overall wellness.
Every day use is encouraged to
prevent infections and other illness. This translates into
reduced arthritis pain and
headaches. It also creates less
inflammation in the lungs and
respiratory tract. Combined
with its expectorant qualities, tulsi becomes as highly
effective treatment for
asthma, allergies, respiratory
infections, croup and cough.
Supports the Cardiovascular
system – Tulsi has several qualities that help the
cardiovascular system. First it
is a blood thinner, which is
effective in reducing the risk
of stroke. In addition, it
effectively lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which
lowers the risk of heart
attack. It also lowers the heart
rate and helps purify the
blood. It cleanses the liver,
which further cleanses the blood to remove impurities,
and supports the proper
cardiovascular support. The
combination of these qualities
reduces the risk of heart
disease. Balances the amount of insulin
in the body – One of the
largest impacts that tulsi has
had is in the realm of blood
sugar and diabetes. It
nourishes the pancreas, which in turn generates healthy beta
cells that produce the body’s
insulin. Since insulin lowers
blood sugar, it has provided an
effective treatment for type 2
diabetes. Provides Anti-aging abilities –
It hydrates the skin and is able
to treat skin conditions and
chronic dry skin. It reduces the
physiological effects of aging
and works as an anti-aging treatment. Neutralizes the
effects of bio-
chemicals – Holy basil works in
conjunction with extreme
medical treatments such as
chemotherapy and radiation. It is effective in treating
radiation and other types of
poisoning. It is also effective in
reducing free radical damage,
such as sun damage, and from
pollution and pesticides. Laboratory tests have also
shown its potential to treat
cancerous cells. Stress Reducer
– One of the
most publicized effects of the
holy basil plant is its effects on stress. It acts as an adaptogen,
increasing the body’s ability to
adapt to difficult
circumstances. It reduces
cortisol in the body and helps
in the absorption of neurotransmitters in the brain
to reduce the effects of stress,
as well as improve stamina
and memory. Tulsi also
promotes emotional balance.
As such, it has been effectively used to treat depression,
ADHD, ADD, bi-polar disorder,
chronic fatigue syndrome and
other stress induced illnesses.
आजतक आपने अनेक बार भारतकी प्राचीन शिक्षण पद्धति गुरुकुलके विषयमें सुना होगा । इस शिक्षणप्रणालीमें गुरूके घर जाकर शिक्षा प्राप्त करना , इतनाही अर्थ आपको ज्ञात होता है । गुरुकुल निश्चित क्या है, वहांकी दिनचर्या, अध्यापन पद्धति कैसी होती है, इत्यादि ज्ञात होनेके लिए उदाहरण के रूपमें एक गुरुकुल पद्धतिकी जानकारी यहां दे रहे हैं । गुरुकुल शिक्षण पद्धतिद्वाराही श्रीराम, श्रीकृष्ण जैसे आदर्श पुरुष होते हैं । इस कारण उसकी उपयोगिता अनन्यसाधारण ही है ।
दिनचर्या
‘गुरुकुलकी दिनचर्यामें कडा अनुशासन होता है ।
अ. प्रात: ५ बजे प्रार्थना, गंगास्नान, सूर्यनमस्कार, योगासन, गायत्री मंत्र का जप, इत्यादि कृत्य होते हैं ।
आ. तदुपरांत दिनमें ११.३० तक पाठ होते हैं ।
इ. तदनंतर भिक्षा मांगना; ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतका एक अनिवार्य भाग है भिक्षाटन ।
ई. तत्पश्चात् १ घंटा विश्राम कर पुन: पाठ होते हैं ।
उ. सूर्यास्तसे दस-पंद्रह मिनट पूर्व अध्ययन बंद करते हैं ।
ऊ. तदुपरांत संध्या स्तोत्रपठन एवं थोडासा उपाहार ।
ए. विश्राम ।
अध्ययन-अध्यापन
नूतन पाठका संबंध पूर्वपाठसे होता है । पूर्वावलोकन होता है । पाठ आरंभ करनेसेपूर्व आचार्य दस मिनट पूर्वपाठ कहांतक ज्ञात हुआ, इसकी परीक्षा लेते हैं । तदनंतर नया पाठ आरंभ होता था । छात्रोंकी सिद्धता हो रही है अथवा नहीं यह प्रतिदिन ही ज्ञात होता है । अर्थात् प्रतिदिन परीक्षा ही होती है । इस कारण परीक्षा कब है, परीक्षाकी सिद्धता कैसे करें , ऐसे प्रश्नही नहीं होते हैं ।
आर्थिक सहायता
हमारे शिक्षणसंस्थान कभी भी शासनकी सहायतापर निर्भर नहीं रहे एवं आज भी नहीं हैं । समाजके व्यक्तिही उन्हें धन देते हैं एवं ऐसा कर वे स्वयंको कृतार्थ मानते हैं । शासन कभी भी शिक्षाप्रणाली अथवा संस्थानोंमें हस्तक्षेप नहीं करता था । हमारी प्राचीन राजनीति तथा शासनप्रणालीका यह दंडक होता था । शिक्षाक्षेत्र पूर्णतः स्वायत्त होता था ।
गुणवान बच्चोंको, अल्प गुणवान बच्चोंके कारण, विषय धीमी गतिसे सीखना अनिवार्य न करनेवाली गुरूकुल पद्धति; जबकि वर्तमान शिक्षणप्रणालीमें यह सुविधा नहीं है ।
मानलें एक बच्चा कुशाग्र बुद्धिका है तथा दसवीं तककी पढाई वह तीन वर्षोंमें सहजतासे पूर्ण कर प्रथम श्रेणीमें उत्तम प्रतिशतके साथ उत्तीर्ण होनेकी उसकी क्षमता है; परंतु वर्तमान शिक्षाप्रणालीमें वैसी व्यवस्था नहीं है । अन्योंके साथही उसे ११ वीं तककी पढाई पूर्ण करनी पडती है । इस कारण उसके जीवनके ८ वर्ष व्यर्थ जाते हैं । प्रत्येक परीक्षामें वह प्रथम श्रेणीमें उत्तीर्ण हो सकता है; परंतु वर्तमान शिक्षा पद्धति उसे इसकी अनुमति नहीं देती तथा उसके ८ बहुमूल्य वर्ष व्यर्थ जाते हैं ।
हमारी गुरुकुल पद्धतिमें ऐसा नहीं होता । छात्र गुरुसे संहिता सीखते हैं । एक मंद बुद्धि छात्रको केवल पुरुषसूक्त कंठस्थ करने में एक महीनेकी अवधि लगती है । दूसरा छात्र ८ दिनोंमें वह सूक्त याद कर लेता है है । गुरुजी उसे आगेका सौरसूक्त सिखाते हैं । तदनंतर तीसरा, चौथा सिखाते हैं । उसकी प्रगतिमें अन्य छात्रोंके कारण बाधा नहीं आती । कुछ छात्र ३ वर्षोंमें संहिता कहने लगते है । आगे पद, क्रम, जटा, घन इत्यादिकी सिद्धता करते हैं । मंद विद्यार्थीको कदाचित् (शायद) ५-६ वर्ष लग सकते हैं । इस पद्धतिके कारण किसीकी भी हानि नहीं होती थी ।’
It is hard to define Hinduism. It is not a religion in a narrow sense associated with the word religion. Its comprehensiveness bypasses the human mind. No single approach is able to enunciate its basic concept and philosophy. In a very broad sense Hinduism is a way of life. From time immemorial indigenous religious consciousness has continuously enriched it. It has been influenced by the aspirations and needs of the human society from time to time. It embraces the indigenous religions of India which have been modified almost continuously with the development of ideas and the needs of local communities. As a result Hinduism is a mixture of sects, cults and doctrines which have had a profound effect on Indian culture. In Spite of this diversity, there are few of its aspects which do not rely in some way or the other on the authority of Indian religious literature – the Vedas, the Epics and the Puranas.
Vedic Deities:
The Vedic gods who eventually became established in India may have been the result of the fusion of ideas brought by migrants and those of the indigenous people.
These deities were defined in the Vedas, along wit Ii meticulous descriptions of the ceremonies that were intended to propitiate them.
There is a popular school of thought which disputes the theory of the migrants having brought in ideas and is of the opinion that Hinduism was highly developed much before. It is not within the scope of this book to go into this controversy.
It is evident from the Vedas that these deities were, to a certain extent, visualized as having human or animal forms. But it is not certain whether they were worshipped in the form of images. There remains the possibility, important for its effect on the later development of images, that some of the lower castes worshipped images in human or animal form and that this practice gradually spread upwards to the higher sections of society. At a much later period, the Vedic deities were given human form and reproduced as images.
In response to the forces of development, the old Vedic religion underwent several changes. These chiefly concerned the deities that were worshipped, and the forms of ritual. Some deities changed their function, or gained or lost popularity, while the powers of mediation between the deity and the devotee became monopolized by the priests (Brahmins) who alone could perform the necessary rites at the rituals. This made the deities remote and some of them acquired awesome aspects. Consequently, while many of the old deities were relegated to minor positions in the pantheon, others were elevated, and new deities were introduced. Parallel with this, and as a possible reaction against the strict orthodoxy of the the need gradually arose for a more satisfying relationship between the worshipper and the worshipped. This need for devotion (bhakti) towards a personal god stimulated the desire for images which would make the deity more approachable. Their introduction was a slow, uneven process and it is likely that images were made at first only of minor deities in the pantheon. One of the earliest references to images for worship is around the 5th century B.C. of the Yakshas (tree Spirits) and Nagas (snake gods).
Epic Deities:
Further stimulus to a more personal relationship between gods and men was given by the two great epics of Indian literature, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The stories of these epics are secular in nature but they not only describe the feats of their heroes but refer to the influence that the gods had on their exploits. Thus the stories of the gods were supplemented and expanded as they were woven into the narratives and the heroes themselves got assimilated into Indian popular religion and became deified.
Puranic Deities:
Further development of the Indian society brought about changes in religious concepts and an increase in the size of the pantheon. This grew by a process of absorption and combination, adopting popular (including female) deities into a sophisticated and well-developed assembly and merging several deities into one. Thus the minor Vedic deity Vishnu was identified with Vasudeva and another epic hero Krishna. It is likely that the ten incarnations of Vishnu that eventually became conventional were attributed to him in a similar way.
Later, Krishna himself got assimilated with a pastoral flute – playing deity and became the subject of many poems and legends. At the same time, an ancient fertility Lord Shiva, was elevated to the higher ranks of the pantheon and became a important deity with a variety of forms that gave him a popularity equal to that of Vishnu. Shiva and Vishnu were visualized as forming a triad with Brahma. But, in spite of his ancient prestige, Brahma never received the widespread adoration enjoyed by the other two gods.
Beginning about the 4th or 5th century A.D., attempts were made to create some sort of order out of the mass of myths and legends that had evolved around a large number deities. Eventually these traditional tales were incorporated into the Puranas (Ancient Stories) summing up all that was known about the gods, with their elaborate genealogies, and providing religious instructions. In consequence, many of the deities who subsequently made their appearance are the result of formalization given to them in the Puranas. At the same time a further impetus was given to Hindu mythology (and thus a corresponding increase in the number of deities) by the development of Tantrism which emphasized the cult of the female partner (shakti) in association with a male deity, often Shiva.
From the 15th century onwards a revival of interest in the bhakti movement brought about a widespread devotion to the cult of Krishna, one of the earliest gods to have human-like qualities.
The creative powers of India’s religious life have not declined but continue with the same energy as they had earlier. For example recently (in the 1960’s), in Northern India, the goddess Santoshi Mata appeared complete with her own mythology and legends.
Rama’s or Adam’s Bridge is a series of limestone reefs and low islands between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. North of it is the Palk Strait, named after Robert Palk, President of Madras from 1763 to ’67, which connects the Bay of Bengal with the Gulf of Mannar. The Bridge begins at Rameswaram island off Tamil Nadu (which is linked to the Indian mainland by the Pamban Bridge) and ends at Mannar island in Sri Lanka. The ferry service between these two points has often been suspended because of fighting in Sri Lanka.
The earliest map that calls this area Adam’s Bridge was prepared by a British cartographer in 1804, probably referring to an Islamic legend, according to which Adam used the bridge to reach Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka, where he stood repentant on one foot for 1,000 years, leaving a large hollow mark resembling a footprint.
The shallow water makes it impossible for large ships to pass through. Fishing boats and small craft carrying coastal trade cross the line, but large ships must travel around Sri Lanka. The British first considered a shipping canal through the strait in 1860. The most recent study of the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project, as it is now called, was an environmental impact assessment and technical feasibility study commissioned by the Tamil Nadu government in 2004. Sethusamudram is the Tamil/Sanskrit name for the sea between India and Sri Lanka.
The Ramayana recounts how Rama, with the help of an army of vanaras – humans with the tails of monkeys – built a bridge of stones across the sea to Lanka to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana. There is an Indian movement which argues that the Bridge was a human construction, and there is some evidence that it might have been passable on foot until the fifteenth century.
Buddhism was introduced into Sri Lanka in the third century BC. Nowadays, the main Hindu minority are the Tamils, who had established a permanent presence in the north of the island by the twelfth century.
Under the direction of Ravana’s mermaid daughter, fish and mermaids carry away stones from Rama’s bridge: detail of a painting at the Emerald Buddha temple in Bangkok
The Achaemenid Empire, covering much of northwestern Indian subcontinent (present-day eastern Afghanistan and Pakistan) for two centuries from c 520 BC, during the reign of Darius
The “Time of Troubles” in which the Buddha and Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, lived, sixth century BC: a period of destructive wars between local states
The Mauryan Empire, 323-185 BC, a Buddhist universal state made illustrious by the reign of Ashoka
The Hellenic intrusion, not with Alexander’s transitory campaign, but with the invasion of Demetrius, the Greek king of Bactria, c 183-2 BC; Indo-Greek Kingdom in northern India, 180 BC-10; the Greeks were opposed in the east by the more Brahmanical Sunga Empire, 185-73 BC
Indo-Sassanids, 3rd century-410, displaced by Huns
Establishment of a Hindu universal state, the Gupta Empire, AD c 375-550
– all this, including (why including?) the Hindu Gupta Empire itself, Toynbee calls the Indic Society.
[Footnote: The Gupta Empire was actually founded about A.D. 350 and did not collapse till the fall of Skandagupta in A.D. 480; but the Empire did not […] acquire the dimensions of a universal state until A.D. 390, and it had ceased to perform the functions of such a state before the second Hun invasion of India began in A.D. 470.]
Hinduism attained supremacy in India in the age of the Guptas, and eventually supplanted Buddhism. The Gupta Empire was overthrown by Huns from the Eurasian steppe, who were assailing the Roman and Sassanian Empires at the same time. The interregnum occupied by their activities and by the successor states of the Gupta Empire lies approximately within the dates 475-775. Thereafter, there began to emerge what Toynbee calls, in the first volume of the Study, the Hindu Society, which is still alive. Sankara, the father of Hindu philosophy, flourished around 800. In the ninth century, India began to articulate itself into states on a pattern which could still be discerned on the political map in 1934.
[Footnote: The break in tradition in India at the time of the Hun and Gujara invasions is emphasized by Mr. Vincent Smith in The Early History of India (3rd edition, Oxford 1914, Clarendon Press), p. 408. A number of facts which bear out Mr. Vincent Smith’s view are mentioned by Mr. C. V. Vaidya in The History of Mediaeval India, vol. ii (Poona 1924, Oriental Book Supplying Agency). For example, by about the year 800 of the Christian era, both Buddhism and the pre-Buddhist Indian ritual of the Vedic sacrifices had become extinct throughout the greater part of India (op. cit., p. 1). The ancient vernaculars (the so-called “prakrits”) had ceased to be spoken, and the modern vernaculars – Hindi, Bengali, Marati, Gujarati, Panjabi, and so on – were already full-fledged (p. 3). The Rājput dynasties of the modern Rājputāna can mostly trace their genealogies back to this epoch but not beyond (p. 46). Pace Mr. Vaidya, this last facts supports Mr. Vincent Smith’s view that the Rājputs are descended from the Huns and Gujaras who entered India in the post-Gupta Völkerwanderung and were converted to Hinduism.]
Is 800 AD really a new start?
Much of the modern “Hindu Society” has been ruled, for long stretches of time, by Muslims.
We can now observe that Hinduism – the universal church [of the Guptas] through which this Indic Society came to be “apparented” to the Hindu Society of to-day – resembles Islam and differs from Christianity, inasmuch as the germ of life in which it originated was native to, and not alien from, the society in whose history it played its part. No doubt, certain non-Indic accretions can be detected in Hinduism. The most prominent of these is the worship of deities in iconic form – a feature which is of the essence of Hinduism, though it was lacking in the primitive religion of the Indic Society as this is mirrored in the Vedas, and was lacking, likewise, in primitive Buddhism. It must [must?] therefore have been borrowed from the religion of some alien society – most probably from Hellenism through the medium of the modified Buddhism of the Mahayana. However, the chief differences between Hinduism and the Indic religion of the Vedas – and these differences are striking – are due to elements in Hinduism which were borrowed from Buddhism: that is, from a religion which was a reaction against the primitive Indic religion of the Vedas but a reaction of an entirely indigenous Indic origin. The most important elements, lacking in the Vedas, which Hinduism borrowed from Buddhism, were its monasticism and its philosophy.
The original home of the Indic Society [which does not include the Indus Valley civilisation which was being disinterred as he wrote], as we know from its records, was in the valleys of the Indus and the Ganges; and from this base the society had expanded over the whole sub-continent of India before it came to the end of its universal state. [Footnote: The Maurya Empire at its greatest extent – at which it stood when Açoka renounced War after the conquest of Kalinga – was practically conterminous with the present British-Indian Empire except that it did not include Burma but did include the greater part of what is now Afghanistan. It covered not only the whole basin of the Indus and Ganges but also the whole of India south of the Vindya Range except for the extreme tip of the peninsula. The Gupta Empire, which had the same capital as the Maurya Empire (at Pataliputra [modern Patna], in the present province of Bihar), never, at its largest, attained the same extension. Yet it exercised a hegemony over all India; and, thanks to the Mauryas’ work, all India, North and South, constituted a social though not a political unity in the Gupta Age.] The area which the Indic Society had thus come to cover at the close of its history was all embraced in the original home of the “affiliated” Hindu Society, which occupied the whole sub-continent from the outset and afterwards expanded eastward overseas into Indonesia and Indo-China.
Born: May 28, 1883, Bhagur
Died: February 26, 1966, Mumbai
Education: Fergusson College, Inns of Court School of Law
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, b. 28 May 1883 – 26 February 1966 was an Indian freedom fighter, revolutionary and politician. He was the proponent of liberty as the ultimate ideal. Savarkar was a poet, writer and playwrighter.
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, commonly known as Swatantryaveer Savarkar was a fearless freedom fighter, social reformer, writer, dramatist, poet, historian, political leader and philosopher. He remains largely unknown to the masses because of the vicious propaganda against him and misunderstanding around him that has been created over several decades. This website attempts to bring the life, thought, actions and relevance of Savarkar before a global audience.
For our special feature on the Centenary of Savarkar’s escape from ship S S Morea please click here.
Veer Savarkar – A legend
The first political leader to daringly set Absolute Political Independence as India’s goal (1900).
The first Indian political leader to daringly perform a bonfire of foreign (English) clothes (1905).
The first Indian to organize a revolutionary movement for India’s Independence on an international level (1906).
The first Indian law student who was not called to the English Bar despite having passed his examination and observed the necessary formalities, for his activities to seek India’s freedom from the British (1909).
The only Indian leader whose arrest in London caused legal difficulties for British Courts and whose case is still referred to in the interpretations of the Fugitive Offenders Act and the Habeas Corpus (Rex Vs Governor of Brixton Prison, ex-parte Savarkar)
The first Indian historian whose book on the 1857 War of Independence was proscribed by British Authorities in India even before its publication. The Governor General had asked the Postmaster General to confiscate copies of the book six months before the book was officially banned (1909).
The first political prisoner whose daring escape and arrest on French soil became a cause celebre in the International Court of Justice at The Hague. This case was mentioned in many International Treaties at that time (1910).
The first graduate whose degree was withdrawn by an Indian University for striving for India’s freedom (1911).
The first poet in the world who, deprived of pen and paper, composed his poems and then wrote them on the prison walls with thorns and nails, memorized ten thousand lines of his poetry for years and later transmitted them to India through his fellow-prisoners who also memorized these lines.
The first revolutionary leader who within less than 10 years gave a death-blow to the practice of untouchability in the remote district of Ratnagiri while being interned there.
The first Indian leader who successfully started –
A Ganeshotsava open to all Hindus including ex-untouchables (1930).
Interdining ceremonies of all Hindus including ex-untouchables (1931).
“Patitpavan Mandir”, open to all Hindus including ex-untouchables (22 February 1931).
A cafe open to all Hindus including ex-untouchables (01 May 1933).
The first political prisoner in the world who was sentenced to Transportation for Life twice, a sentence unparalleled in the history of the British Empire.
The first political leader to embrace death voluntarily by way of Atma Samarpan in the highest tradition of Yoga (1966).
Traditions in Hinduism were considered mainly as superstitions, but with the advent of science, it is becoming evident that these traditions are based on some scientific knowledge and moved from generations to generations as traditions. Though the common people did not know science in it, they were following it very faithfully over the years. This article is an attempt to bring forward the science involved in these traditions and rituals. Ancient Rishis, which were scientists actually, did not tell the common people the science involved in these traditions, but instead related them with the God and religion, so that the common people would benefit from them.
Another contributing factor is that the Hindu traditions are made depending on the climate of India as Hinduism is the main religion in India. Even in India, there are different regions with different climate, so they vary from region to region.
1. Why every Hindu should have a Tulsi plant in front of his/her house?
Answer: The Latin name of Tulsi plant is ” Ocimum Sanctum.” It is also called as Holy Basil. For thousands of years, Tulsi has been worshiped by Hindus. It is considered as a sacred plant and it is necessary for every Hindu family to have a Tulsi plant in front of their house. The recent studies, have shown that Tulsi plant releases Ozone (O3) along with oxygen, which is very essential for ecological balance. World Ozone Day is celebrated on 16th September of every year, at which time some environmental organizations distribute Tulsi plants in large number.
Besides that Tulsi has lots of medicinal uses and is a very important herb according to Ayurveda. Tulsi leaves strengthen our immune system. So, the Tulsi leaves are mainly used for treating fever, common cold, cough, sore throat, and respiratory disorders.
Therefore, I think not only Hindus but all of us should have a Tulsi plant in front of our house.
2. Why Hindus worship some particular trees and not all the trees?
Answer: It is true that Hindus honor all the trees but some particular trees and plants are considered sacred and have been worshiped over thousands of years.
Some of the examples are Peepal Tree (Ficus religiosa) and Audumbar Tree (Ficus racemosa). These two trees are 24-hour oxygen generators and cannot be planted manually. They grow on their own mainly through the birds, which eat their fruits. Audumbar tree is associated with Guru Dattatreya, one of main Hindu deities and cutting or dishonoring the tree in any way is considered as a sin. Both of these trees are very important for ecological balance. So by associating them with Hindu deities, they have been protected, so that no one would cut them.
3. Why Hindus pierce ears of a baby?
Answer: After a baby is born, it is a general practice in Hindus to pierce his/her ears. Actually, it is a part of acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture and acupressure is not new to Hindus. Even it is said that these techniques originated in India and later they were conserved and modified by Chinese. Outer part of ears carry a lot of important acupuncture and acupressure points. The point where the ears of a baby are pierced is known for curing asthma. That is why even ancient Hindus used to wear earrings but now a days most Hindus do not wear earrings. They do not even pierce the ears after first piercing. The holes in their ears become invisible after as they grow up. Only Hindu female wear earrings as a tradition.
But there are males of some castes in Hinduism who wear earrings as a tradition till now.
4. Why Hindus do not eat meat on particular days?
Answer: Hindus do not eat meat on particular days, not limited but including:
Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays of every week, Sankashti Chaturthi, Angarki Chaturthi, Ekadashi, Gudhipadwa, Akshaytrutiya, Diwali (all the days) and many more auspicious days.
Amongst these, the reason for not eating meat on some particular days excluding weekly days is purely religious. Killing of animals is considered as a sin in Hinduism. So, people avoid eating meat at least on those auspicious days to maintain sacredness of that particular day.
The reason behind not eating meat on weekdays including Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays is that as a human being we need only a little amount of meat to fulfill requirements of our body such as iron, vitamin B12 and other vital nutrients. But human being basically is an animal and we get addicted to eating meat. As we all know eating excessive meat is not good for health. It can cause diseases like piles, kidney stones, colon cancer, blood pressure, heart attack, etc. Then also people cannot refrain themselves from eating flesh. Therefore, Hinduism has placed some restrictions by assigning the days to particular deities. E.g. Monday is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Thursday to Lord Dattatreya, and Saturday to Lord Hanuman. In this way, people have been assigned some religious restrictions and as most of Hindus are religious, they do obey this rule. In this way, they restrict the meat in their diet which is good for their health.
5. Why only some castes are allowed to eat non-vegetarian food and others are not?
Answer: Basically, who should eat and who should not depends on the occupation of a person. If you ask a modern doctor, he will simply tell you that if you have need for more calories and you do a lot of physical labor, then only you should eat nonvegetarian food. If your occupation is of sedentary type and you eat a lot of high-calorie food, you are bound to gain more weight and invite many sorts of diseases related to obesity.
The medieval caste system of India was based upon the occupation of a person. Therefore the people from a particular caste doing more physical labor were allowed to eat meat. For example, job of a Kshatriya was to fight with enemy and protect the people. So, they required a lot of energy. Hence, Kshatriyas were allowed to eat meat. In the same way, a farmer who requires a lot of physical work was allowed to eat meat. On the other hand, other castes like Brahmins who do Prayer and intelligent work requiring less hard labor were restricted from eating meat. In the same way, weavers, businessmen were not allowed to eat meat.
Aside from that, some nonvegetarian products like meat and chicken are hard to digest. If you do not have enough body movement, it will be hard for you to digest that food and you will be unnecessarily inviting the ailments.
6. We get the human body after our soul passes through 84,00,000 species.
Hindus believe we get a human body after our soul passes through 84,00,000 species. Initially, critics of Hinduism used to say that this is just a myth, so many species do not exist. But with the advent of science, it is revealed that there are about 84,00,000 species on the earth. So, the above statement is symbolic for the fact that human being is born through evolution and we human beings are the most advanced stage of evolution.
7. How Yogis float in the air?
You must have seen in some advertisements or in cartoon films based on Hindu mythologies that some Yogis possess the power of floating in the air while meditating. This can be explained with the phenomenon of superconductivity. This is a possible scientific explanation.
Superconductivity is a phenomenon in which the electrical resistance of certain materials becomes exactly zero, below a characteristic temperature, usually well below 0 degrees Celcius. For example, some cuprate-perovskite ceramic materials become superconductors at -183 degrees Celcius.
When the material becomes superconductor, magnetic lines do not pass through them and they float in the air. This can be easily demonstrated in the lab using liquid nitrogen and the superconductor material. The same principle applies to the body of the Yogi.
In Dnyaneshwari, written by Saint Dnyaneshwar, he has described his experience of what happens when Kundalini Shakti arises in the body. He has mentioned that it feels like Kundalini power drinks all the blood and eats up all the flesh in your body and your body becomes very, very cold. After some time, it again regenerates everything and your body becomes as fresh as a newborn.
It is quite possible that when the temperature of Yogi’s body decreases, it reaches to a point where Yogi’s body becomes a superconductor and hence, the gravitational lines do not pass through his body and he floats in the air. Though, there is no proof for this but it is quite possible.
Hence, it is not a superstition that Yogis float in the air. The ad makers who mock the Hindus in the ads by making fun out of the Yogis floating in the air should consider this fact.
8. Theory of atom was first put forth by Indian scientist Kanad.
We learn in our science text books that the everything in this universe is made up of atoms i.e. atom is the smallest parts of the matter and this theory was first put forth by Dalton. Hence, the theory is known as Dalton’s atomic theory. But this theory was first put forth by an Indian scientist Kanad before 500 B.C. It is not just a rumor but it is a proved fact. The evidence is there to prove this but still the credit goes to Dalton and not to Kanad.
According to Hinduism, sex is an integral part of life. It is not a taboo. In fact, it is part of the four Purusharthas of life. Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha are the four Purusharthas of a Hindu’s life. The Kama here means all the activities, which give us pleasure. Sex is also one of those activities.
Kamasutra is the oldest book about the sex written by Vatsayana, a Hindu sage. This book gives detailed descriptions about sex like types, positions, importance, compatibility of partners, eunuchs, etc.
The ancient Khajuraho Temple in India is famous for the sculptures on it in which the statues of men and women are depicted as having sex in different positions.
According to Hinduism, sex is sacred only if it is marital. Hinduism prohibits premarital or extramarital sex.
Some sects in Hinduism worship Yoni (female genitalia) as the Goddess.
Hindus worship Lord Shiva in the form of Lingam, which is a symbol of male creative energy, and is always shown with Yoni, the symbol of female creative energy.
In ancient India, a widow without children was allowed to have sex with the appropriate person in order to have a child. This process was called as Niyoga.
In Mahabharata, Draupadi is depicted as having five husbands who were Pandavas.
Though Hinduism does not support prostitution, you will find prostitutes in all parts of India. Sex without marriage is a bad Karma and the person has to pay the price for it.
In Hinduism Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha are the four Purusharthas of a Hindu’s life and sex is an integral part of life,which is part of the four Purusharthas.The “Kama” means those activities,which give us pleasure and satisfaction.Sex is also one of those activities which gives great pleasure and satisfation.
Kamasutra is very ancient book about sex,written by the Hindu sage Vatsayana.This book has all those details and descriptions about sex types,sex positions,sex importance and compatibility of partners, eunuchs etc.The ancient Khajuraho Temple in Madhya Pradesh,India is well known for the sculptures on it.Here the statues of men and women are depicted as having sex in different positions.The builders of the Khajuraho temple were Rajputs and were followers of Waam-maarga or left-handed Tantra, an acceptable way of attaining Moksha.
The sculptors created those pieces of arts is only outside the temple because it signifies that all those feelings must be left outside the temple, before entering the inner sanctum.There are no such sculptures inside the temple.The sculptures are also on Konark temple’s exterior.It is a metaphysical symbolism.Hinduism recognizes the role of sexual desires in human lives.
The sexual depictions in some of the temples were mean to not only educate the people, but also to help those who were involved in sexual sadhanas for enlightment. There is a difference between Nudity and expression of beauty and pornography.What appears in Hindu puranas and Itihasas are the expressions of genuine beauty and not pornography.
The carving of such bold sculptors denotes the free thinking creative minority existing in India at that time.This also signifies that Scythians, Huns, and Kushans assimilation in Hindu society was complete by then.The freeness of the society towards discussing sex empirically and scientifically reveals about the overall openness of the culture.
According to Kama Sutra,the man should practise Dharma, Artha and Kama at different times and in such a manner that they may harmonize together and not clash in any way.He should acquire learning in his childhood, in his youth and middle age he should attend to Artha and Kama.In his old age he should perform Dharma and thus seek to gain salvation ie liberation.Moksha is a long process which can be achieved only when all material desires are fulfilled
Acharya Rajnish aka Osho,in his book- “Sambhog Se Samadhi Tak” has very convincingly explained this. He says that a person is always engaged in pleasure till a time comes that he is satisfied of all these things going around the temple and then he enters the temple to see the God.That is first you have to deal with very natural things like Kaam and only after crossing this, you can attain Gyan or knowledge of God.
Hinduism only approves the marital sex as sacred and prohibits premarital or extramarital sex.Some sects in Hinduism worship Yoni (female sex organ) as the Goddess.Hindus worship Lord Shiva in the form of Lingam, which is a symbol of male creative energy and is always shown with Yoni,the symbol of female creative energy.
In olden times India,a childless widow was considered to have sex with the appropriate person in order to have a child and it was called as “Niyoga”.In Mahabharata, Draupadi is depicted as having five husbands who were Pandavas.Though Hinduism does not support prostitution, you will find prostitutes in all parts of India.
During a conversation between Shiva and Shakti(Vigyan Bhairava Tantra),Devi Asks-
O Shiva, what is your reality ?
What is this wonderful universe ?
What consttutes seed ?
Who controlls the universal wheel ?
What is this life beyond form pervading forms ?
How may we enter it fully,
above space and time,
names and descriptions ?
Let my doubts be cleared !
Shiva then explains her 112 methods of meditation to attain enlightment.
Lord Shiva explains-
At the start of sexual union
Keep attentive on the fire in the beginning,
And so continuing,
Avoid the embers in the end.
When in such embrace your senses are shaken as leaves,
Enter this shaking.
Even remembering union,
Without the embrace.These verses clearly indicate how sexual act can be utilized for achieving enlightment.Enlightment is a state, when all egos vanish.As in a sexual act, the couple leaves behind their ego and unites with each other and achieves sexual ecstasy. This very thing can be utilized to achieve spiritual ecstasy.
*Sex as Yajna-
Yajna or sacrifice is derived from root word “Yaj”,which means Worship or offering an oblation.It is an act by which a couple surrenders the ego, in order to gain pleasure,satisfaction and progeny.
“Her lap is a sacrificial altar, her hairs, the sacrificial grass,her skin, the soma-press,the two labia of the vulva are the fire in the middle.So great is the world of his who practises sexual intercourse.These verses from “Upanishad” clearly indicate that, sex is a form of worship and also as an act of sacredness.
*Message-
The Hindu Sage,Vatsayana says, both men and women should learn Kamashastra. In Hindu society sex was always considered to be individual choices.There are many instances in our history and scriptures mentioning pre-marital sex and love marriages.Also the extra marital affairs are personal affairs, we should let individuals to decide about it. Hence it is improper to call them anti-Hindu acts.Gandharva Marriage is the voluntary union of a maiden and her lover, which arises from desire and sexual intercourse for its purpose.
Hinduism has given freedom to its people. In Hindu society sex is neither a taboo nor pornography.Sex is a sacred act,recognized as human desire to be satisfied and which may be used to attain the ultimate goal of enlightment.
Sex and Hinduism
“Her lap is a sacrificial altar; her hairs, the sacrificial grass; her skin, the soma-press. The two labia*(lips) of the vulva are the fire in the middle.” [Brhad-Âranyaka Upanisad, 6.4.3]
“This man (ama) am I; that woman (sâ), thou!
That woman, thou; this man am I!
I am the Sâman; thou, the Rig!
I am the heaven; thou, the earth!
Come, let us two together clasp!
Together let us semen mix,
A male, a son for to procure!” [Brhad-Âranyaka Upanisad, 6.4.20]1
Whenever the issue of Love, Nudity, Sex and Hinduism comes into picture, we usually get any one of the following reactions-
1] The Westerners in general and Western scholars doing South Asian studies [for example RISA2] in particular, and their Indian counterparts who consider Hinduism to be mix of voodoo and pornography.
2] The Hindu orthodox which thinks sex is a taboo.
Now I will examine, how valid is both of these perspective.
Hindu Purusharthas:
Purusharthas means objectives of a human being. They are the canonical four ends or aims of human life. They serve as pointers in the life. The four Purusharthas from lowest to highest-
? Kama – pleasure or desire3
? Artha – wealth
? Dharma – righteousness or morality
? Moksha – liberation from the cycle of reincarnation
According to Kama Sutra, “IN the beginning, the Lord of Beings created men and women, and in the form of commandments in one hundred thousand chapters laid down rules for regulating their existence with regard to Dharma, Artha, and Kama.” 4 Further it says- “MAN, the period of whose life is one hundred years, should practise Dharma, Artha and Kama at different times and in such a manner that they may harmonize together and not clash in any way. He should acquire learning in his childhood, in his youth and middle age he should attend to Artha and Kama, and in his old age he should perform Dharma, and thus seek to gain Moksha, i.e. release from further transmigration..”5
So, according to Hindu scheme of thing, even though Enlightment is the ultimate goal of life, it encourages people to enjoy everything and fulfill all material desires. Moksha is a long process. It can be achieved only when all material desires are quenched. And hence, Hindu religion prescribes 2 methods, the path of renounciates, the path of householder. There is one more less popular but more maligned path of within “Tantras” which accept everything material, everything condemned as taboo and hence aims to rise above the animalistic desires.
Sex as Yajna:
Yajna or sacrifice is derived from root word “Yaj”. It means Worship or offering an oblation.
Max Muller defines Yajna is an act by which we surrender something for the sake of gods”6.
Sex is worship. It is an act by which the couples surrender their ego, in order to gain pleasure, progeny, eventually even enlightment.
“Her lap is a sacrificial altar; her hairs, the sacrificial grass; her skin, the soma-press. The two labia of the vulva are the fire in the middle. Verily, indeed, as great as is the world of him who sacrifices with the Vâjapeya (“Strength-libation”) sacrifice, so great is the world of him who practises sexual intercourse”7 (Brhad-Âranyaka Upanisad)
These verses clearly shows that, sex was treated as a form of worship, an act to not only fulfill one”s desires and gain pleasures, but also as an act of sacredness.
Sex as Meditation:
In Vigyana Bhairava Tantra8, during a conversation between Shiva and Shakti,
Devi Asks:
O Shiva, what is your reality?
What is this wonder-filled universe?
What consttutes seed?
Who centers the universal wheel?
What is this life beyond form pervading forms?
How may we enter it fully,
above space and time,
names and descriptions?
Let my doubts be cleared!
So, Shiva explains her 112 methods of meditation to attain enlightment. He says-
At the start of sexual union
Keep attentive on the fire in the beginning,
And so continuing,
Avoid the embers in the end.
When in such embrace your senses are shaken as leaves,
Enter this shaking.
Even remembering union,
Without the embrace.
These verses clearly indicate how sexual act can be utilized for achieving enlightment. Enlightment is a state, when all egos vanish. As in a sexual act, the couple leaves behind their ego and unites with each other and achieves sexual ecstasy. This very thing can be utilized to achieve spiritual ecstasy.
Kamashastra:
It is the study of “Sixty Four9” arts like- Singing, Playing on musical instruments, Dancing, Union of dancing, singing, and playing instrumental music, Writing and drawing, Tattooing, etc. “Kamasutra” or the “art of lovemaking” only a part of this Shastra.
Is Hinduism pornography and Tantra a sex manual?
The straight answer is a simple No. It is Victorian mentality which condemns any depiction of sex. Hinduism recognizes the role of sexual desires in human lives. The sexual depictions in some of the temples were mean to not only educate the people, but also to help those who were involved in sexual sadhanas for enlightment. There is a difference between Nudity and expression of beauty and pornography. What appears in Hindu puranas and Itihasas are the expressions of genuine beauty and not pornography.
“Tantra” is a much maligned word. “Tantra” actually refers to vast body of literatures called “Agamas” which are practical manuals for meditation. There are many Shaiva, Shaktha, Pancharatra Agamas. Using sex for meditation is prescribed in only few of the so many different paths described in Agamas. So, it is very wrong in equating Tantra with Sex.
Some Social Issues:
Sex Education: Sex education had always been present in Hindu history. Vatsayana says, both men and women should learn Kamashastra10.
Pre-Marital Sex and Love Marriages: In Hindu society sex was always considered to be individual choices. There are many instances in our history and scriptures depicting pre-marital sex and love marriages. So, crying out against them as being anti-Hindu is not quite proper. Manusmrithi recognizes 8 kinds of marriages of which “Gandharva Marriage11” is one of them. It is the voluntary union of a maiden and her lover, which arises from desire and sexual intercourse for its purpose.
The same can be said about extra marital affairs. As they are personal affairs, we should let individuals to decide about it. Hindu society has always given this much freedom to its people.
Conclusion:
In Hindu society sex is neither a taboo nor pornography. Sex is sacred. Sex is recognized as human desire which should be satisfied and which can be used to attain the ultimate goal of enlightment.
References & Notes:
1 Brhad-Âranyaka Upanisad forms part of the Satapatha-brâhmana. The verses are taken from chapter titled “Incantations and ceremonies for procreation” http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe15/sbe15098.htm
2 Religions In South Asia (RISA), a department under the American Academy of Religion (AAR), has been sponsoring studies for years now to deride Hinduism. Our gods and goddesses like Ganesha, Shiva, Parvati, Laxmi and Kali, our rituals like Upanayana our saints like Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa and scriptures, Mahabharata, Ramayana and Gita all have come under such distasteful sexual connotation and nauseating voyeurism that one begins to wonder if it can at all be called academics. http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=195&page=2
3 Kama in general means material desires and pleasures- Physical, Emotional, Sexual, Psychological.
According to Kama Sutra of Vatsayana- “Kama is the enjoyment of appropriate objects by the five senses of hearing, feeling, seeing, tasting and smelling, assisted by the mind together with the soul. The ingredient in this is a peculiar contact between the organ of sense and its object, and the consciousness of pleasure which arises from that contact is called Kama.” http://www.sacred-texts.com/sex/kama/kama102.htm
5 Chapter 2, Observations on the Three Worldly Attainments of Virtue, Wealth, and Love, The Kama Sutra of Vatsayayana, Translated by Sir Richard Burton. http://www.sacred-texts.com/sex/kama/kama102.htm
Why did Ancient Hindu Temples have Sex Sculptures?
Sex symbols have been associated with Hinduism from an early stage. These symbols were mainly part of nature worship. There is difference of opinion regarding the exact reason for sex sculptures in Hindu temples. And the notion of Hindu sex temples is wrong. A Classic example is Khajuraho were only 20% of the sculptures are sex sculptures that too they are depicted along with other aspects life.
Kama (materialistic living which includes sex) is one among the four paths suggested in Hinduism to merge with Brahman or to escape from rebirth (Moksha). Many scholars think these sculptures were meant to explain the ‘Kama’ aspect to people.
A closer study of Hinduism will reveal that sex was never a taboo during the ancient period. Some believe they were meant for sex education and there is nothing unnatural for temples to have them. In fact, the sex sculptures are all seen outside the Hindu temple along with other sculptures depicting materialistic way of life.
Buddhism had completely devoured Hinduism during the initial phase of 1st millennium. But soon the rigid Buddhist way of life began to create problems in the society. It is said that Hindu sages saw this as an opportunity to revive Hinduism. To invite people into family and sex life these sculptures were created.
The ancient Hindu kings of India were noted for their extravagance. Some scholars believe the sculptures were part this luxury.
Caste system which was created originally for systemic spiritual and social growth of people has now become a curse to the Hindu society because of its misinterpretation, ignorance, and disadvantages taken by some sections of society. Some people blame the current form of caste system to Hinduism, which is absolutely wrong. Evangelists provoke some so-called low-caste people to accept their religion by using caste system as a weapon against Hinduism.
This article is not written to support any form of caste system but to present the truth behind it in front of the people. Upon completion of reading this article, I assure you that you will have an in-depth knowledge of the caste system and you will come to know that these are not Hindus actually who are responsible for the current form of caste system, but it is the lack of that scientific knowledge which have led to this stage.
Introduction to caste system:
Caste system is a system, which decides a person’s social status and trade by his/her birth.
Modern caste system is a misinterpreted form of Varnashrama, also called as Chaturvarnya System i.e. Four Varna System.
It is important to note that Hinduism advocates Varnashrama and not modern caste system, which is based upon the caste of the family in which a particular person is born.
The caste system is broadly divided into four categories:
1. Brahmin – Brahmin is the highest-revered society in Hinduism who by birth rights can perform all the rituals and become priest of a temple or do teaching or scholarly jobs.
2. Kshatriya – The main job of Kshatriaya is to protect the society from external aggressions and to keep law and order. Kshatriya is the second highest-revered community but their status is that of below Brhamins.
3. Vaishya – Vaishya is the trading community. Their job is to trade. Their status is that of below Kshatriya.
4. Shudra – Shudras are considered to enjoy the lowest status in the hierarchy of caste. Their main job involves physical labor such as cleaning, pottery, carpentry, etc.
Ancient caste system i.e. Varnashrama or Chaturvarnya System:
Each human being is born with certain characteristics and with some natural inclination towards a particular occupation e.g. some people are natural businessmen. They do not want to work for others at any cost even if they are highly paid. On the contrary, some people want to serve and do not at all want to do business. Some people want to join the armed forces only and fight for the cause of country.
A few years back British scientists discovered that for being a successful businessman, the person needs to born with certain sets of genes. There is a rumor that even some companies are planning to check the gene map of a person who has applied for a certain post to see whether they fit for that particular job or not.
Varnashrama was the system which used to recognize the certain inclination of a person towards a particular occupation and help him to do the job which he will be best suited for. It was of no significance in which family he was born. There were no restrictions on marriage between the persons of two different castes.
Now, the question arises is that do the ancient Hindus have knowledge about genes? If so, to what extent? Because the laboratories that we have now were not available at that time, then how?
Cast system during medieval period:
The medieval period was the worst period for Hinduism. It was this period only when the castes were divided into many subcastes. Moreover, the regionalism added new aspects to the castes.
The above-mentioned four categories are further divided into subcategories. For example, In Brahmins, there are subcastes like Chitpavana Brahmins, Deshastha Brahmin, Kayastha Brahmin, Vaishnava Brahmins, Kokanastha Brahmins, and a lot.
When a baby is born in a Hindu family, he/she is not only a Hindu but is also attached to a particular caste and subcaste, which his/her family is from. For example, if a baby is born in a Deshastha Brahmin Family, he will be a Hindu as well as a Brahmin but a Deshastha Brahmin.
The occupation of a person was decided by his caste only. That means a carpenter’s son will have to do carpentry only and not other jobs like pottery or he cannot be a soldier while a soldier’s son will have to be soldier only and he will not be doing other jobs.
Modern Cast System:
At the present time in India, there are more than 2800 castes and subcastes. In Vedic times, there were only four castes. So between the period of about 3500 years, Hindus have thrown out the original caste system and have evolved now to a new form of caste system.
In modern India, people are not much bothered about caste unless it comes to election and marriage. People are throwing out the old thoughts of caste system. Modern Indian society is inclining towards a money-centered society instead of a caste-centered society. But unfortunately, the caste system is not totally eradicated, especially in rural areas where people still consider the caste of a person as a primary factor. The conditions are changing fast. By the efforts of Indian government and social organizations, rural India is also changing. Though the sporadic incidences are still there, the future is very optimistic. Lower caste people have been given reservations, so that they can occupy higher authority positions in government institutions. They have been given reservations in government services also so that they can progress faster.
Science behind ancient caste system:
The following paragraph is just a hypothesis as it is very hard to prove what happened thousands of years ago and how things developed. We will give some theoretical evidence to prove science in ancient caste system. I do not claim that it is 100% true.
What I think is ancient Hindus were advanced in science and technology that including genetics. They knew that these are the genes (not exactly but something like that) which controls the properties of a human being like skin, color, hair, inclination for job (whether he is a fighter or a labor etc.), nature, diseases, etc. At that time, there were no laboratories to take a blood sample and identify the genes, but they had developed another way of finding it out and that was Janma Kundali or Janma Patrika. Janma Patrika is sketched based on the positions of stars, planets, and nakshatras at the time of birth of a person. If you have ever seen a Janma Patrika or if you have ever shown it to a priest who has profound knowledge about it, he will easily tell the characteristics of a person like skin color, nature, job prospectus, and a lot of other things without seeing that person. I have personally experienced this many times.
I am giving a few examples here what I have experienced:
1. Since my childhood I wanted to join either armed force or police force, I did not know why. Unless and until a few years back, I did not even consider any other career. I tried my best to join armed forces but unfortunately I could not. (My Varna is Kshatriay according to my Janma Patrika which means warrior).
2. My brother always wanted to be a businessman. Though he could not, he is still trying to become one. Actually, he likes business from the heart (His varna is Vaishya according to his Janma Patrika).
3. One of my friends wants to do business at any cost. Right now, he is working and doing a small business also for which he has to work about 16-18 hours a day. He thinks each and every thing in terms of a business (He is also a Vaishya according to his Janma Patrika).
These are very few examples. I have seen the Janma Patrika up to 90% accurate in some cases but I am not sure how one can tell future of a person from Janma Kundali.
In conclusion, what I want to tell is that it is quite possible that the occupation of a person was decided in ancient India based on Janma Kundali as the Janma Kundali was considered as your gene map (if you think in modern terms). Only the technique to find characteristics of a person was different.
But in the flow of time, people might have started misusing it as it is very hard to know who was born at what time, and Janma Kundali can easily be manipulated by a person who has knowledge about it. So, people at that time must have decided to allot a job to a person based on which family he is born instead of his Janma Patrika as the next generation carries genes of the ancestors. For example, if a person was born in a Shudra family, he had to do labor work and if a person was born in a Brahmin family, he had to do priestly works.
Thus, the caste system which we see now must have risen.
Now, the most basic question is did ancient Hindus have knowledge of genes?
My answer is “Yes.” If you have some knowledge about a typical Hindu family, each and every family has Gotra. Gotra is the lineage or clan associated with a Hindu family. Each family has gotra. Some families have different gotra and some families have the same. In preparation of a Hindu marriage before coming to any decision, gotra of the two families is checked. A marriage between same gotra is not allowed as they are considered to be from the same origin and genetically the would-be bride and groom would be brother and sister! The marriage between same gotra could have adverse effects on the forthcoming generation.
It sounds weird but it is true.
I think that proves my point.
The rise of untouchability:
Please read above paragraphs also if you want to know how untouchability might have been raised.
I must first mention here that in any Hindu scripture like Vedas or Bhagvad Gita, there is not such concept. This inhumane thing was put into practice by some misguided people and Hinduism does not support untouchability in any form.
In medieval India, people of upper caste and even lower caste also used to observe practice of not touching persons from some of the subcastes of Shudras like sweeper, toilet cleaners, cobbler, etc. These people were forced to live outside the village, were not allowed to share the water resources the upper caste people used, were not allowed to enter temples, were not allowed to attend marriage ceremony of a upper caste person, were not allowed to do intellectual jobs, etc.
Due to caste system, some of the lower caste people were forced to do jobs like toilet cleaning, sweeping and other jobs which are considered dirty and useless by the society. The people doing these jobs might have failed to maintain the cleanliness because of the water scarcity or due to other reasons.
As most of the Hindus are idol worshippers, persons doing these jobs might had been considered as dirty by the people doing other occupations and therefore, I think, this concept of untouchability might have been raised.
Untouchability is illegal now according to Indian constitution and law and no one in India observes this, but some conflicts still happen in some part of rural India over issues of entering the temple and sharing of the same water resources.
Caste system in other religions in India:
Is it not funny to know that even people from other religions like Christianity and Islam observe caste system and they have groups resembling to castes and subcastes in their religion also?
Unfortunately, it is true. Islam has around 80 different groups same as castes and subcastes in India. People from different groups do not marry each other. For example, Konkani Muslims think themselves as different and they do not establish marital relations with others easily. Differences between Sunni and Shiya are prevalent.
Christians in India have divided themselves over regions. There are groups like Goan Christian, UP Christian, Catholics, Marathi Christians, Keralite Christians, and a lot. People from these groups consider themselves as superior to each other, which is totally against their religion.
Clearly, this has nothing to do with Islam or Christianity. It is the side effect of Hindu caste system, which has penetrated through other religions also.
How to eradicate caste system:
No doubt, whatever may be the reason, observing caste system in any form, which may be ancient, modern, or medieval, is not good for humanity. We should not, at any cost, divide humanity in terms of religion, caste, or may even be genes. Each and every human being has rights to choose his own form of employment, no matter what his/her genes say. Therefore, it is the duty of all Hindus and people of other religions also to eradicate the caste system. It is really possible and feasible. If we can eradicate slavery, then why cannot we eradicate caste system. This thing will take some time even a few hundred more years, but it will be eradicated. I suggest some simple things to accelerate this process.
1. Meet every person as a human being and not as if someone representing his/her caste, religion, race, etc. Never ask anyone that what is his/her caste.
2. Never look for a person’s caste at the time of marriage.
3. Politicians are making use of caste for their vote banks and making use of reservation merely to gain more votes. It is the duty of those who get reservation to deny it. Rise on your own. You are the greatest creation of the God. You do not need crutches of reservation to stand, throw it.
4. Teach your children about equality and not about caste system.
5. Avoid caste-related comments, not even for fun; it really hurts to the person.
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Auraiya, Auraiya Etawah, Auraiya District, Auraiya U.P. 