THRONES
OF PANDIT BEGAN TO TREMBLE
Indian Society was under tremendous influence of
Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas. Brahmin Varna had command over all religious
scriptures. Apart from these scriptures, society was under the dark era of the
inhuman provision of Manusmriti. Only Brahmin varna had rights
over these scriptures. Shudras were denied rights over Vedas. Listening,
Reading and Interpreting Vedas was the domain of Brahmin. If any person other
than Brahmin did it, it was considered as a sin. Manusmriti had inhuman
punishment to Shudras for Listening, Reading and Interpreting
Vedas. Saint Tukaram had raised whipcord against the system in this
dark era. His lines of Abhangas wound the believers of the
Varna system. He always made upper caste people unanswered by his poems. In
this blog, I explore the Tukaram’s perception towards the prevailing system and
rituals
Tukaram was not an ordinary poet. He was a poet
who had a proper understanding of social issues and his poems were full of
wisdom. He used to conduct kirtans (song use for social awakening) in which he
used to raise questions on rituals and exploitative varana system.
He used to challenge the knowledge of pundits, (Brahmin
scholars). Tukaram gave candid options to Vedas through his abhanga and kiratanas.
ATTACK ON “LITERAL SCHOLARS”
He did not deny the power of word but he
oft-quoted that the power of word without wisdom has no use. He was always
telling that word should come out from mouth with proper understanding. Without
understanding the essence of the word was nothing more than a burden. He fired
on Vedic Literal Pundit by comparing them with the bull. He said that the bull
was carrying sugar but it never tasted sugar. Literal pundits were like that
bull. They were just carrying the burden of words but they never tasted wisdom
behind the words. (साकरेच्या गोण्या बैलाचिये पाठी| तपासी सेवती करबाडे||)
Tukaram’s abhngas were whipcord upon the
established class. His every line of abhngas were striking against the scholars
of words. There were few people who became scholars through by-hearting the
shlokas from scriptures. He compared such by-hearted scholars with
the horses. One was carrying luggage and the other one was carrying the burden
of words. (अर्थेविना पाठांतर कासया करावे| व्यर्थची मरोनी घोकूनिया|| घोकूनिया काय वेगी अर्थ पाहे| अर्थरूप राहे होऊनिया||)
Don’t tell mythology : As he was attacking literal pundits, he also
attacked mythology in Puranas. He used to say that "don't tell us
mythology without any experience". These stories would give you pleasure
to your ears but it would be useless in practical life. Tukaram told mythology
was just honor of words and experience was important than words. His Abhangs were
thrashing storyteller pundits.(येरांनी सांगावी रेमट कहाणी| चिता रंजवणी कराया|| तुका म्हणे येथे पाहिजे अनुभव| शब्दांचे गौरव कामा नये||)
There were people of that time who were reciting
complicated mantras and shlokas from Vedas. Such people were telling bravery
stories from mythology. Tukaram, mischievously told such pundits that bravery
should be inside. It was not only for discussion or recital. (बोलो जाणे अंगी नाही शूरपण| काय ते वचन जाळावे ते||)
Tukaram’s practical and rational perception of
life: Tukaram was practical enough. He was portrayed as an impractical
and over-emotional saint by Brahminical Scholars. But his abhangas are
enough to prove his practicality and his rational perception of life.
He was sensitized by the grief of people. He had knowledge of social issues,
poverty , discrimination and inequality. He also very well aware that listening
discourse of any pundit will not give food, it will get only through hard work.(तुका म्हणे काय कहाण्या अरे सांगाल गोष्टी| चाटावे तुमचे बोल रे भुका लागल्या पोटी)
FILTERED VEDAS
Veda is the most influential factor in Indian Culture. It
influence on almost all aspects of Indian society. Impacts of Vedas are
positive as well as negative on the followers of Hinduism. It considered as
most important scripture of Hinduism. The literal meaning
of Veda is ‘to know’.
Vedas are being preserved by generations through reciting. But as time
passes, recital got more importance than the essence of Vedas. Focus had a
shift from wisdom to the recital. Vedpraman became shabdpraman.
Shudras had no right to read, listen and
intemperate Vedas. A large section of the Indian society was away from the
Vedas.
The walls of this prison were shaken by the
ancient Charvakas. But the Vedic Pundit defamed
him. Gautama Buddha had rejected the Vedas. But the Vedas
ended their thinking by using various tricks. Even Tukarams of
sensitive minds stood fearlessly in the shadows to free themselves from this
prison of the Vedas, and openly cried out, "I am not a slave to your
Vedas.” Sant Tukaram realized this fact through his critical thought process.
According to Veda, the soul of all is brahma but in reality,
Veda becomes a tool of discrimination that was supposed to be a tool of
equanimity. Tukaram, being a shudra, had no rights over Vedas but he
did not reject Vedas completely. He knew that intentionally Vedas were kept
away from a large section of the society and convenient meaning is taken from
Vedas by Vedic Pundit. While addressing masses, Tukaram suggested
that one should drink the essence of Vedas by filtering and keeping
discrimination aside. (गाळूनिया भेद| प्रमाण तो ऐसा भेद|| and आहे तैसे बरी | खंडे निवडतो वेदांची||)He was the first saint who openly rebelled against the Varna
System. He broke the rule of Manusmriti and comment on Vedas.
Tukaram called “dharmthak” (person who cheat in
the name of religion) to those Vedic pundits who used to deceive people and
taking the disadvantage of their ignorance. His criticism of the
commercialization of Vedas like a thunderbolt to Vedic Pundit. He said that
pundits were apparently showing that they had Brahmdnyana but inner side they
were thirsty of Money. (मुखे बोले ब्रम्हज्ञान| मनी धनाभिमान||)
Tukaram’s strong rebel
against Vedas is the proclamation of intellectual freedom in the social
history of India.
कोणत्याही टिप्पण्या नाहीत:
टिप्पणी पोस्ट करा