[Advaita-l] Adwaita and and caste.

[ravi chandrasekhara]

Pranam to all,

It was correctly mentioned that a bad person is not = Shudra and good person is not = Braahmana. A fallen individual (based on acts,deeds, etc) does not change their varna. Examples include: Ravana, Ajamila, Ashwatamma, Kamsa, etc. IMHO, also not following one's svadharma may not change one's varna as long as nitya-karmas and samskaras are performed. Many Rajputs over past couple of generations are into business as their palaces are now hotels.

As Kanchi Paramacharya mentioned, Dvija-Bandhu occurs when 3 consequetive generations have not chanted Gayatri Mantra and subsequent generations in that lineage cannot undergo upanyana.  Many Braahmanas are barely escape the tag of Bandhu nowadays, since they chant Gayatri during Sandhyavandana after upanayana and probably hardly ever again perform sandhyavandana.  Many Kshatriya and Vaishyas are Bandhus as they have even stopped upanayana for 3 generations now. I personally know some Rajputs and Gujarati Banias who are in this category.

Please below:
Taken from http://vedvikas.blogspot.com

WHAT THE VARIOUS TYPES OF BRAHMANAS?
 
According to Devala, there are eight types of BrAhmaNas as follows in the ascending order of greatness:

(1)MAtra
(2)BrAhmaNa
(3)Srotiya
(4)anUcAna
(5)BhrUNA
(6)Rishikalpa
(7)Rishi
(8)Muni

MAtra means one who is born in a BrAhmaNa family who has not undergone upanayanam and not following any ansuhthAna.

BrAhmaNa is one who has done some veda adhyayana, who has ACara, SAnti, Satyam, dayA.

Srotriya is one who has done the Veda adhyayanam of one SakhA along with kalpasUtra or six vedAngas, knower of dharma, performer of six karmas like yajanam.

anUCAna is one who is vedavedAnga tatvajna, Suddha citta, devoid of Sins and having the qualities of Srotriya.

BhruNa is one who is vrataguNopeta, follower of niyamas in yajnas and vedAdhyayana, devapitruSishtAnna BhojI, jitendriya.

Rishikalpa is one who has all vaidika and laukika jnAna, Asramastha, jitendriya.

Rishi is one who is Urdharetas, tapasvI, follower of AhAra niyama, powerful to give SApa and anugraha, satyasandha.

Muni is one who is not attached towards vishayas, knower of all tatvas, without KAma and krodha, dhyAnastha, nishkriya, jitendriya, viewer of gold or sand equally.

Dhanyavaad,
Ravi Chandrasekhara