Are the Shudras Ill-treated by Shankara?

O Learned and Devoted Servants of God,

[Shri Anil Antony asked: “Sankara also formulated this training in order to remove the repulsion to the human form. He asked to serve all the human beings treating each human being as Brahman.”

With respect to the above knowledge a person argues as given below: Any evidence?

Rather Shankaracharya used quite harsh, cruel, inhuman and degrading toward lower caste, like –He who is a Shudra by birth is like a walking crematorium. He is not fit for any ceremony.

For a Shudra is like a cemetery. Therefore, the Veda is not to be read in the vicinity of a Shudra. “Put the molten lead in his ears if he hears; his tongue is to be slit if he pronounces it; his body is to be cut through if he preserves it.” Shudras like Vidura and the religious hunter Dharmavyadha acquired knowledge owing to the after effects of virtues in past births.

Upanayana ceremony is meant for the higher castes. With reference to the Shudras on the other hand, the absence of ceremonies is frequently mentioned in the scriptures. “In the Shudra there is not any sin by eating prohibited food, and he is not fit for any ceremony”. A Shudra by birth cannot have Upanayana and other Samskaras without which the Vedas cannot be studied. Hence the Shudras are not entitled to the study of the Vedas. Kindly give Your response.]

Swami replied: Please read My recent message on this topic and Shankara falling on the feet of an untouchable, who is considered to be lower than even shudra. The philosophy of Shankara says that every soul is God and this is Monism or Advaita. Caste is decided not by birth but by qualities and deeds only and this is the concept of Lord Krishna in the Gita and Shankara was considered to be the best commentator on the Gita. In any sacred book, unfortunate insertions are made by some rouges and we have to isolate them by sharp logical analysis. Shankara said that logical analysis (sadasat viveka…) is must for anybody travelling in the spiritual path. The ancient sages gave correct interpretation of caste system to be decided by qualities and deeds only and not by birth. Rama and Krishna (backward caste) were worshiped as God by Brahmins and Ravana, even though a Brahmin was condemned as a demon. Temples were built for Rama and Krishna, who were non-Brahmins (by birth) and not to Ravana, a Brahmin by birth. Ofcourse, we agree that some Brahmins of the middle age misinterpreted the scriptures since they did not know Sanskrit language to analyse and know the meaning of the Veda except doing its blind recitation. Certainly, mistakes happened due to which the unity of Hinduism is cracked. As a Brahmin by birth, I submit My sincere most apology to you for such foolish ignorance of My middle-aged forefathers. Let us be united as brothers to rebuild our sacred religion established by the sages. This is not the time for digging the recent past and you must dig up to the end to find out the Hindu religion established by sacred sages. In the next step, we must also try to establish the same spiritual knowledge present in all religions to bring the unity or universality of all the religions in the world for ever-lasting peace avoiding emotions that polish the stabbing knives to kill each other.

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