They Were Born That Way

By krishnasmercy on March 21, 2024 • ( 0 )

“The one who was without a caste, who took birth from a ground of sins – even that woman was liberated. O you of greatly foolish mind, how can you desire happiness while forgetting such a Lord?” (Dohavali, 156)

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जाति हीन अघ जन्म महि मुक्त कीन्हि असि नारि
महामंद मन सुख चहसि ऐसे प्रभुहि बिसारि

jāti hīna agha janma mahi mukta kīnhi asi nāri
mahāmaṃda mana sukha cahasi aise prabhuhi bisāri

“I don’t want to get into a debate about the merits or demerits of the caste system. I know how it was originally instituted, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead set up something like an org chart for the proper management of society.

चातुर्-वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं
गुण-कर्म-विभागशः
तस्य कर्तारम् अपि मां
विद्ध्य् अकर्तारम् अव्ययम्

cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ
guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ
tasya kartāram api māṁ
viddhy akartāram avyayam

“According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.13)

“As is bound to happen, people began to exploit the system. Why worry about guna and karma when you can claim a high status based on jati? I also understand the flip side, where you can tell how cultured a person is based on their association. If they grew up in conditions not conducive to higher thinking, to following austerity and penance, then of course they are more likely to behave like animals during adulthood.

“The thing that bothers me, though, is discriminating against someone based on characteristics determined at birth. There are tendencies, for sure. There are different conditions to consider, but I would never entirely count someone out. In my eyes, no one is irredeemable.

“A person is born a certain way. They cannot change that fact. You can blame their karma, their fruitive activities from previous lives. But right now there is no way to go back and have a different kind of birth. There is no time machine.

“How can there be such blatant discrimination along these lines? Should not the people with intelligence actually apply some, you know, intelligence? Should they not first judge a person’s qualities before assessing their eligibility for elevation of consciousness?”

A person can complain all they want, but nothing in this area has changed for as far back as anyone can remember. Combing through the annals of recorded history shows that there is an intense struggle for domination, for power, for proprietorship, for acquisition of land, for increasing wealth and influence.

For any advantage which is available, a person or collective is likely to accept. If there is an oncoming calamity for which there is an easy way out, many times it is better not to deliberate. Accept the advantage as some kind of gift from above. The others will suffer, for sure, but how much can I really concern myself with the plight of others?

From the history of the female ascetic named Shabari, we see that the boundaries can be overthrown. A person can overcome the greatest obstacles. As Goswami Tulsidas describes, Shabari took birth from a place that was like a ground of sins. It was full of agha, and God is the supreme pure, pavitram paramam.

There is an immediate contradiction. Just as the upscale establishment has a sign at the entrance requiring certain clothes in order to gain entry, the preponderance of sinful qualities, tendencies, and behaviors prohibits a person from knowing the Almighty in truth. In fact, it is the very elimination of those sins that serves as a prequalification for entering the Divine path.

येषां त्व् अन्त-गतं पापं
जनानां पुण्य-कर्मणाम्
ते द्वन्द्व-मोह-निर्मुक्ता
भजन्ते मां दृढ-व्रताः

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.28)

Shabari had everything going against her, but just see what took place. She was so pure in her desire, so committed to the path, so faithful to the words of her spiritual guide, that she received a personal visit from the Supreme Lord. Shri Rama came to her. He saw Shabari’s devotion. She did not have to work as hard to see Him.

This means that in spite of the negative conditions, the headwinds of formidable force, the interference from those looking only to exploit, there is always hope. The path of devotional service is not dependent on conditions. It can flow in a matter free of interruption and motivation.