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**RBJamez** · 12-04-2009, 12:34 AM

happyhindu:

Thank you for that Upanishad! It is very interesting, and I admire anyone who can become such a sannyasin. I, however, need the rituals. I need to do puja, japa, take darshan in the temple, etc. I'm still waiting to get my Upanayanam performed. I had it set up, but had to cancel because of a medical condition that cropped up.

One thing about that Upanishad...It mentions the chandalas (outcastes). The Upanishads are part of the Veda...The Veda talks about varnashrama dharma, which does not include anything like the outcaste category. What's up with that?

Ah, that possibly means you need the rituals and then slowly move on to the kevala advaitha (or so i seem to sort of understand from your post), am not sure. As you start exploring, you might come across more options too...so well, good luck in your pursuit my friend.

Reg the varna part:
Some upanishads mention varna, like Brihadaranyaka and Chandogya. Most others speak of no varnas, but are simply knowledge texts like gnostic texts.

Some ppl say that even the upanishads were interpolated at one stage (read the book "Discourses on Isavasya Upanishad" by Chinmayananda, and also go thru these: The Upanishads, Part 2 (SBE15): Katha-Upanishad: I, 1 and The Upanishads by Swami Paramananda - Full Text Free Book ) In this case too, the texts are self-contradictory. You can notice a strain of self-contradictory pattern in the Paramahansa Parivrajaka Upanishad too: Paramahamsa Parivrajaka Upanishad | Vedanta Spiritual Library

Some others say, the texts were not really interpolated, but the upanishads themselves were written in the very late vedic period by which time the varna system came to exist. That is why there is the mention of varna in them. Also its said that the varna system of the late vedic period is not the same as the jati system...varnas as classes were semi-stratified units allowing mobility and movement from one class into another. The stratified jathi (occupation) system came later, probably in the dharmashastra and puranic era..

God alone knows what's true.

12-04-2009, 12:34 AM	#13
RBJamez Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 371 Senior Member	happyhindu: Thank you for that Upanishad! It is very interesting, and I admire anyone who can become such a sannyasin. I, however, need the rituals. I need to do puja, japa, take darshan in the temple, etc. I'm still waiting to get my Upanayanam performed. I had it set up, but had to cancel because of a medical condition that cropped up. One thing about that Upanishad...It mentions the chandalas (outcastes). The Upanishads are part of the Veda...The Veda talks about varnashrama dharma, which does not include anything like the outcaste category. What's up with that? Ah, that possibly means you need the rituals and then slowly move on to the kevala advaitha (or so i seem to sort of understand from your post), am not sure. As you start exploring, you might come across more options too...so well, good luck in your pursuit my friend. Reg the varna part: Some upanishads mention varna, like Brihadaranyaka and Chandogya. Most others speak of no varnas, but are simply knowledge texts like gnostic texts. Some ppl say that even the upanishads were interpolated at one stage (read the book "Discourses on Isavasya Upanishad" by Chinmayananda, and also go thru these: The Upanishads, Part 2 (SBE15): Katha-Upanishad: I, 1 and The Upanishads by Swami Paramananda - Full Text Free Book ) In this case too, the texts are self-contradictory. You can notice a strain of self-contradictory pattern in the Paramahansa Parivrajaka Upanishad too: Paramahamsa Parivrajaka Upanishad \| Vedanta Spiritual Library Some others say, the texts were not really interpolated, but the upanishads themselves were written in the very late vedic period by which time the varna system came to exist. That is why there is the mention of varna in them. Also its said that the varna system of the late vedic period is not the same as the jati system...varnas as classes were semi-stratified units allowing mobility and movement from one class into another. The stratified jathi (occupation) system came later, probably in the dharmashastra and puranic era.. God alone knows what's true.
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