Dr. Satyan Sharma
Department of Sanskrit, Panjab University. From the city named after देवी चण्डी, ‘चण्डीगढ़’.
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Did Manu create caste? Did Brahmans create caste? Answer by Dr. Ambedkar "One thing I want to impress upon you is that Manu did not Give the law of Caste and that he could not do...
Certain ideas which may be thought to be Buddhistic, could be found in some way in texts taken to be pre-Buddha by the likes of Hajime Nakamura. In Nyāyasūtras, a pūrvapakṣa is se...
The 'Varman' descendants of a 'Śarman' An inscription of Kākusthavarman from around 6th century CE tells that the founder of their kingdom was a Brāhmaṇa named Mayūraśarman, who,...
Śūlapāṇi in his commentary on Yājñavalkyasmṛti 1.1-2, mentions various sections of the society (upto Pratilomajas) whose dharmas have been mentioned in the Smṛti. He seems to take...
Commentary versus one's own text Śrī Appayya Dīkṣita in his commentary on Śrīkaṇṭhācārya's commentary on Brahmasūtra 1.3.39, concludes that Śūdras don't have adhikāra in Brahmavid...
The Vedic basis of chanting names of Bhagavān Śrīdharācārya in his commentary on Bhāgavatapurāṇa 6.2.8 cites mantras from the Ṛgveda, which speak of chanting the names of Bhagavān...
In the screenshot from Manusmṛti 2.31, it has been told what kind of names should the people of four varṇas get. Note that the Śūdra is assigned 'jugupsita', for which Medhātithi...
The Mahābhārata verse 'श्रावयेच्चतुरो वर्णान्…' itself seems clear on the subject of letting all 4 varṇas hear Vedas if Brāhmaṇas are made to sit in the front row. Śrī Karapātrī...
Veda and truth In this verse from the Ṛgveda (7.104), it is said that for the wise, true and false statements appear to compete with each other. Out of the two, the statement whic...
A small lesson by Lord Viṣṇu on how to interpret rules laid down by Smṛtis, Purāṇas, etc. Knowing that Lord Viṣṇu is staying with a Cāṇḍāla, a learned Brāhmaṇa hints at the Cāṇḍāl...
Was asked about a statement of Aitareya Brāhmaṇa according to which 'Śūdra can be beaten at will'. Although I am no expert on Brāhmaṇa texts, but I do care about the context in whi...
From a book published in 1874. It tells that the Dhair (described as outcast) was one of the village council. He was the protector of village boundaries, an authority regarding the...