PARASHARA SMRITI HAS DOWNGRADED LOWER
CASTES IN HINDUISM AND NEEDS
TO BE PURGED

Prof Dr Colonel (Retired) K Prabhakar Rao

The Hindu spiritual literature is divided into two parts called Shruti and Smriti. Vedas are known as Shruti as they were not in written form and were passed through from one generation to another through word of mouth. However as time passed people found it difficult to remember and could not understand the Shruti in true text. Hence second part of literature Smriti came up that means some thing being remembered that has already been heard earlier. Thus Smritis remind us of Shruti. Thus only those Smritis that are in consonance with Vedas are authentic and Veda oriented (1). Others are not authentic. Parashara Smriti written in Sanskrit is an ancient scripture of yore and is attributed to the most learned and distinguished Sage Parashara of Mahabharatha times. The Parashara Smriti scripture has earned the wrath of the lower castes particularly Dalits. It has some of the most objectionable writings in relation to modern concepts, thinking and illumination of minds. Untouchability has been the dark spot in Hinduism from time immemorial and the society seriously discriminated untouchables who stood at the lowest ladder of castes of Shoodra. In India, untouchability was rampant during the last century. However slowly the evil reduced and now day is much unheard. The government of India has made the practice of untouchability as a serious offence and stringent punishments are prescribed in the Indian penal code. Law only does not eradicate all evils in the society. Infact society needs transformation and enlightenment. But occasionally the serpent of evil raises its hood in some corner or other of the nation and passions rise high at times leading to killings, disrobing, dishonoring and abuse of Dalit women. Dalits were considered lesser than even animals and it is very strange that a distinguished and highly illuminated sage has penned down the scripture that contain many objectionable verses and these can not be accepted in this modern age (2). Many claim that the scripture was actually written by some other Parashara and is falsely attributed to the great sage. To illustrate, some of the verses with English translations are quoted here (3):-

“Chandaaalam hatava nkaschith Brahmano yadi kanchana
Prajapatyam charetkruchham go dwayam dakshinam dadath” i

When a Brahman kills an untouchable
Let him perform prajapatya Kruchham the holy ritual
And donate he must two cows to get free from sin
Then he can go happy on his work as usual

Prajapatya kruchham is a ritual in which the Brahmin eats in the morning only for three days and eats only in the evening for another three days. He eats whatever he gets and finally for next another three days he fasts completely. It is very strange that the culprit gets away Scot free by performing the ritual after taking the life of the Untouchable and there is no criminal punishment to him.

“Swapaakam vaapi chandaalam piranha sambhashate yadi
Dwijai ssamssabhashanam kurya tsavitreem thu sakrujja peth” ii

“A Brahmin having spoken to an untouchable
Must speak at once to a well versed Brahmin scholar
Or he should recite the Gayatri holy verse
That would free him from the sin in this universe”

The learned Brahmin if speaks to an untouchable he gets purified by immediately speaking to another Brahmin well versed in astrology etc. If he can not do this, he must recite Gayatri mantra (holy verse) that will free him from the sin and purify him. How strange indeed. Can a human being get polluted by speaking to another fellow human being?

“Chhandali ssaha suptantu triratra mupavasayeth
Chandalai kapadam gatwa Gayatri smaranachuchihi” iii

A guy having slept with untouchable on the same cot
Surely must fast for full three days
Those who walk on the same path treaded by the untouchable
Must recite Gayatri and would be freed from evil rays

If one sleeps with untouchable on the same cot he must fast for three days, If one happens to walk on the same track treaded by an untouchable he should recite Gayatri Mantra to get purified.

Chandala darsanae sadyaha Aditya mava lokayeth
Chandala sparsa nechaiva sachelam snanamachareth iv

“Look at the sun having seen the untouchable
Take dip in water along with clothes and get good bath
The moment you touch an untouchable on this earth
That surely would rid you from sin and evil’s wrath”

If a person sees an untouchable, he must at once look at the sun and he would be purified. If one touches an untouchable, he must take bath at once along with his clothes and he would be purified. This is in no way convincing.

“ Swapaakeem vaadha chandaaleem shoodro vaa yadi gachhathi
Prjaapatyam charetkruchram chathurgo mithunam dadeth” v

“Having slept with an untouchable woman for sex by a Shoodra
He must perform Prajapatya Kruchham the ritual, the holy one
Four pairs of Bullocks and cows are to be given away in donation by him
That would purify and with him, the sin would be none”

If a shoodra man has sexual union with an untouchable woman he must perform Prajapatya Kruchham and must donate four pairs of bullocks and cows. He would be free from sin and purified. This is something that can’t be digested these days.

Chandaaleem vaa swapaakam vaa anguchhathi yo dwaijaha
Triraatra mupavasitwa praanaamanusyasanaath
Sasikam vapanam krutwa prajaapatya dwayam chareth
Go dwayam dakshimna dadyachuddhim Parasharao braveeth vi

Having slept in union with an untouchable woman by a Brahmin
Must surely He fast as atonement for three full days
Shave off his entire head and perform Prajapatya Kruchham
And by giving away two cows he be freed from sin in all ways

If a Brahmin sleeps and has sexual union with an untouchable women he must shave off his head, perform prajapatya Kruchham and fast for three days as atonement and donate a pair of cows. He shall be freed off sin. This is something that can not be accepted.

Chandala Ghata samsthamthu yattoyam pibathi dwijaha
Thathkshanaathkshi patheyathu Prajapatya snanamachareth vii

When some one by mistake drinks water from the pot of an untouchable
Must vomit the water off from the stomach at- once in great pace
Has to perform Prajapatya Kruchham as atonement
And he would be freed from sin without any trace

The moment one drinks water accidentally from the pot of an untouchable he must vomit before it is digested and perform the ritual Prajapatya Kruchham to get freed from the sin. This has no basis for acceptance.

Yadi notkshipathe toyam shareere yasya jeeryathe
Prajapathyam Na dathavyam Kruchham saantapaanam chareth viii

When the water is digested he cannot be freed by Prajapatya Kruchham
He must perform saantapana Kruchham at once
At the end of the ritual he must fast for the full day
And he is surely freed from the sin and gets gods grace

In Saantapaanam ritual which is of higher grade, the person has to drink urine and milk of a cow and, eat excreta of cow. He should eat Ghee, curd and drink water purified by kusha grass daily one after the other in succession. He thus gets purified.

Chandala khaatavapeeshu peetwa salila magrajaha
Agnanaachhaik bhuktenyadahoraatrena suddhyathi ix

Having drunk water from a well by ignorance
That was dug by an untouchable on this earth
The Brahmin must fast for full night to be freed of sin
And for such rituals there is no dearth.

If a Brahmin drinks water from the well dug by an untouchable by ignorance, he must fast for one full night and he would be purified.

Chandala bhandasamsprushtam peetwa koopagatham jalam
Gomootra yavahara stree ratra chuddhi mapnu yath x

Having drunk water from a well where pots are kept
by untouchables
One should drink cow urine for three days
And eat flour of yavala grain as atonement
He would be surely freed of the sin in these ways

If one drinks water from the well where pots have been kept by the untouchables he should drink urine of cows for three days and eat floor of yavala seeds. He thus gets purified.
It is noted that Parashara Smriti has been very unfair to the untouchables and these unfortunate people have been treated worst than dogs and pigs. The scriptures have not prescribed any punishments and actions for atonement for getting in contact with dirty animals like pigs and dogs. But for all other four castes getting in contact with untouchables was a great taboo. Parashara sage was known to have been born to an untouchable woman as per Bhavishya Puranam and it is unbelievable that such enlightened sage would downgrade his own community to such an extent. It is most unlikely that such distinguished sage has penned such atrocious writings and treatise condemning the untouchables. Spiritual scriptures such as Vedas and Puranas are free of such writings and show path for salvation. The most important proof of this can be quoted from the statements of Sage Vaishampayana in Aranya kanda (Pandava princes’s life in forests) of Mahabharatha in which he stated that no one became Brahmin by birth. Lower castes could attain the status of Brahmin by illustrious conduct. Samaveda vajra Soochikopanishath clarifies that Brahminism exists but there is no Brahmin. A person who is free of bad traits such as greed, lust, anger hatred, desires and has good qualities such as patience, love, compassion and kindheartedness is to be called Brahmin. No one is a born Brahmin. One has to attain it by hard work by attaining such qualities.

A Brahmin is one who always speaketh truth
Wishes good for all with control over his senses and free from sin
He is one who treats all as his own being a man of virtue
And free from the six vices in this world to be a Brahmin

Thus it can be confirmed that Vedas did not sanction the present prevailing ills of the caste system. Smritis have been more statutory over a period of time than Vedas in the society and the practices described in them have become more important and developed iron grip over the society. The class struggle as a result of caste system further degenerated and strict regulations were made against the lowest class and called them untouchables. It is generally believed that Aryans who invaded India in the days of yore conquered the natives and suppressed them never to rise and the caste system was imposed on the society to have domination over the defeated tribes and they were utterly downgraded. It is also believed that the offspring of Brahmin women and shoodra were reduced to untouchables and this was done to completely prevent such unions and to maintain strict Caste code in the society. Probably Parashara Smriti was also an effort in this direction which is favorable to Brahmins in the terms of punishments in the form of atonements. The world has greatly changed. Untouchability has been banned and is almost out of sight. There could be some traces, but there is no official sanction. It is high time the scriptures like Parashara Smritis are purged and kept out of circulation.

Bibliography

1. Prof Dr Colonel (Retired) K Prabhakar Rao, Critical studies into philosophies of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Sikhism with respect to Human values, self realization, welfare of human beings and global peace, Ph D Thesis in Religious studies, Almeda University, USA, 2006. PP 93-95

2. Prof Dr colonel (Retired) K Prabhakar Rao, The evil of caste in Hindu society, www.faithcommons.org, May 8, 2007, 20:27

3. Parashara Smriti as cited in Namulakanti Jagannadham, Hindu Dharmam, Murali power press, Kutbiguda, Hyderabad, AP, India, 1976, PP 44-49