Untouchability Is a Doctrinal Axis of Hinduism

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 1 December 2023 This pertains to the disturbing news item that a temple in UP was 'Purified' after, Saiyada Khatoon, a Muslim MLA's visit. Mr Ghulam Mohiyuddin aptly commented that this sick mentality generated untouchability. The stupid reason cited for this 'purification' will make you laugh: "Because Sayeda Khatoon is a Muslim and eats cow meat, her visit to this holy place had made it impure,"Dharamraj Verma said, adding, "After this purification, this place has now become completely pure." Does this foolish man know that so many Hindus consume beef and they visit temples. Many Hindus in Kerala eat cow meat and they go to temples. A large number of Bengalis love to gorge on beef steaks and Chapli Kababs (Chapli Kababs are usually made from ground beef) and pay obeisance to their deities. One of the earliest philosophers in recorded history, Yagyavalkya, who questioned many metaphysical propositions, says, 'I eat it (beef) only if it is cooked till it is tender.' The king of the gods, Indra, too is said to be fond of beef. In the Rig Veda, Indra demands that he be served 15 to 20 cooked oxen (Indra must have been a glutton!). It was a custom in the Vedic ages to offer a cow to a priest. And - if not a full cow - beef was a must for the Madhuparka or offerings. Later, the practice became symbolic of sacrifice. In the Mahabharata, Vyasa is seen accepting a cow but releasing it thereafter. Here the cow is neither killed nor consumed. Because, by then, people had understood that the animal was very useful in daily life, Today's neo-Hindus (sorry, Sanatanis) , like the ignorant followers of other faiths, are not aware of their religious history, heritage and symbolism. They don't know Sanskrit just like most of the fanatic Muslims on the sub-continent don't know Arabic. Semi-educated Hindus, lacking in power of reasoning, logic and dialectic, go bananas over Adi Shankar, not knowing Shankara's open sympathy and support for sectarian views of the ancient treatises on Dharma or law codes. Shankara's most regressive and reactionary view on Sudras is revealed in his commentary on the sutra I.iii.38 on how the Sudras should be prohibited from hearing the Vedas. The Gotama Dharma sutra XII.4, which Shankara refers to here, says “then should he (the Sudra) happen to hear the Vedas, the expiation consists in his ears being filled with (molten) lead and lac.” Hindu religion has been professing casteism, discrimination and untouchability from the beginning and its so-called 'enlightened' exponents like Adi Shankara, Kumaril Bhatt, Mandan Mishra and Vachaspati Mishra (see, all Brahmins!), among others sanctioned untouchability. In short, untouchability is a doctrinal axis of Hinduism. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/untouchability-doctrinal-axis-hinduism/d/131230 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism