Changes

'''Ritvik of the Sarpasatra''' of Janamejaya: The prominent Rtviks of Janamejaya's sarpa yaga were Bhargava, Kautsa, Jaimini, Sarhgarava, Pihgala, Vyasa, Uddalaka, Pramattaka, Shvetaketu, Asita, Devala, Narada, Parvata, Atreya, Kundajara, Kalaghajs, Vatsya, Kohala, Devasarma, Maudgalya and Samasaurabha. (Chapter 53, Adi Parva, M.B.)

'''Ritvik of the Sarpasatra''' of Janamejaya: The prominent Rtviks of Janamejaya's sarpa yaga were Bhargava, Kautsa, Jaimini, Sarhgarava, Pihgala, Vyasa, Uddalaka, Pramattaka, Shvetaketu, Asita, Devala, Narada, Parvata, Atreya, Kundajara, Kalaghajs, Vatsya, Kohala, Devasarma, Maudgalya and Samasaurabha. (Chapter 53, Adi Parva, M.B.)

'''Studentship:''' Under his father's training Shvetaketu became a great scholar. With the rise of his scholarship, he became very conceited. The father who understood this called him to his side and asked him,<blockquote>"

'''Studentship:''' Under his father's training Shvetaketu became a great scholar. With the rise of his scholarship, he became very conceited. The father who understood this called him to his side and asked him,<blockquote>"तमादेशमप्राक्षेयः योनाश्रुतं श्रुतं भवत्यमतं मतमविज्ञाातं विज्ञातमिति कथं नु भगवः स आदेशो भवतीति || (Chan. Upan. 6.1.2 & 6.1.3)"</blockquote><blockquote>"tamādeśamaprākṣeyaḥ yonāśrutaṃ śrutaṃ bhavatyamataṃ matamavijñāātaṃ vijñātamiti kathaṃ nu bhagavaḥ sa ādeśo bhavatīti || (Chan. Upan. 6.1.2 & 6.1.3)"</blockquote>Meaning : By studying all about what you can see, hear and understand, have you learnt anything about what you cannot see, hear or understand?

तमादेशमप्राक्षेयः योनाश्रुतं श्रुतं भवत्यमतं मतमविज्ञाातं विज्ञातमिति कथं नु भगवः स आदेशो भवतीति || (Chan. Upan. 6.1.2 & 6.1.3)"</blockquote><blockquote>"

tamādeśamaprākṣeyaḥ yonāśrutaṃ śrutaṃ bhavatyamataṃ matamavijñāātaṃ vijñātamiti kathaṃ nu bhagavaḥ sa ādeśo bhavatīti || (Chan. Upan. 6.1.2 & 6.1.3)"</blockquote>Meaning : By studying all about what you can see, hear and understand, have you learnt anything about what you cannot see, hear or understand?

Shvetaketu admitted that he did not know. Then Uddalaka explained to him the mystery of Paramatma (universal soul) which is without beginning or end. The phrase तत्त्वमसि || tattvamasi appears here, that is designated as one of the four महावाक्य || Mahāvākya(s) in the Upaniṣhads.

Shvetaketu admitted that he did not know. Then Uddalaka explained to him the mystery of Paramatma (universal soul) which is without beginning or end. The phrase तत्त्वमसि || tattvamasi appears here, that is designated as one of the four महावाक्य || Mahāvākya(s) in the Upaniṣhads.

# Do you know why the पितृलोक || pitrulok (world of forefathers or ancestors) is never filled?

# Do you know why the पितृलोक || pitrulok (world of forefathers or ancestors) is never filled?

# Do you know (in पञ्चाग्नि || Panchagni) by what process at the fifth आहुति || ahuti (oblation) the water or  अप तत्त्व || Apa Tattva gets the name of पुरुष || Purusha?

# Do you know (in पञ्चाग्नि || Panchagni) by what process at the fifth आहुति || ahuti (oblation) the water or  अप तत्त्व || Apa Tattva gets the name of पुरुष || Purusha?

Shvetaketu thought himself to be a ब्रह्मज्ञानि || brahma jnani yet did not know the answer to the King’s questions. The King so questions his claim to be a brahma jnani and so humiliated, Shvetaketu returns home to question his father Uddalaka: <blockquote>"

Shvetaketu thought himself to be a ब्रह्मज्ञानि || brahma jnani yet did not know the answer to the King’s questions. The King so questions his claim to be a brahma jnani and so humiliated, Shvetaketu returns home to question his father Uddalaka: <blockquote>"होवाचाननुशिष्य वाव किल मा भगवानब्रवीदनुत्वाऽशिषमिति || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.4)"</blockquote><blockquote>"hovācānanuśiṣya vāva kila mā bhagavānabravīdanutvā'śiṣamiti || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.4)"</blockquote>Meaning : Bhagavan, you claimed to have given me all knowledge, yet you did not?

होवाचाननुशिष्य वाव किल मा भगवानब्रवीदनुत्वाऽशिषमिति || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.4)"</blockquote><blockquote>"

hovācānanuśiṣya vāva kila mā bhagavānabravīdanutvā'śiṣamiti || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.4)"</blockquote>Meaning : Bhagavan, you claimed to have given me all knowledge, yet you did not?

Shvetaketu continued:  <blockquote>"

Shvetaketu continued:  <blockquote>"पञ्च मा राजन्यबन्धुः प्रश्र्नाप्राक्षीत्तेषां नैकं च नाशकं विवक्तुमिति || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.5) "</blockquote><blockquote>"pañca mā rājanyabandhuḥ praśrnāprākṣītteṣāṃ naikaṃ ca nāśakaṃ vivaktumiti || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.5)"</blockquote>Meaning : I was not able to answer even one of the questions of the King! (Chan. Upan. 5.3.5)

पञ्च मा राजन्यबन्धुः प्रश्र्नाप्राक्षीत्तेषां नैकं च नाशकं विवक्तुमिति || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.5) "</blockquote><blockquote>"

pañca mā rājanyabandhuḥ praśrnāprākṣītteṣāṃ naikaṃ ca nāśakaṃ vivaktumiti || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.5)"</blockquote>Meaning : I was not able to answer even one of the questions of the King! (Chan. Upan. 5.3.5)

So saying he put forth the five questions posed by the King to his father.  

So saying he put forth the five questions posed by the King to his father.  

The Father replies: <blockquote>"

The Father replies: <blockquote>"स होवाच - यथा मा त्वं तदैतानवदो यथाऽहमेषां नैकं च न वेद यद्यहमिमानवेदिष्यं कथं ते नावक्ष्यामिति || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.5)"</blockquote><blockquote>"sa hovāca - yathā mā tvaṃ tadaitānavado yathā'hameṣāṃ naikaṃ ca na veda yadyahamimānavediṣyaṃ kathaṃ te nāvakṣyāmiti || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.5)"</blockquote>Meaning : I do not know the answer to these questions, if I knew, would I not tell you?

स होवाच - यथा मा त्वं तदैतानवदो यथाऽहमेषां नैकं च न वेद यद्यहमिमानवेदिष्यं कथं ते नावक्ष्यामिति || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.5)"</blockquote><blockquote>"

sa hovāca - yathā mā tvaṃ tadaitānavado yathā'hameṣāṃ naikaṃ ca na veda yadyahamimānavediṣyaṃ kathaṃ te nāvakṣyāmiti || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.5)"</blockquote>Meaning : I do not know the answer to these questions, if I knew, would I not tell you?

So both the father and son go to King Pravahna’s assembly to seek knowledge. The guests were received with hospitality and after that the King humbly requested.

So both the father and son go to King Pravahna’s assembly to seek knowledge. The guests were received with hospitality and after that the King humbly requested.

The King asks, <blockquote>"

The King asks, <blockquote>"मानुषस्य भगवन्गौतम वित्तस्य वरं वृणीथा इति || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6) "</blockquote><blockquote>"mānuṣasya bhagavangautama vittasya varaṃ vṛṇīthā iti || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6)"</blockquote>Meaning : Bhagavan (as a brahmin usually was addressed), you can ask for any kind of wealth that is within the means of a human being?

मानुषस्य भगवन्गौतम वित्तस्य वरं वृणीथा इति || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6) "</blockquote><blockquote>"

mānuṣasya bhagavangautama vittasya varaṃ vṛṇīthā iti || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6)"</blockquote>Meaning : Bhagavan (as a brahmin usually was addressed), you can ask for any kind of wealth that is within the means of a human being?

Here the implication is that the  [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय)|क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya]] can give material wealth to the Brahmana but ब्रह्मविद्या as per the prevailing वर्णव्यवस्था (social order) was usually respected as the brahmana’s domain. Notably, contrary to the still continuing popular perception invented by the EIC Indologists and their Indian Sepoys, वर्ण || Varna (translated wrongly as caste) was determined by संस्कार and not parentage.

Here the implication is that the  [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय)|क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya]] can give material wealth to the Brahmana but ब्रह्मविद्या as per the prevailing वर्णव्यवस्था (social order) was usually respected as the brahmana’s domain. Notably, contrary to the still continuing popular perception invented by the EIC Indologists and their Indian Sepoys, वर्ण || Varna (translated wrongly as caste) was determined by संस्कार and not parentage.

But Shvetaketu and his father were not there for material wealth, they had come to receive ब्रह्मविद्या from the  क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya King. Uddalaka humbly requests the King, <blockquote>"

But Shvetaketu and his father were not there for material wealth, they had come to receive ब्रह्मविद्या from the  क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya King. Uddalaka humbly requests the King, <blockquote>"स होवाच - तवैव राजन्मानुषं वित्तं यामेव कुमारस्यान्ते वाचमभाषथास्तामेव मे ब्रूहिति स ह कृच्छ्री बभूव ||  (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6)"</blockquote><blockquote>"sa hovāca - tavaiva rājanmānuṣaṃ vittaṃ yāmeva kumārasyānte vācamabhāṣathāstāmeva me brūhiti sa ha kṛcchrī babhūva || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6)"</blockquote>Meaning : Let the worldly human wealth rest with you. Please bestow upon me, the answer for the questions you asked my son!

स होवाच - तवैव राजन्मानुषं वित्तं यामेव कुमारस्यान्ते वाचमभाषथास्तामेव मे ब्रूहिति स ह कृच्छ्री बभूव ||  (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6)"</blockquote><blockquote>"

sa hovāca - tavaiva rājanmānuṣaṃ vittaṃ yāmeva kumārasyānte vācamabhāṣathāstāmeva me brūhiti sa ha kṛcchrī babhūva || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6)"</blockquote>Meaning : Let the worldly human wealth rest with you. Please bestow upon me, the answer for the questions you asked my son!

Before accepting Uddalaka and Shvetaketu as his disciples the King had to set down the rules as the reigning system did not allow knowledge to be imparted to

Before accepting Uddalaka and Shvetaketu as his disciples the King had to set down the rules as the reigning system did not allow knowledge to be imparted to

As an introduction to पञ्चाग्निविद्या, the  क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya King told the brahmin, "you are the first one amongst the Brahmans to receive the knowledge of this ब्रह्मविद्या, up until now it was known only to Kshatriyas."

As an introduction to पञ्चाग्निविद्या, the  क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya King told the brahmin, "you are the first one amongst the Brahmans to receive the knowledge of this ब्रह्मविद्या, up until now it was known only to Kshatriyas."

== सम्वाद || Discussion ==

== सम्वाद || Discussion ==

This story clearly reveals that in the Vedic period even Kshatriyas were well versed in Brahmavidya debunking the Caste-system hierarchies of the East India Company Indologists’ insinuation that brahmins were the only custodians of knowledge.

This story clearly reveals that in the Vedic period even Kshatriyas were well versed in Brahmavidya debunking the Caste-system hierarchies of the East India Company Indologists’ insinuation that brahmins were the only custodians of knowledge.