-Examples of Varna changes in Puranas SB 7.11.35 - If one shows the symptoms of being a brahmana, ksatriya, vaiSya or Sidra, as described above, even if he has appeared in a different class, he should be accepted according to those symptoms of classification. SB 7.11 calls 2nd birth into higher Varna as purification... and says in 2.4 that all kinds of people like "Kirata, Hina, Andhra, Pulinda, Pulkasa, Abhira, Sumbha, Yavana, members of the Khasa races and even others addicted to sinful acts can all be purified" SB 9.2 — From the ksatriya known as Agnivesya came the celebrated brahmana dynasty known as AgnivesyayanaSB 5.4.13 — There were EIGHTY— ONE younger ones, all born of Rsabhadeva and Jayanti..... They all became perfectly qualified brahmanas [from ksatriyas]. SB 9.2.17 — From the son of Manu named Dhrsta came a ksatriya caste called Dharsta. Although the Dharstas belonged to the ksatriya caste, they were able to convert themselves into brahmanas. - Vishnu Puran Prishadh was son of King (Kshatriya) Daksha but became a Shudra. Further he did Tapasya to achieve salvation after repenting. (Vishnu Puran 4.1.14, Parasara) The sons of Nabhag became BOTH Brahmin and Kshatriya (Vishnu Puran 4.2beginning) Various different kshatriyas became mlecchas (Vishnu Puran, 4.3.18) Satyavrata was degraded to chandala (Vishnu Puran 4.3.7) Shaunak became Brahmin though born in Kshatriya family. (Vishnu Puran 4.8.1) - Veda Rig Veda 9.63 says: aa achat sige: Pua AAA | ATE A GRTEUT: | This is a prayer to make all humans Aryas. So when Veda is making a distinction between Shudra & Arya itmeans bad people and noble people. Of course, birth is as per karma but this is a very clear message from the Veda itself that Varna can be changed. Now if we see Upanishads or Brahmanas we almost always get the same picture. Look at Chandogya Upanishad talks about the initiation story of another Upanishad's author: Gautama asked him, ‘O Somya, what is your lineage?’ Satyakama said: ‘Sir, | do not know what my lineage is. When | asked my mother, she said to me: “I was very busy serving many people when | was young, and | had you. As this was the situation, | know nothing about your lineage. My name is Jabala, and your name is Satyakama.” So, sir, | am Satyakama Jabala’. Gautama said to him: ‘No non-brahmin could speak like this.So the son of a shudra woman and unknown man was declared Brahmin. Now look at the story of Vedic author Vatsa found in Tandya Brahmana 14.6.6, Jaiminiya Brahmana 3.234: The two sons of Kanva, Medhatithi and Trioka, contended about the sacred lore (brahman). They said : 'Come, let us cross the flaming fire’. They crossed the flaming fire. Tris‘oka crossed over it (unharmed), but of the other it scorched the eye- lashes. Ho (Trisoka) said to him (to Medhatithi) : '1 have vanquished thee ’. ' No ', said he, ‘thou art the son of an Asura- mother ; even the deities have not wished to touch thee’. Then, they (said): ‘Come, let us cross the water’. They crossed the flowing Rathaspa. Tris‘oka crossed over it (unharmed), but of the other the rims ofhis cart were moistened by the water of the Rathaspa (translation uncertain, text corrupted !). He (TriSoka) said to him (to Medhatithi): '| have vanquished thee’. let us walk according to the rite through fire (to decide) which of us two is the better brahmin GOD AGNI preferred Shudra's son. Shudra's son was a superior Brahmin compared to born-Brahmin!!! Another example from the Brahmanas is in Kausitaki Brahmana 12.3 and Aitareya Brahmana 8.19 You are the son of a female servant. We will not eat with you" (dasya vai tvam putro sina vayam tvaya saha bhaksayisyama iti). Kavasa became angry and ran away.He recited a hymn of praise to Sarasvati, who then followed after him: sarasvatim etena suktena tustava tam heyam iyaya. Realizing what had happened, the surprised seers hurried to him to express their reverence: "0 seer, homage be to you. Do not harm us. You indeed are the best of us" GODDESS SARASWATI considers a Shudra's son superior to all the-Brahmins (present there) combined at being a Brahmin. The Brahmins present there also accept they are inferior to him. He authored a part of Rig Veda. There are 108 canonical Upanishads as per Muktika Upanishad. One of them is Vajrasuchika Upanishad which says It is said that a Brahmana is so because ofhis caste. This is not acceptable because there are diverse communities in the world... ...Among these many have attained the highest rank, despite of their lower birth and given proof of their wisdom. Therefore a Brahmana is not so because of his community. As per Niralamba Upanishad, There is no caste of the bones, the blood, the flesh or the skin. Nor there is any caste of the Aatma (the true self). It is just a made up behaviour. Smriti:— As per Srimad Bhagavata, Unlike an ordinary living entity, my Lord,You do not discriminate between friends and enemies, the favorable and the unfavorable, because for You there is no conception of higher and lower. Mahabharat 13 SECTION CXLIII - When a pious nature and pious deeds are noticeable in even a Sudra, he should, according to my opinion, be held superior to a person of the three regenerate classes. Neither birth, nor the purificatory rites, nor learning, nor offspring, can be regarded as grounds for conferring upon one the regenerate status. Verily, conduct is the ONLY ground. All Brahmanas in this world are Brahmanas in consequence of conduct. A Sudra, if he is established on good conduct, is regarded as possessed of the status of a Brahmana. The status of Brahma, O auspicious lady, is equal wherever it exists. Even this is myopinion. He, indeed, is a Brahmana in whom the status of Brahma exists,——that condition which is bereft of attributes and which has no stain attached to it. The boon-giving Brahma, while he created all creatures, himself said that the distribution of human beings into the four orders dependent on birth is only for purposes of classification. As per Uttargita (part of Mahabharata), when Arjuna asks Krishna how Varnas are determined, he replies - Birth is not the cause, my friend, it is virtues, which are the cause of welfare. Even a Chandala observing the vow is considered a Brahmin by the gods. Shaivism & Shaktism is totally against caste ,in Tantras & Agamas. Evenexamples are in Shaiva scriptures like Puranas — As per Shri Shiva Rahasya, The Shudra, the Vaishya, the Kshatriya, the Brahmin and the Yogi in their midst: these five are supporting My Law. They are the five fingers of My Divine Hand whereby | establish the Holy Dharma on Earth. (Lord Shiva says that all Varnas are like his five fingers and equally important in upholding Dharma) Shiva Purana's Vidyesvara-samhita (Chapter 17) is about how Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras can ALL BECOME BRAHMINS using Shiva's mantra — arf: TST AAA eas | Gry USTeeToT erfatSTAT Aa || AAS eons HATA AAT | dQueg USaetarnr deacraeteate | YAS Today Haass Sad | YAY VSIA FATA 11 YAY TSA AT AAS sad | Mesa THiseda Safelite || Fafaneace Uysal de fest | aretarer azt AT SIO ATA Va AT Shiva Rahasya (secret) Purana 11.109 - As you account a child born into a Caste to belong to that Caste even though he cannot yet perform all that is required of him according to his station, even thus a servant shall be accounted to belong to the Caste whose work he does even though he may not be a full-blood Farmer, Merchant and so forth. A man who, though born into the Priestly Caste, has no knowledge of the Scriptures and does aFarmer's work, cannot be accounted a Priest but only a Farmer. Verily, Caste is determined by the kind of work a man does. And a servant is a man who does another's work; he has no work of his own. Therefore he belongs to that Caste the work of which he does and not to any other. This shall be a settled matter. He who says otherwise sins against My Law. From Periya Puranam-Nandanara, a Dalit devotee of lord Shiva was denied entry in the temple by the priest. Shiva, being enraged by the priest's actions shut the doors of the temples and a sound echoed from skies that the priest must carry Nandanar on his shoulders respectfully inside the temple if the door has to open. As per Kaula Vali Nirnaya Tantra, All things are pure. It is one's mentality that is impure.Shatapatha Brahmana alttiriya amhita prohibits Shudras only from ajna. Extrapolation to reading Vedas is invalid. Because purpose of Vedas isn't *just* Yajna. Katha Upanishad 1.2.15-16 states the goal of Vedas: To know the universal Brahman via 3. Verse 1.2.16 hose who know the Vedas say that he only 1s a true brahmana who wears the sikha of jiana and whose yajiiopavita is the same (jana). This yajiopavita Verse 2.2.1 Verse 2.2.2Veeo, Beat ard Seah ara sa: | weRATEN ss Yea arate ae aa Sra | fied Zari efarord arafte yearend Bare: ETAT rat AG HR fara rer Sea aaa are Fa (Feo) Acari ae Carer Ah ara, fy Aza, EE, fra safer at a ae aire & far sve fare 2, ga VaR F AEH | say aT sve ae fared ca Wan 8 wy 24 2aens F1 efor 23 are arm ea da Leura ae ante pl at ait eo a a afta az 1 Shudras have Vaidik Adhikara:— If one says that without Yajnopavit one can't have vedik adhikara Brahma Upanishad states 'Those who know the Vedas say that he only is a true Brahmin who has *jnana* as shikha, & *jnana* as yagyopavit: Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.1-2 : One shoulddedicate themselves more to knowing about the universal Brahman. Shukla Yajurved 26.2 in unequivocal terms allows Vedas for all varnas. It explicitly tells us to spread the message of Vedas - Vajrasuchi Upanishad The Jiva does not make anyone a Brahmana, states the text, because with rebirth the Jiva migrates from one body to another, this Jiva remains the same individuality while the body changes. Thus, it is not Jiva which can determine whether one is a Brahmana, asserts verse 3. The Deha or body does not make anyone a Brahmana, according to the text,because every human being’s body is the same,constituted of the same five elements, everyone ages, everyone dies, people from all classes show various combinations of dharma (virtue) and adharma(vice) characteristics. All color complexions similarly, asserts the text, are found is all castes and those who are outcaste. Thus, states verse 4 of the Upanishad, it is not the body which can determine whether one is a Brahmana. Does Jati or birth make a Brahmana? It is not so states the text, because sacred books tell of great Rishi (sages) born in various castes and diverse origins, such as Vyasa from a fisherman's daughter, Kaushika from Kusa grass, Valmiki from an ant hill, Gautama from the hare's posterior, Vasistha from a celestial nymph, Jambuka from a Jackal and Agastya from a mud-based vessel. Regardless of theirbirth origins, they achieved greatness.|Therefore, asserts verse 5 of the Upanishad, it is not the birth which can determine whether one is a Brahmana. Jnana or knowledge too does not make a Brahmana, asserts the text. It is not so because among Kshtriyas and others, there are many who have seen the Highest Reality and Truth, and therefore Brahmin knowledge is not what makes the Brahmana. Karma or deeds do not make a Brahmana, continues the text, because all living beings perform the same deeds, past and future embodiments are common, and everyone is impelled by past. Thus, asserts the text in verse 7, deeds do not make the Brahmana.The text in verse 8 states that Dharmic action is not the essence of the Brahmana either. Many Kshatriyas give away gold, such virtuous actions and anyone performing religious rituals is not what makes a Brahmana. Brahmana: the Vajrasuchi doctrine. Who indeed then is Brahmana, rhetorically repeats the verse 9 of the text. Whoever he may be, answers the Upanishad, he is the one who has directly realized his Atman(innermost self, soul). He is the one who understands that his soul is without a second, is devoid of class, is devoid of actions, is devoid of faults. He knows that the Atman is truth, is knowledge, is bliss and is eternity. He is the one who knowsthat the same soul in him is in everyone, is in all things, pervading within and without, something that can be felt but not reasoned. He is the one who is free from malice, who fulfills his nature, is not driven by cravings for worldly objects or desire or delusions. He is the one who lives a life untouched by spite, ostentation, pride or the need to impress others, Folk Tales:- A story from Katha Saritsagara - Once, Prince Avantidhara falls in love with Suratamanjari, a Chandala (lower caste) girl. There is an interesting argument given to justify this relationship. As per the prince's father who is initially uneasy about the relationship, since the prince fell instantly in love with the girl, he must berelated with her in a previous birth. A person cannot just randomly fall in love with another person unless there are Karma Samskaras (Karmic impressions) of past life. And since these Samskaras are unavoidable, the king agrees for the marriage. Moreover, Gandharva Vivaaha or love marriage is considered as a legitimate form of marriage in Hinduism and you will find many examples like that of Arjuna marrying Uloopi, a Naga, Bhima marrying Hidimba, a Rakshasi, Vyasa being a son of a Rishi and a fisherwoman and Matanga being a son of a Shudra mother and a Vaishya father and so on.