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Editor’s note:
The readers may be astonished at the frankness, boldness and power of arguments, put forward by Mahatma Phule, about a century and a half ago. It may be remembered that these books were not only read by a few literates but were read to the mass gatherings of illiterate masses. It may also be remembered that there used to be severe criticism from Chiplunkarite brahminical press. The readers are urged to look into the rationality and not neccesarily the historicity of his teachings, and the circumstances under which Mahatma Phule had to work.
-Waman Meshram
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Dhondiba: The kind hearted British, French and other Governments in Europe collectively abolished slavery (in their Empires) and thus transgressed the fiats of Brahmhadev, for it is said in Manu-Smriti that Brahmadev created the Brahmin from his mouth and the Shudras from his feet and ordained them to serve the Brahmins eternally.
Jotirao: You say that the British and other European Governments banned slavery in their respective kingdoms and thus transgressed the fiats of Brahmadev. Many races like the English live upon the surface of this earth. From which parts of Brahmadev’s body were these races created according to Manu Smriti?
Dhondiba: To this all the learned and unlearned Brahmins answer in one voice that there is no reference to the English and other people (races) in the Manu Smriti, they being base and vicious.
Jotirao: Do you, then, think that there are no base and vicious Brahmins here?
Dhondiba: A careful scrutiny would reveal that more base and vicious people are found among the Brahmins than among all the other people.
Jotirao: How could a reference to such base and vicious Brahmins be found in the Manu Smriti?
Dhondiba: Which only proves that the theory regarding the creation of the Brahmins and others from the different limbs of Brahma’s body must be wrong as it does not apply to all men.
Jotirao: That is why the learned English (authors) came to realise the baseless nature of the theory propounded by the Brahmin authors in their spurious religious tracts, and thus they banned slavery. If Brahma were the source from whom all human beings were created, then the English would not have banned the practice of slavery. The theory propounded by Manu regarding the origin and creation of the four Varnas seems to be totally wrong when judged by the laws of the natural operation (law of nature).
Dhondiba: May I Know how?
Jotirao: The Brahmins were created from the mouth of Brahma, (according to Manu). Then why is Manu silent about the creation of the original mother of the Brahmins? From which limb of Brahma was she created?
Dhondiba: As per the theory of these learned Brahmins, she might have been base and vicious, So let us rank ‘her along with the Mlenchhas’ (Muslims or foreigners) for the time being.
Jotirao: The Brahmin declare proudly that they are the gods on this earth, that they are the pre-eminent Varna among all the four Varnas. Their original Mother must have been a Brahmin lady. How dare you rank her with the Mlenchhas? How would she stand the stench of wine and beef? You utter a veritable heresy, Dhondiba!
Dhondiba: Sir, you have declared openly in public meetings that the original ancestors of the Brahmins, the venerable Rishis, were in the habit of killing cows and enjoying delicacies prepared from beef, on the occasion of death anniversaries. How, then, can you say that their original Mother would not relish beef (It would be distasteful for her to eat beef?) Please wish a long life for the British raj here. You will then find that most of the so called devout Brahmins will curry favour with the English rulers, devour the left-overs of the beef-preparations at their tables not giving a remote chance to the butlers to partake of them. Most Mahar butlers are already grumbling, albeit secretly, against the Brahmin (beef-eaters) Manu himself has preferred to remain silent about the origin / creation of the original Mother of the Brahmins. You should blame Manu squarely for it. Why, then, do you blame me for uttering a heresy? Please continue.
Jotirao: As you please! Now tell me, Dhondiba, if the Brahmins were created from the mouth of Brahma, it becomes the womb of the Brahmins. It must be subject to the physical law of menstruation. So did Brahma segregate himself for the days every month, or did he, like the Lingayat women apply ashes, and being thus absolved from the pollution, carry on the daily routine (chores ) ? What has Manu to say on this ?
Dhondiba: No. As Brahma is the origin/creator of the Brahmins, how can he approved of the practice of the Lingayat women? Because the Brahmins abhor the Lingayats as their womenfolk do not observe the stipulation/regulation of monthly segre- gated for sixteen days in a month. Who, then,was looking after the domestic shores in his household ? What has Manu to say on this ?
Jotirao: Just reflect l little, Dhondiba. If the four Varnas were created from the mouth, hands, thighs and feet respec- tively of the Brahma, then these four limbs may be termed as the respective vaginas Thus Brahma would have to be segregated for sixteen days in a months. Who, then, was looking after the domestic chores in his household ? What has menu to say on this ?
Dhondiba: Unfortunately nothing.
Jotirao: If the Brahmin was conceived in the mouth of Brahma, where did the foetus grow? (In which limb of Brahma did it grow?) for nine months? Does Manu say anything about this?
Dhondiba: Nothing.
Jotirao: Does Manu say anything about how Brahma fed the Brahmin infant? Did he breast-feed it or bottle-feed it?
Dhondiba: Nothing.
Jotirao: It is well known that Savitri was Brahma’s wife. Why, then, did he take upon himself the cumbrous responsibility of carrying the foetus in his mouth for nine months, and also of giving birth to it and bringing it up subsequently? It appears very strange indeed!
Dhondiba: Three of his (four) mouths were free from this encumbrance. How then did the impotent Brahma like such childish game of make-believe?
Jotirao: If we call him impotent, then how did he seduce his own daughter Saraswati (the goddess of wisdom)? That is why he was known as Brahma the daughter-seducer ! Because of this vile deed he is not worshipped by anyone anywhere.
Dhondiba: If Brahma, indeed, had four mouths, then he ought to have had eight breasts, four navels. four urethras and four anuses. But nothing authentic is mentioned anywhere about this, It is also written (in the Brahmin Puranas- scriptures) that though Shesha-shayee Vishnu. (Vishnu who lies recumbent on the serpent Shesha) and had Laxmi as his consort, how did he create this four mouthed child (Brahma) from his navel? Shesha-shayee Vishnu also lands in the same quandary as Brahma.
Jotirao: It can be stated, after due deliberation, that the Brahmins were the native of Iran (Persia) which is beyond the (Arabian) Sea. Many English authors have put forth a theory in their books and also authenticated it that these Brahmins were then called Iranians or Aryans. Hordes of these marauding Aryans invaded many kingdoms in India many times, and created chaos and confusion in these Kingdoms. Later on, Brahma succeeded Waman as their Chieftain. He was very obdurate, He conquered our ancestors here and enslaved them (turned them into his vassals).He promulgated many iniquitous regulations so as to create a permanent rift between the Aryans and the conquered natives. After Brahma’s death, the Aryans came to be known as ‘Brahmins’,superseding their old name-Aryans. Officers like Manu who succeeded Brahma later on were anxious to maintain the sanctity of the regulations laid down by Brahma. Hence they composed many imaginary stories about Brahma. Investing them with divine will and grace, with a view to impressing the pliable minds of the conquered people. The fiction about Shesha-shayee is of a piece with such compositions. In due course, the Brahmins collected these imaginary stories in book-form. The eferminate Narada muni tried to impress the sanctity of these spurious books on the minds of the gullible slaves (natives) resulting in further glorification of Brahmin. To trace the origin of Shesha-shayee as in the case of Brahma, would be mere waste of time. The Brahmin authors have made him supine and have credited him with having created this child with four mouths( Brahma) from his navel. To kick a person when he is down to prove one’s mastery is surely not a worthy act.
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