Dear Ms. Aparna! I have not read all the scriptures, just few including Rigveda. Born in a Brahmin family with strict religiousity and strong Sanskritic intellectual traditions, I grew up with listening to the verse from ramayan and Mahabharat. But to comment on a religion one needs not to have read all the scriptures that have remained the monoploly of the priestly classes as words acquire meaning through usage. The SDharmshastras -- the Law books -- and their authors -- the Law givers-- like Manu Maharaj -- seek to perpetuate a Dharma i.e the Varnashrama Dharma and lay the blame at the gates of Brhma by declaring him the creator of the universe. This Varnsashram Dharma not only sanctifies inhuman social division and social inequalities but also is ardently anti -feminist, as is cleare from this quotation of Manusmriti, "In her childhood she should be subject to her father and to her lord after the marriage, when her lrod is dead to her sons, a woman must never be free". This prescription of Manusmriti is well known that moltyen lead should be poured into the ears of Shudra and women if they happen to listen to the mantras of Vedas ewvcen by mistake. The word Hinduism and HGindutva asre not indigenous but have Arabic origin and came in usage after 9th-10th century AD. Hinduism is nothing but the Varnashrama system. I dont want ito debate over tolerance of Hinduism that is clear by the heineous acts of champions of Hinduttva -- the Bajrangis by raping women ang organoising pogroms of innocent tribals and Muslims. Even if ther Maoists have taken the responsibility of killing the VHP goons, the tolerant hinduttva is going on burning killing and raping. "By mistake" they raped and killed a "Hindu" college student working in a orphange to support her studies. kabir was thrown away by a mother as he was born out of the sanctioned Brahmanical order, which necessarilly is patriarchal(All the religious orders are). Kabir was not part of Hinduism but he challenged its system as he did to Islam. Kabir's was a protest against religious ritualistic stuipidities. Budha's wasd also a protest and an alternative philosophy of life agaiunst the ritualistic Brhamanical social/religious order. All the system contain the seeds of their nemesis within. as far BValmiki is concerned, we know that he was a bandit(naturally a Dalit) through legends. He was sanskritized and became the upholder of the Brahmanical/.patriarchal order by eulogising an unethical and patriarchal charecter as Maryada Purushottam. Rest again. May God bless you, if there is one. regards Ish Mishra
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