Ajaya: Duryodhana's Mahabharata - Collector's Edition

by Anand Neelakantan

“The Vedas are clear about society. For society to have balance, all four varnas are required. Knowledge, thought, direction, action, power, leadership, wealth, money, art, love – are like the organs of the body. One cannot say only one is important. That is why it is said the four varnas are the four parts of Brahma. You may have heard pseudo-Brahmins boasting of how they emerged from Brahma’s head; the Kshatriyas from his arms; the Vaishyas from his thighs.” Kripa paused and smiled at Karna. “And...” “And Shudras like me originated from the feet of God,” Karna said, looking straight at the Brahmin. “Feeling glum about it, are we Karna?” laughed Kripa, lifting an eyebrow in his own inimitable style. “Our scriptures used this allegory to show that each varna is equally important. But see what is happening now. The head is claiming that only it is important. How stupid! Without the heart, the head is dead. Without hands, the body cannot act, and without thighs, the legs will not remain connected to the body or move. Now the head is claiming that it does not need the legs! The head has become rotten with no exercise. Instead, it has ordered the heart to cut off the blood supply to the legs. Hence, society is incapable of going anywhere. The arms just flay and occasionally beat each other. Sometimes they clap and make loud noises, but it means nothing. The head produces some smritis, useless philosophical speculations and rituals, but nothing else. It has stopped producing an...