Why is Ravana considered a Brahmana? Isn't he the son of Kekasi who is a Rakshasa stree? (I heard that the child gets the varna of the mother). For instance, in MahaBharata, while Dritharashtra and Pandu are both considered Kshatriyas because of being born to Ambika and Ambalika, Vidura is considered a Sudra because he is born to a Dasi.
On a similar note, I am also confused about the varna of Sri Vyasa Bhagavan. Since he is born to Satyavati (Matsya Gandhi), isn't he supposed to be Sudra? But he is considered a Brahmana.
Interesting query ,but the assumptions on which question is raised is faulty.
1.Bramhanas are there in every types of species, rakshasas , devatas,manushya,sarpa etc. example vasuki,shesha are bramhana , takshak is kshatriya etc.among sarpas, Brahaspati is bramhana, rudra is kshatriya,etc,
kekasi is daugther of Maya .
2. when father and mother are of different castes ,son born belongs to neither father's nor mothers' caste but to anoher caste altogther.
like bramhana father sudra mother gives Parasava ,bramhana father and vaishya mother gives ambashta ,vaishya father and bramhana mother gives vaidehika etc. Thus there are many castes.
3. many types of sons are there according to dharma aurasa,dattaka,kritrim etc
4.when x bear a son from somebody else's wife ,its still their child ,of their caste .noy mr X's caste.
5.So VYASA 's son in ambika and ambalika were still kshatriyas and kuruvanshi not vashishta vanshi.
6.Dasi was not married hence vidura was parasava not sudra. When either of mixed parents are sudra, no upanayana samskara is carried out , for all others upnayana is carried out.
7.But when kshatriya mother marries bramhana father , he is murdhavastika ,but he can lead life either as bramhin or kshatriya as per his liking. Parashurama leads bramhin life but Drupad though from mudgal lineage leads Kshatriya life.
8.Satyavati was born to a kshatriya King ,his semen was swallowed by a fish.
Reference is manusmriti ,almost all puranas talk about varnashrama dharma.
for details of castes plz visit ITIHASS THE BOOK OF CASTES DESCRIPTION..
but if u want to read mor interested to explore yourself in this topic goahead...... as i heard and read holy book of hindus according to kaliyug...the ppl knwoledge pouring extrem to and forgetting the shastras which has got lil value to all humans now....sorry to say that..
Sudras were not ill treated at any point of time prior to kaliyug.
As the varaha /padma purana says , Many rakshasa take birth in kaliyug in brahmana castes , it is these who ill treated the sudras.
God exists in everyone he alone directs all the soul. So God in every soul has to be addressed as laid down by shastras. But upasana of God is prescribed only in the god as present in agni, cow, tulasi, bramhins, idols in the temple.etc. God though present in a dog , insects also , we dont pray Him there. Neither we pray him in kshatriya etc.
Then prayer to God in these bodies is represented by taking care of these. when you take care of a child , god in it is happy, when serve a old man, god in him is prayed, similarly when you feed the animals , god in it is pleased.
there are different form of pleasing God , you cannot apply same yardstick everywhere.
There is no shastra where sudra should be oppresed, infact being an inteligent dependent entity he is supposed to be taken care of by the society .
The body of sudra is inherently incapable of staying away from hunger , fasting, penace and hence strict rules of living are exempted for him.
( god is merciful, he gets all the punya by just serving one who does lots of punya by severe austereties)
Now a temple is popular because , God present in idol grants wishes , he can do so as long as there is sannidhi in this idol.
sannidhi is greater with greater austerities. And since temple has just become a place of pilgrimage, tourist spot , sannidhi no longer exists and also wishes are definitely granted ,it has become a random phenomena,hence now allowing everyone
krishnarpanamastu.
