NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Brahminical

A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit word IAST Brāhmaṇa; Devanagari ब्राह्मण), also known as Vipra, Dvija, Dvijottama (best of the Dvijas), Bhūsura (god on Earth) is a member of an upper caste within Hindu society. Anglicisation (CwE) or Anglicization (NAE) is a process of making something English. ... The Sanskrit language ( , ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 22 official languages of India. ... IAST, or International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration is the academic standard for writing the Sanskrit language with the Latin alphabet and very similar to National Library at Calcutta romanization standard being used with many Indic scripts. ... Rigveda manuscript in Devanagari (early 19th century) DevanÄgarÄ« (à¤¦à¥‡à¤µà¤¨à¤¾à¤—à¤°à¥€ â€” in English pronounced ) (ISCII â€“ IS13194:1991) [1] is an abugida alphabet used to write several Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Kashmiri, Sindhi, Bihari, Bhili, Konkani, Bhojpuri and Nepali from Nepal. ... Dvija (sanskrit) means one who is twice born. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Brahmin is a caste or social group found in all Indian states and in the new world as well. They constitute about 2-5% of the population in India. In 1931, Brahmins were 4.32% of the total population in the British India. British India (otherwise known as The British Raj) was a historical period during which most of the Indian subcontinent, or present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, were under the colonial authority of the British Empire (Undivided India). ...

The Vedas are the primary source of knowledge for all Brahmin traditions, both orthodox and heterodox. All religions of Brahmins and all traditions, in one way or other, take inspiration from the Vedas. Traditional Brahmin accepts Vedas as apaurusheyam (not man-made), but revealed truths and of eternal validity or relevance and hence the Vedas are considered Srutis that which have been heard and are the paramount source of Brahmin traditions and is believed to be divine. These Srutis include not only the four Vedas (the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda and the Atharvaveda), but also their respective Brahmanas. Brahmins also give tremendous importance to purity of body and mind and hence attach importance to ritual baths and cleanliness. The Vedas (Sanskrit: à¤µà¥‡à¤¦) are the main scripture in Hinduism, and are a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. ... The Vedas (Sanskrit: à¤µà¥‡à¤¦) are the main scripture in Hinduism, and are a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. ... The Vedas (Sanskrit: à¤µà¥‡à¤¦) are the main scripture in Hinduism, and are a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. ... The Rigveda (Sanskrit: , a tatpurusha compound of praise, verse and knowledge) is a collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns dedicated to the gods. ... The Yajurveda (Sanskrit , a tatpurusha compound of sacrifice + veda knowledge) is one of the four Hindu Vedas. ... The Samaveda (Sanskrit: à¤¸à¤¾à¤®à¤µà¥‡à¤¦, sÄmaveda, a tatpurusha compound of ritual chant + knowledge ), is third in the usual order of enumeration of the four Vedas, the ancient core Hindu scriptures. ... The Atharvaveda (Sanskrit: à¤…à¤¥à¤°à¥à¤µà¤µà¥‡à¤¦, , a tatpurusha compound of , a type of priest, and meaning knowledge) is a sacred text of Hinduism, and one of the four Vedas, often called the fourth Veda. According to tradition, the Atharvaveda was mainly composed by two groups of rishis known as the Bhrigus and the... The Brahmanas (Brahmin Books) are part of the Hindu Shruti; these religious scriptures focus on sacrifice -- particularly that of horses and soma. ...

Historically, Ancient Indian society consisted of Aryans (Vedik) and non-Aryans (non-Vedik). Aryans consisted of four varnas, Brahmin (taking care of knowledge and spirituality), Kshatriya (protectors of Dharma), Vaishya (mercantile and agricultural class) and Shudra (artisan and labour class). Varna was conferred on a person on the basis of his qualities, deeds and nature. Scholars, teachers, priests, intellectuals, scientists and knowledge-seekers formed the Brahmin class. Non-Aryans consisted of many castes such as Vrishalas, Pashandas, Sakyas, Ajivakas, Chandalas, Svapakas, Svaganins, Lubdhakas, Mlecchas, jungle tribes, foreigners, etc., according to Chanakya of 4th century BCE. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Kshatriya (Hindi: , from Sanskrit: , ) is the title of the princely military order in the Vedic society. ... Dharma (Sanskrit à¤§à¤°à¥à¤®) or Dhamma (PÄli) means Natural Law or Reality, and with respect to its significance for spirituality and religion might be considered the Way of the Higher Truths. ... In the Hindu caste system, a Vaishya (Sanskrit à¤µà¥ˆà¤¶à¥à¤¯ vaiÅ›ya) is a member of the third of the four major castes of the varna system of traditional Indian society. ... Shudra or Sudra is the fourth Varna in the traditional four-section division in historic Indian society. ... Allegiance: Magadhan Empire Rank: Prime Minister Place of birth: Pataliputra, India Chanakya (c. ...

The Nirukta of sage Yaska says Brahmam Jānati iti Brāhmaṇam — A Brahmin is a person who knows Brahm or Brahman, the ultimate reality or God or supreme knowledge; hence Brahmin means, "knower of God". However, the historical situation in Hindu society is that Brahmins are the traditional priests and pundits (scholars). Today however, many Brahmins are employed in secular occupations and their religious traditions and culture are fast disappearing from their lives. Brahmins, forming a small percentage of Indian population, have contributed to culture, knowledge and industry immensely. Nirukta is Vedic glossary of difficult words. ... Yaska Acharya is a celebrated Sanskrit scholar and grammarian of ancient India. ... Brahm (à¤¬à¥à¤°à¤¹à¥à¤® in devanagari script) in the Vedantic (and subsequently Yogic) forms of Hinduism, is the signifying name given to the concept of the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality that is the Divine Ground of all being in this universe. ... A pandit or pundit(पन्दित् in Devanagari) is a Hindu Brahmin who has memorized a substantial portion of the Vedas, along with the proper rhythms and melodies for chanting or singing them. ...

History

The history of the Brahmin community in India begins with the Vedic religion in ancient India. The Manu Smriti, an ancient Smriti, refers to Aryavarta as the land of Vedic people. The Vedas are the primary source of knowledge for brahmin practices. All the sampradayas of Brahmins take inspiration from the Vedas. Traditionally, it is believed that Vedas are apauruṣeya (not written by either humans or God) and anādi (beginingless), but are revealed truths of eternal validity. The Vedas are considered Śruti (that which is heard, signifying the oral tradition). Regions which are currently or were historically under classical Hindu rule. ... The religion of the Vedic civilization is the predecessor of classical Hinduism, usually included in the term. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Smriti (Sanskrit à¤¸à¥à¤®à¥„à¤¤à¤¿, that which is remembered) refers to a specific canon of Hindu religious scripture. ... The vedic name for India, meaning Categories: Indo-European language stubs ... The Vedas (Sanskrit: à¤µà¥‡à¤¦) are the main scripture in Hinduism, and are a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. ... In Hinduism, a Sampradaya is a tradition serving as a spiritual channel and encompassing a common philosophy embraced by many schools, groups, or guru lineages (called parampara). ... God is the deity believed by monotheists to be the supreme reality. ... Åšruti (Sanskrit à¤¶à¥à¤°à¥à¤¤à¤¿, what is heard) is a canon of Hindu scriptures. ...

Due to the diversity in religious and cultural traditions and practices, and the Vedic schools which they belong to, Brahmins are further divided into various subcastes. During the sutra period, roughly between 1000 BCE to 200 BCE, Brahmins became divided into various Shakhas (branches), based on the adoption of different Vedas and different rescension Vedas. Sects for different denominations of the same branch of the Vedas were formed, under the leadership of distinguished teachers among Brahmins. The teachings of these distinguished rishis are called sūtras. Every Veda has its own sūtra. The sūtras that deal with social, moral and legal precepts are called Dharma Sutras, whereas those sūtras that deal with ceremonials are called Shrauta Sutras and domestic rituals are called Grhya Sutras. Sūtras are generally written in prose or in mixed prose and verse. Shakha (IAST ), literally branch or limb, is the Sanskrit term for a recension or version of Vedic texts according to a particular school. ... The Vedas (Sanskrit: à¤µà¥‡à¤¦) are the main scripture in Hinduism, and are a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. ... In Hinduism, the Rishis are sages and/or seers who heard the hymns of the Devas; and then wrote them down as Vedic scriptures. ... Smriti (Sanskrit à¤¸à¥à¤®à¥„à¤¤à¤¿, that which is remembered) refers to a specific canon of Hindu religious scripture. ... Sutra (सूत्र) in Sanskrit is derived from the verb √siv, meaning to sew. ... The Grhya Sutras domestic sutras are a category of Sanskrit texts in the tradition of the Brahmanas, commenting on Vedic ritual. ...

There are several Brahmin law givers such as Angirasa, Apasthambha, Atri, Brihaspati, Boudhayana, Daksha, Gautam, Harita, Katyayana, Likhita, Manu^[1], Parasara, Samvarta, Shankha, Shatatapa, Ushanasa, Vashishta, Vishnu, Vyasa, Yajnavalkya and Yama. These twenty-one rishis were the propounders of Smritis. The oldest among these smritis are Apastamba, Baudhayana, Gautama, and Vasishta Sutras. In Hinduism, Angirasa is one of the seven sages, the SaptaRishis. ... Apastamba (c. ... In Hinduism, Atri is a legendary bard and scholar, and a son of Brahma. ... In Hinduism, Brihaspati is the god of magic and prayer. ... In Hinduism, Daksha is an ancient creator god, one of the Prajapatis, the Rishis and the Adityas, and a son of Aditi and Brahma. ... Maharishi GAUTAM, one of the seven sages â€œSapt Rishiâ€ was creator of â€œNyaya Shsatraâ€. â€œNyaya Shastraâ€ is oldest known book on judicial system. ... Harit (Harita) Rishi was a sage of the lakulish cult and was a devotee of Lord Shiva (Shri Eklingji). ... Katyayana was probably a priest who lived in India around 200 BC. Like Baudhayana, he composed Shulba Sutra, or sacred mathematical texts. ... Manu has several meanings: *Manu in Indo-European mythology was the first man, hero and first Holy King to rule this earth, see Manu (Hinduism), Germanic Mannus, Mannaz. ... Shanku is the divine Counch or sea shell, which is one of the insignia in the Hindu God Vishnus hands. ... Vashishta was a sage believed by people of the Hindu religion to have been created by Brahma (as a manasaputra). ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari , with honorific Shri Vishnu; , ), is a form of god or idol, in Hinduism and its mythology. ... Veda Vyasa(Contemporary painting) Vyasa (VyÄsa in IAST transliteration) is an important and much revered figure in the Hindu tradition and its literature. ... Sage Yajnavalkya (à¤¯à¤¾à¤œà¥à¤žà¤µà¤²à¥à¤•à¥à¤¯) of Mithila advanced a 95-year cycle to synchronize the motions of the sun and the moon. ... This article is about the deity Yama in Hinduism. ... Smriti (Sanskrit à¤¸à¥à¤®à¥„à¤¤à¤¿, that which is remembered) refers to a specific canon of Hindu religious scripture. ... Sutra (सूत्र) in Sanskrit is derived from the verb √siv, meaning to sew. ...

Nature of Brahmin

“Samodamastapah Saucham
Kshanthiraarjavamevacha
Jnanam Vijnaanamaastikyam
Brahmakarma Swabhavajam!”
Control on emotions, control on senses, purity, tolerance, simplicity, concentration and belief in knowledge and science.

Duties of Brahmin

The six duties of a Brahmin are given as per the Sloka
"Adhyaapanam Adhyayanam
Yajanam Yaajanam Tathaa
Daanam Pratigraham Chaiva
Brahmanaanaamakalpayaat"
Teaching, learning, performing Yaaga, make performing Yaga, accept Daana, and give Daana are the six duties of a Brahmin.

Brahmin Communities

Brahmin community was divided into two groups: srotriya (learned in vedas and rituals) and non-srotriya, reports Chanakya in his Arthasastra, in 4th century BCE. During that period the society was clearly divided into two groups, Aryas further consisting of four varnas and non-Aryas further having innumerable castes, reports Chanakya or Kautilya. ... Allegiance: Magadhan Empire Rank: Prime Minister Place of birth: Pataliputra, India Chanakya (c. ... Arthashastra is an ancient Indian treatise on economics and politics written by king maker Chanakya (also known as Kautilya) in the 4th century B.C during the rule of the Mauryan dynasty. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The word Caste is derived from the Portuguese word casta, meaning lineage, breed or race. ... Allegiance: Magadhan Empire Rank: Prime Minister Place of birth: Pataliputra, India Chanakya (c. ... Chanakya (c. ...

Brahmin castes in the Indian subcontinent are also divided into two regional groups: Pancha-Gauda Brahmins and Pancha-Dravida Brahmins as per the shloka, Satellite image of the Indian subcontinent Map of South Asia (see note) The Indian subcontinent is a peninsular landmass of the Asian continent occupying the Indian Plate and extending into the Indian Ocean, bordered on the north by the Eurasian Plate. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

कर्णाटकाश्च तैलंगा द्राविडा महाराष्ट्रकाः, गुर्जराश्चेति पञ्चैव द्राविडा विन्ध्यदक्षिणे ||
सारस्वताः कान्यकुब्जा गौडा उत्कलमैथिलाः, पन्चगौडा इति ख्याता विन्ध्स्योत्तरवासिनः ||

This classification occurs in Rajatarangini of Kalhana. Rajtarangini (River of Kings), a book written in Sanskrit by Kalhana, contains an account of the life and history of Kashmir. ... Kalhana (c. ...

In Andhra Pradesh, Brahmins are broadly classified into 2 groups: Vaidika (educated in vedas, performing religious and secular vocations) and Niyogi (performing only secular vocation), which are further divided into several sub-castes. Andhra Pradesh : (Telugu: à°†à°‚à°§à±à°° à°ªà±à°°à°¦à±‡à°¶à±, Urdu: Ø¢Ù†Ø¯Ú¾Ø±Ø§ Ù¾Ø±Ø¯ÛŒØ´, IPA: ), is a state in South India. ... Arya Samaj (Aryan Society or Society of Nobles) is a Hindu reform movement in India that was founded by Swami Dayananda in 1875. ... Niyogis are a sect of brahmins and are predominantly telugu speakers. ...

Practices

Brahmins adhere to the principles of Hinduism, such as acceptance of the Vedas with reverence, adherence to the position that the means or ways to salvation and realization of the ultimate truth are diverse, that God is one, but has innumerable names and forms to chant and worship due to our varied perceptions, cultures and languages. Brahmins believe in Sarvejanāssukhinobhavaṃtu — Let the entire society be happy and prosperous and Vasudhaiva kuṭuṃbakaṃ — the whole world is one family. Most Brahmins practice vegetarianism (Bengali Brahmins and Kashmiri Pandits are exceptions to this). Adi Sankara File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Adi Sankara File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Adi Shankara with the Four Disciples Adi Shankara (Åšankara, Shri Shankaracharya, Adhi Shankaracharya, Ä€di ÅšhankarÄcÄrya; the first Shankara in his lineage), reverentially called Bhagavatpada Acharya (the teacher at the feet of the Lord) (approximately 8th century, but see below) was the most famous advaita philosopher, who had a... Hindu philosophy (one of the main divisions of Indian philosophy) is traditionally seen through the prism of six different systems (called darshanas in Sanskrit) that are listed here and make up the main belief systems of Hinduism. ... In Hinduism, a Sampradaya is a tradition serving as a spiritual channel and encompassing a common philosophy embraced by many schools, groups, or guru lineages (called parampara). ... Smarta is a Hindu follower of Smartism. ... Hinduism (Sanskrit: , , also known as , ) is a religion that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... The Vedas (Sanskrit: à¤µà¥‡à¤¦) are the main scripture in Hinduism, and are a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. ... God is the deity believed by monotheists to be the supreme reality. ... Vegetarianism is the practice of not consuming meat, with or without the use of other animal derivatives, such as dairy products or eggs. ... Bengali Brahmins are those Brahmins who traditionally reside in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, currently comprising the Indian state of West Bengal, and Bangladesh. ... The Kashmiri Pandits (Hindus) are the original inhabitants of the Valley of Kashmir. ...

Daily routine

Hindu Brahmins hold practice of Dharma more important than beliefs. This is a distinct feature of the Dharmic religions. The practices include mainly Yajnas. The daily routine^[2] includes performing Snana (bathing), Sandhyavandanam, Japa, Puja, Aupasana and Agnihotra. The last two named Yajnas are performed in only a few households today. Brahmacharis perform Agnikaryam instead of Agnihotra or Aupasana. The other rituals followed include Amavasya tarpanam and Shraddha. Dharma (Sanskrit à¤§à¤°à¥à¤®) or Dhamma (PÄli) means Natural Law or Reality, and with respect to its significance for spirituality and religion might be considered the Way of the Higher Truths. ... map showing the prevalence of Dharmic (yellow) and Abrahamic (purple) religions in each country. ... In Hinduism, Yajna (à¤¯à¤œà¥à¤ž IAST , also anglicized as Yagna or Yagya) is a Vedic ritual of sacrifice (Monier-Williams gives the meanings worship, prayer, praise; offering, oblation, sacrifice), performed to please the Devas, or sometimes to the Supreme Spirit Brahman. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Japa, or Japam, is a spiritual discipline in which a devotee repeats a mantra or the name of the God. ... A puja as performed in Ujjain during the Monsoon on the banks of the overflooding river Shipra. ... Aupasana is a yajna performed on a daily basis by Hindus who have been initiated during marriage for this. ... The Agnihotra is a Hindu religious ritual, performed at dawn. ... In Hinduism, Yajna (à¤¯à¤œà¥à¤ž IAST , also anglicized as Yagna or Yagya) is a Vedic ritual of sacrifice (Monier-Williams gives the meanings worship, prayer, praise; offering, oblation, sacrifice), performed to please the Devas, or sometimes to the Supreme Spirit Brahman. ... Brahmachari is a sacred word in India. ... Agnikaryam is the Yajna performed in a loukika agni (worldly fire) by brahmacharis (celibate bachelors). ... The Agnihotra is a Hindu religious ritual, performed at dawn. ... Aupasana is a yajna performed on a daily basis by Hindus who have been initiated during marriage for this. ... Amavasya - A Hindu Custom Amavasya is nothing but the no-moon day. ... Shraddha are the funeral rites and funeral offerings for the dead among the Hindus. ...

See also: Nitya karma and Kaamya karma Nitya karma refers to those karmas (or rituals) which have to be performed daily by Hindus. ... Kaamya karmas refer to those Karmas (or rituals) in Hinduism which are performed with a specific objective in view. ...

Samskaras

Brahmins also perform sixteen major Samskaras (rites) during the course of their lifetime.^[3] In the pre-natal stage, Garbhadharana (conception), Pumsavana (rite for consecrating a male child in the womb) and Simantonnayana (rite for parting the hair of a pregnant woman) are performed. During childhood, Jatakarma (birth ceremony), Namakarana (naming ceremony), Nishkarmana (first outing) Annaprasana (first feeding solid food), Choodakarana (first tonsure) and Karnavedha (ear piercing) are performed. During education of the child, Vidhyarambha (starting of education), Upanayanam (thread ceremony- initiation), Vedarambha (starting of the study of the Vedas), Keshanta or Godana (first shaving of the beard) and Samavartanam or Snaana (ending of studentship) are performed. During adulthood, Vivaha (marriage) and Anthyesthi (funeral rites) are the main ceremonies. In Hinduism, Samskaras are rites practiced by Hindus, who are expected to follow them at various stages of his/her life. ... This is a ritual practiced by Brahmins. ... Choodakarma is a rite performed in Hinduism as part of the sixteen samskaras, wherein ears of the young Hindu children are pierced for the first time. ... It is a ritual practiced by Brahmins. ... A bead ring, also known as a captive bead ring. ... Upanayanam perhaps better known outside India by the name Sacred thread ceremony, is a Hindu rite-of-passage ritual. ... The Vedas (Sanskrit: à¤µà¥‡à¤¦) are the main scripture in Hinduism, and are a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. ... Samavartanam refers to the ceremony performed after the completion of the brahmacharis stay in the Gurukul. ... The Hindu religion has a deep significance and meaning for the institution of marriage. ...

Sampradayas

The three sampradayas (traditions) of Brahmins, especially in South India are the Smarta sampradaya, the Srivaishnava sampradaya and the Madhva sampradaya. In Hinduism, a Sampradaya is a tradition serving as a spiritual channel and encompassing a common philosophy embraced by many schools, groups, or guru lineages (called parampara). ... South India is a linguistic-cultural region of India that comprises the four Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Pondicherry, whose inhabitants are collectively referred to as South Indians. ... Smartism, (or Smarta Sampradaya, Smarta Tradition), is a denomination of the Hindu religion. ... Sri Vaishnavism is a hindu sect,the members of which worship lord Maha Vishnu. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Status of Brahmins today

Historically Brahmins have been not only ascetics, sages and priests for millennia seeking welfare of the society, but also secular clerks, merchants, agriculturists, artisans, etc. Today, Brahmins hold top posts in administration, academia, business, military, politics, journalism. However,in modern democratic India, the Brahmins are poor and shunted out of every opportunity,^[4]^[5] despite the fact that prime ministers like Jawaharlal Nehru, Venkatanarasimharao Pamulaparti (P.V. Narasimha Rao), and Atal Behari Vajpayee have been Brahmins. French journalist Francois Gautier^[6] has written on what he believes as the sad state of Brahmins in India today.^[7] Jawaharlal Nehru (à¤œà¤µà¤¾à¤¹à¤°à¤²à¤¾à¤² à¤¨à¥‡à¤¹à¤°à¥‚, JavÄharlÄl NehrÅ«) (November 14, 1889 â€“ May 27, 1964), also called Pandit (Scholar, Teacher) Nehru, was one of the most important leaders of the Indian Independence Movement and, as the head of the Indian National Congress, became the first Prime Minister of India when India won its... Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao (June 28, 1921 - December 23, 2004) was the ninth Prime Minister of the Republic of India. ... Atal Bihari Vajpayee (often wrongly spelt Behari; à¤…à¤Ÿà¤² à¤¬à¤¿à¤¹à¤¾à¤°à¥€ à¤µà¤¾à¤œà¤ªà¥‡à¤¯à¥€ in Devnagari) (born December 25, 1924) was the Prime Minister of India in 1996 and again from 1998 until May 19, 2004. ...

Contributions to modern India

Brahmins have contributed immensely to the making of modern India in many fields like literature, science and technology, politics, culture, scholarship, religion etc. In the Indian independence movement, many Brahmins like Balgangadhar Tilak, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, C. Rajagopalachari, Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, Basawon Singh (Sinha), Yogendra Shukla, Sheel Bhadra Yajee and others were at the forefront of the struggle for freedom. After independence, Jawaharlal Nehru, a Brahmin and an atheist, became the first Prime Minister of India. Later, Brahmins like P.V. Narasimha Rao and Atal Behari Vajpayee became prime ministers. There have been great scholars and writers like Nobel Laureates Rabindranath Tagore, and V.S.Naipaul, Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan, Subramanya Bharathy, Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar', Suryakant Tripathi Nirala and many others such as scientist and Nobel Laureate Sir C.V.Raman, great mathematician C. P. Ramanujam. Even today, they hold top posts in administration, academia, business, army, journalism etc. In fact it was those Brahmin leaders like Rajagopalachari and Thilak who fought for the upliftment of the socially backward Dalits and their equality in the society. The Indian Independence Movement incorporated the efforts by Indians to expel the British, French and Portuguese from their trade-posts in the subcontinent; it involved a wide spectrum of Indian political organizations, philosophies, and rebellions between 1857 and Indias emergence as an unified nation-state on August 15, 1947. ... Lokmanya Tilak Introduction Bal Gangadhar Tilak (July 2, 1856_August 1, 1920) was a political activist for Indian independence who was imprisoned for his activities. ... Gopal Krishna Gokhale (à¤—à¥‹à¤ªà¤¾à¤² à¤•à¥ƒà¤·à¥â€à¤£ à¤—à¥‹à¤–à¤²à¥‡) was born on May 9, 1866, in Kolhat, Maharashtra, and he became one of the most learned men in India, a leader of social and political reformists and one of the earliest, founding leaders of the Indian Independence Movement. ... Rajaji Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari (Tamil: à®šà®•à¯à®°à®µà®°à¯à®¤à®¿ à®°à®¾à®œà®•à¯‹à®ªà®¾à®²à®¾à®šà¯à®šà®¾à®°à®¿) (December 1878 - December 25, 1972), known as or Rajaji or C.R., was an Indian lawyer, writer, statesman and a Hindu spiritualist. ... Swami Sahajananad Saraswati (1889-1950), was born in a Jujhoutia Bhumihar Brahmin family of Gazipur of Uttar Pradesh state of India, was an ascetic Dandi sanyasi as well as a peasant leader of eastern India. ... // Birth and early Chidhood Basawon Singh (Sinha) was born in a poor Bhumihar Brahmin family in Jamalpur(Subhai), Vaishali on March 23, 1909. ... Yogendra Shukla: Among the greatest nationalist the country has produced and who also served in the Cellular Jail, Andamans(Kalapani), among the founders of HSRA (Hindustan Socialist Republican Army)Yogendra Shukla (1896-1966) as well as his nephew Baikunth Shukla (1907-1934) hailed from village Jalalpur in Muzaffarpur (now Vaishali... Sheel Bhadra Yajee (1906-1996) was a freedom fighter from Bihar who was associated with the non-violent and the violent form of freedom struggle. ... Jawaharlal Nehru (à¤œà¤µà¤¾à¤¹à¤°à¤²à¤¾à¤² à¤¨à¥‡à¤¹à¤°à¥‚, JavÄharlÄl NehrÅ«) (November 14, 1889 â€“ May 27, 1964), also called Pandit (Scholar, Teacher) Nehru, was one of the most important leaders of the Indian Independence Movement and, as the head of the Indian National Congress, became the first Prime Minister of India when India won its... Atheism, in its broadest sense, is the absence of belief in the existence of deities. ... The Prime Minister of India is, in practice, the most powerful person in the government of India. ... Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao (June 28, 1921 - December 23, 2004) was the ninth Prime Minister of the Republic of India. ... Atal Bihari Vajpayee (often wrongly spelt Behari; à¤…à¤Ÿà¤² à¤¬à¤¿à¤¹à¤¾à¤°à¥€ à¤µà¤¾à¤œà¤ªà¥‡à¤¯à¥€ in Devnagari) (born December 25, 1924) was the Prime Minister of India in 1996 and again from 1998 until May 19, 2004. ... Nobel, (Swedish pronunciation: nouÂ´bell ), can mean: Nobel Prize - awarded annually since 1901, from the request of Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel Nobel Prize in Physics Nobel Prize in Chemistry Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Nobel Prize for Literature Nobel Peace Prize Laureates/Winners of the Nobel Prize By Country... Rabindranath Tagore in Kolkata, c. ... Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan He was born Kedarnath Pande on 9 April 1893. ... Mahakavi Bharathi 1882-1921 Subramanya Bharathi (December 11, 1882 - September 11, 1921) better known as Mahakavi Bharathiar (Maha Kavi meaning Great Poet) in Tamil, is deemed one of the greatest poets of twentieth-century India. ... Ramdhari Singh Dinkar (à¤°à¤¾à¤®à¤§à¤¾à¤°à¥€ à¤¸à¤¿à¤‚à¤¹ à¤¦à¤¿à¤¨à¤•à¤°) (1908 - April 24, 1974) was one of the most famous modern Hindi poets. ... Suryakant Tripathi Nirala (1896-October 15, 1961) was one of the most famous figures of the modern Hindi literature. ... Dalit may have the following meanings. ...

Persecution

The anti-Brahmin sentiment was first kindled in India by the Dravidar Kazhagam movement in Tamil Nadu.^[8] This was a reaction to the Brahmin hegemony in the civil services under the British government. At the height of its operation, many Brahmin community members were stripped of their Sacred Thread (religious symbol). This led to emigration of many Brahmin families from Tamil Nadu. Some believe that successive governments in Tamil Nadu have succeeded in keeping Brahmin community out of education and employment opportunities by increasing reservations percentage up to 69%. Anti-Brahmanism is is hostility toward or prejudice against Brahmins as a religious, or ethnic, which can range from individual hatred to institutionalized attempts to vilify Brahmins. ... Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Dravidar Kazhagam or Dravida Kazhagam (Dravidian Organization) was the first fully Dravidian party in India. ... Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ... British India (otherwise known as The British Raj) was a historical period during which most of the Indian subcontinent, or present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, were under the colonial authority of the British Empire (Undivided India). ...

In the state of Bihar, where Bhumihar Brahmins contribution in the freedom struggle and upliftment of the underprivileged has been unparalleled have been deliberately vilified and a propaganda always runs against them^{[citation needed]}. Even the academia has largely glossed over the contribution of Bhumihar Brahmin nationalists in the freedom struggle, social reform movements and upliftment of the underprivileged masses^{[citation needed]}. The sad part of the story is different sub-castes of Brahmins themselves are not united. [1]. In Kashmir around 400,000 Brahmins were sent out of their home state since extremism started in that state in the year 1989. For other uses, see Bihar (disambiguation). ... Bhumihar Brahmins (à¤à¥‚à¤®à¤¿à¤¹à¤° à¤¬à¥à¤°à¤¾à¤¹à¥à¤®à¤£), also known as Bhumihars (à¤à¥‚à¤®à¤¿à¤¹à¤¾à¤°) are an influential Brahmin subcaste who have traditionally resided in fertile regions of Indo-Gangetic plains of North India, in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. ... Bhumihar Brahmins (à¤à¥‚à¤®à¤¿à¤¹à¤° à¤¬à¥à¤°à¤¾à¤¹à¥à¤®à¤£), also known as Bhumihars (à¤à¥‚à¤®à¤¿à¤¹à¤¾à¤°) are an influential Brahmin subcaste who have traditionally resided in fertile regions of Indo-Gangetic plains of North India, in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. ... Reform movement is a kind of social movement that aims to make a change in certain aspects of the society rather than fundamental changes. ... For the dispute concerning this region, see Kashmir conflict Shown in green is the region under Pakistani administration. ...

Had Brahmins of all regions and sub-castes remained united they would have been in a much better position to protect their rights and interests. Even now if good sense prevails over them they should bury petty differences and rise to the challenge of getting annihilated.

See also

Topics in Hinduism

Śruti:	Vedas · Upanishads · Śrouta
Smriti:	Itihasa (Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita) · Puranas · Sutras · Agama (Tantra, Yantra) · Vedanta
Concepts:	Avatar · Atman · Brahman · Kosas · Dharma · Karma · Moksha · Maya · Ishta-deva · Murti · Reincarnation · Samsara · Tattva · Trimurti · Turiya · Gurus
Philosophy:	Schools · Early Hinduism · Samkhya · Nyaya · Vaisheshika · Yoga · Mimamsa · Vedanta · Tantra · Bhakti
Rituals:	Jyotish · Ayurveda · Aarti · Bhajans · Darshan · Diksha · Mantras · Puja · Satsang · Stotras · Wedding · Yajna
Gurus:	Shankara · Ramanuja · Madhvacharya · Ramakrishna · Sarada Devi · Vivekananda · Narayana Guru · Aurobindo · Ramana Maharshi · Sivananda · Chinmayananda · Sivaya Subramuniyaswami · Swaminarayan · Prabhupada · Lokenath · Sant Sri Asaramji Bapu
Denominations:	Vaishnavism · Shaivism · Shaktism · Smartism · Hindu reform movements
Deities:	List of Hindu deities · Hindu mythology
Yugas:	Satya Yuga · Treta Yuga · Dvapara Yuga · Kali Yuga
Castes:	Brahmin · Kshatriya · Vaishya · Shudra · Dalit · See also: Varnashrama dharma	v·d·e

Brahmins residing in the state of Andhra Pradesh are mostly Smartha Brahmins. They are worshippers of Lord Shiva and various other Acharyas who have contributed to the spread of the faith. State of Andhra Pradesh also boasts of sizable percentage of Madhwa, Vaishnva and Dravida Brahmins. It is not uncommon to find Brahmins with last names as Sarma, Sastri, Bhatt, Joshi and Rao, who otherwise are popularly believed to be found only in North India. Hinduism (Sanskrit: , , also known as , ) is a religion that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Åšruti (Sanskrit à¤¶à¥à¤°à¥à¤¤à¤¿, what is heard) is a canon of Hindu scriptures. ... The Vedas (Sanskrit: à¤µà¥‡à¤¦) are the main scripture in Hinduism, and are a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. ... The Upanishads (Devanagari: à¤‰à¤ªà¤¨à¤¿à¤·à¤¦à¥, ; also known as and ) are part of the Vedas and form the Hindu scriptures which primarily discuss philosophy, meditation and nature of God; they form the core spiritual thought of Vedantic Hinduism. ... Åšrauta refers to the tradition of the Åšruti in Hinduism. ... Smriti (Sanskrit à¤¸à¥à¤®à¥„à¤¤à¤¿, that which is remembered) refers to a specific canon of Hindu religious scripture. ... Itihasa (Sanskrit: à¤‡à¤¤à¤¿à¤¹à¤¾à¤¸ - itihÄsa in IAST notation, literally meaning that which happened) is the word for History. ... The (DevanÄgarÄ«: ) is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the poet Valmiki and is an important part of the Hindu canon (smá¹›ti). ... Manuscript illustration of the Battle of Kurukshetra The (Devanagari: ), is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the . ... Bhagavad Gīta भगवद्गीता, composed ca the fifth - second centuries BC, is part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva chapters 23–40. ... Purana (Sanskrit à¤ªà¥à¤°à¤¾à¤£, purÄá¹‡a, meaning ancient or old) is the name of a genre (or a group of related genres) of Indian written literature (as opposed to oral literature). ... Sutra (à¤¸à¥‚à¤¤à¥à¤°) in Sanskrit is derived from the verb siv-, meaning to sew (these words, including English to sew and Latinate suture, all derive from PIE *syÅ«-). It literally means a rope or thread, and more metaphorically refers to an aphorism (or line, rule, formula), or a collection of such aphorisms... Agama (Sanskrit, IAST Ä€gama) literally means that which has come down, i. ... now. ... Yantras - The Mystic Power: Yantra literally means Loom, Instrument or Machine. It is a Sanskrit word and is related to Hindu culture. ... Vedanta (VedÄnta, à¤µà¥‡à¤¦à¤¾à¤¨à¥à¤¤, pronounced as ) means the anta or culmination or essence of the Vedas. ... The ten avatars of Lord Vishnu, copyright BBT In Hindu philosophy, an avatar, avatara or avatarim (Sanskrit: , IAST: ), most commonly refers to the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of a higher being (deva), or the Supreme Being (God) onto planet Earth. ... According to Advaita Vedanta, a philosophical branch of Hinduism, Ätman is the all-pervading soul of the universe. ... Brahm (à¤¬à¥à¤°à¤¹à¥à¤® in devanagari script) in the Vedantic (and subsequently Yogic) forms of Hinduism, is the signifying name given to the concept of the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality that is the Divine Ground of all being in this universe. ... Kosas are five cases or sheaths which cover the Atman in Hinduism. ... Dharma (Sanskrit à¤§à¤°à¥à¤®) or Dhamma (PÄli) means Natural Law or Reality, and with respect to its significance for spirituality and religion might be considered the Way of the Higher Truths. ... Karma is a concept in Hinduism, based on the Vedas and Upanishads, which explains causality through a system where beneficial events are derived from past beneficial actions and harmful events from past harmful actions, creating a system of actions and reactions throughout a persons reincarnated lives. ... Moksha - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Maya (illusion). ... Ishta-Deva, or Ishta Devata is a term from Hinduism that means chosen Deity or revered aspect of God by a devotee and is a widely held concept in Smartism. ... The Nataraja is one of the most famous images of Lord Shiva Murtis (singular Murti, also spelled Murthi or Murthy) refers to deities or images used by Hindus and also by some Mahayana Buddhists during worship as points of devotional and meditational focus. ... This article is 150 kilobytes or more in size. ... Illustration depicting the transmigration of the soul. ... According to the Indian school of Samkhya philosophy, the Tattva are a way of directly experiencing the 5 alchemical elements. ... In Hinduism, the Trimurti (also called the Hindu trinity) are three aspects of God, or Parabrahman, in Gods personae as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. ... In early Hindu philosophy, turiya (also called caturtha) is a state of pure consciousness, or the experience of ultimate reality and truth. ... The guru-shishya tradition (also guru-shishya parampara or lineage) is a spiritual relationship found within traditional Hinduism which is centered around the transmission of teachings from a guru (teacher, ) to a (disciple, ). The term shishya roughly equates to the western term disciple, and in some parts of India is... Hindu philosophy (one of the main divisions of Indian philosophy) is traditionally seen through the prism of six different systems (called darshanas in Sanskrit) that are listed here and make up the main belief systems of Hinduism. ... Hinduism encompasses many movements and schools fairly organized within Hindu sects. ... Early Hinduism is a term used to designate the religious development of India before the historical period. ... Samkhya, also Sankhya, (Sanskrit: à¤¸à¤¾à¤‚à¤–à¥à¤¯, IAST: SÄá¹ƒkhya - Enumeration) is one of the schools of Indian philosophy. ... Nyaya (pronounced as nyÎ±:yÉ™) is the name given to one of the six orthodox or astika schools of Hindu philosophy - specifically the school of logic. ... Vaisheshika, also Vaisesika, (Sanskrit: à¤µà¥ˆà¤¶à¥†à¤·à¤¿à¤•)is one of the six Hindu schools of philosophy (orthodox Vedic systems) of India. ... It has been suggested that Urban yoga be merged into this article or section. ... The main objective of the Purva (earlier) Mimamsa school was to establish the authority of the Vedas. ... Vedanta (VedÄnta, à¤µà¥‡à¤¦à¤¾à¤¨à¥à¤¤, pronounced as ) means the anta or culmination or essence of the Vedas. ... now. ... Bhakti yoga is the Hindu term for the spiritual practice of fostering of loving devotion to God, called bhakti. ... A ritual is a formalised, predetermined set of symbolic actions generally performed in a particular environment at a regular, recurring interval. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... Aarti, Ã£rti, arathi, or Ã£rati is a Hindu ritual, in which light from wicks soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor is offered to one or more deities. ... A bhajan or kirtan is a Hindu or Sikh devotional song, often of ancient origin. ... Darshan is a Sanskrit and Hindu (also used to some extent in Urdu) term meaning sight (in the sense of an instance of seeing something or somebody), vision, apparition, or a glimpse. ... In Hinduism, diksha is the ritual of initiation into the worship of some deity by a guru (diksha guru) who bestows mantra(s) and takes the karma of the initiate - at least in case of Vaishnava diksha, as per Hari Bhakti Vilasa 1. ... In Tibet, many Buddhists carve mantras into rocks as a form of devotion. ... A puja as performed in Ujjain during the Monsoon on the banks of the overflooding river Shipra. ... The company of the highest knowledge and Truth; the company of a Guru; contact with a person or an assembly of persons who listen to, talk about, and assimilate the Truth. ... Stotras are Hindu prayers that praise aspects of God, such as Devi, Siva, or Vishnu. ... Hindu wedding (vivah à¤µà¤¿à¤µà¤¾à¤¹ or shÄdÄ« à¤¶à¤¾à¤¦à¥€ in Hindi, panigrahana à¤ªà¤¾à¤£à¤¿à¤—à¥à¤°à¤¹à¤£ in Sanskrit, other terms are also used) ceremonies are traditionally conducted in Sanskrit, the language in which most holy Hindu ceremonies are conducted. ... In Hinduism, YajÃ±a à¤¯à¤œà¥à¤ž (Sanskrit yajÃ±Ã¡ worship, prayer, praise; offering, oblation, sacrifice) is a Vedic ritual of sacrifice performed to please the Devas, or sometimes to the Supreme Spirit Brahman. ... Guru - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Adi Shankara with the Four Disciples Adi Shankara (Åšankara, Shri Shankaracharya, Adhi Shankaracharya, Ä€di ÅšhankarÄcÄrya; the first Shankara in his lineage), reverentially called Bhagavatpada Acharya (the teacher at the feet of the Lord) (approximately 8th century, but see below) was the most famous advaita philosopher, who had a... Sri Ramanuja Acharya (traditionally dated 1017â€“1137 CE) was an Indian philosopher and is recognized as the most important saint of Sri Vaishnavism. ... Shri Madhvacharya,(1238-1317), was the chief propounder of the Dvaita or dualistic school of Hindu philosophy, one of the three influential Vedanta philosophies. ... Sri Thakur Gadadhar Chattopadhyaya Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (Bangla: à¦¶à§à¦°à§€à¦°à¦¾à¦®à¦•à§„à¦·à§à¦ž à¦ªà¦°à¦®à¦¹à¦‚à¦¸) (February 18, 1836 - August 16, 1886) was a Bengali saint. ... The affectionate term Holy Mother refers to Sarada Devi (1853-1920), Ramakrishnas wife and spiritual counterpart. ... Swami Vivekananda, whose pre-monastic name was Narendranath Dutta (January 12, 1863 - July 4, 1902) is considered one of the most famous and influential spiritual leaders of the Vedanta philosophy. ... Narayana Guru It has been suggested that the section Sri Narayana Guru from the article Ezhava be merged into this article or section. ... Sri Aurobindo Sri Aurobindo (Bangla: à¦¶à§à¦°à§€ à¦…à¦°à¦¬à¦¿à¦¨à§à¦¦, Sri Ã”robindo Sanskrit: à¤¶à¥à¤°à¥€ à¤…à¤°à¤µà¤¿à¤¨à¥à¤¦ SrÄ« Aravinda) (August 15, 1872â€“December 5, 1950) was an Indian nationalist, scholar, poet, Hindu mystic, evolutionary philosopher, yogi and guru. ... For a place-name in Azerbaijan see Ramana (settlement). ... Swami Sivananda Saraswati (1887-1963), as he is known under his monastic name, was born Kuppuswamy in Pattamadai, Tamil Nadu, India. ... Swami Chinmayananda (à¤¸à¥â€à¤µà¤¾à¤®à¥€ à¤šà¤¿à¤¨à¥â€à¤®à¤¯à¤¾à¤¨à¤¨à¥â€à¤¦) (1916 - August 3, 1993) was born Balakrishna Menon (Balan) in Ernakulam, Kerala in a very devout Hindu family. ... Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927 - 2001), affectionately known as Gurudeva, was born in Oakland, California on January 5th, 1927. ... Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan Swaminarayan (April 2, 1781 - 1830) was born Ghanshyam Maharaj to a brahmin family in the village of Chhapaiya, Uttar Pradesh, India. ... A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (September 1, 1896â€“November 14, 1977) was born Abhay Charan De, in Kolkata, West Bengal. ... Baba Lokenath Brahmachari or simply Baba Lokenath was a semi-legendary Hindu saint and philosopher in Bengal. ... Introduction Param Pujya Sant Sri Asaramji Bapu (Hindi: à¤¸à¤‚à¤¤ à¤¶à¥à¤°à¥€ à¤†à¤¸à¤¾à¤°à¤¾à¤®à¤œà¥€ à¤¬à¤¾à¤ªà¥‚), is a Self-Realised saint from India. ... Hinduism encompasses many movements and schools fairly organized within Hindu denominations. ... Vaishnavism is one of the principal divisions of Hinduism. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Shaktism is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Shakti, or Devi -- the Hindu name for the Great Mother -- in all of her forms whilst not rejecting the importance of masculine and neuter divinity. ... Smartism, (or Smarta Sampradaya, Smarta Tradition), is a denomination of the Hindu religion. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This is a List of Hindu deities. ... Hindu mythology is a term used by modern scholarship for a large body of Indian literature that details the lives and times of legendary personalities, deities and divine incarnations on earth interspersed with often large sections of philosophical and ethical discourse. ... yugas (DevnÄgari: à¤¯à¥à¤—) In Hindu philosophy the cycle of evolution of life is divided into four yugs (epochs or eras): Satya Yuga or Krita Yuga Treta Yuga Dvapara Yuga Kali Yuga // The spiritual states of civilization in each yuga In Hindu tradition, the world goes through a continuous cycle of... The Satya Yuga, also called Sat Yuga, Krta Yuga and Krita Yuga in Hinduism, is the Yuga (Age or Era) of Truth, when humankind is governed by gods, and every manifestation or work is close to the purest ideal and mankind will allow intrinsic goodness to rule supreme. ... The Treta Yuga is the second out of four yugas, or ages of man, in the religion of Hinduism, following the Satya Yuga of perfect morality and preceding the Dvapara Yuga. ... Dvapara Yuga is the third out of four yugas, or ages, in the religion of Hinduism. ... Kali Yuga is also the title of a book by Roland Charles Wagner. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Kshatriya (Hindi: , from Sanskrit: , ) is the title of the princely military order in the Vedic society. ... In the Hindu caste system, a Vaishya (Sanskrit à¤µà¥ˆà¤¶à¥à¤¯ vaiÅ›ya) is a member of the third of the four major castes of the varna system of traditional Indian society. ... Shudra or Sudra is the fourth Varna in the traditional four-section division in historic Indian society. ... In South Asias caste system, a Dalit; often called an untouchable; is a person of shudra; the lowest of the four castes. ... now. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Brahmanism, popularly known as Hinduism, developed its ritual, worship and philosophy from Aryan scriptures the Vedas. ... Anti-Brahmanism is is hostility toward or prejudice against Brahmins as a religious, or ethnic, which can range from individual hatred to institutionalized attempts to vilify Brahmins. ...

Notes

Image File history File links Example. ... The Brahmic family is a family of abugidas (writing systems) used in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Tibet, Mongolia, Manchuria, and to an extent, Korea. ...

Contents

History

Nature of Brahmin

Duties of Brahmin

Brahmin Communities

Practices

Daily routine

Samskaras

Sampradayas

Status of Brahmins today

Contributions to modern India

Persecution

See also

Notes

References

External links

Contents

History GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Nature of Brahmin

Duties of Brahmin

Brahmin Communities

Practices

Daily routine

Samskaras

Sampradayas

Status of Brahmins today

Contributions to modern India

Persecution

See also

Notes

References

External links

History