Her path and her wrath

A river never forgets her path.

And yes she hadn’t

She flowed with all her grace, spreading wide,

Bursting sparkling bubbles and rolling little pebbles,

Playfully with a smile

Now she flowed clear and strong, for many miles
In all her glory

And on her banks stood the bewildered lot

Young men and women,

Wandering midst the dug up ruins

Wondering why they had gone – their very own kinds,

Men – the homo sapien

All gone without a trace

Leaving just rubble and ruins

Stones, bricks, cement, concrete and sand

Tonnes of them and tonnes of them

These were cities said one

Planned and unplanned.

And yet why did they all go ? Where did they go ?

What was their tale and who will ever tell ?

As she moved , she cast a glance on them

Wanting to tell

How they had raped her to her bone

Day and night and night and day

Their men – their very one species

Mercilessly undressing her of all her sand

Marauding armies coming in trucks - twenty tonnes each and plenty of them

Digging her, draining her

Building buildings and building cities,

More and more and more and more

She had given them life

She had given them love – food, water and shelter

For need – not for greed – not for this much greed.

Drunk with cash, she mattered no more.

The lonely few who spoke,

Were hushed down with some cash or for ever, with a crash

The senseless ones wouldn’t ever stop

Even when they had to, they hadn’t yet stopped

Nothing was left, No water nor sand

They scrapped her still and soon for sure, there was no food nor life

Her banks were doomed and had begun to die.

And when they thought she was all but dead,

She came back one day

For she hadn’t forgotten her path,

She came wild, furious, wide

Rumbling and roaring

Crashing and crushing

Nothing could stop her, Nothing could slow her,

Tumbling down buildings, turning over trucks

Drawing in her rapists , drowning them in the muck  

Sucking up all their stash,

All her sand and all their cash

No greed mattered now , nor did any need

For when she flowed now

She flowed to wipe out.

She flowed and flowed for years at length
In all her fury 

Cleaning them all off, leaving little trace.

An aeon had gone and her fury had gone

She wasn’t Ponni now 
She was'nt Cauvery now,

Bewitched by her beauty, they had given her a new name

Bursting sparkling bubbles and rolling little pebbles

Doing what she loved – giving them life

Water food and love.

And then one day, there stood on her banks this bewildered lot

Young men and women, who had forgotten their past

And when they poked and they turned

Sifting through the dug up rubble

On a small rock it was hasty scribble

In an old odd script they finally managed to read

And it said   

‘Never ever invoke a river’s wrath’

The travails of a long stay in a hotel

How long is long ? For me, it is anything beyond a day and/ or a night. 

My problem starts the moment I enter the room. Hotel rooms seem to have been designed to freeze people - the AC is in usually on , in full blast. And because most of them have their windows sealed, there is no access to fresh air. I hence end up resigning to fate, and switching off the AC till the temperature in the room rises to a more bearable level at its own pace. Till then I go thorough with the discomfort of walking around in the room with my footwear on - for the floors are too chill ....Oh I hate doing that. 

To escape the chillness, I rush to take a bath - and there comes the next problem. By the time I figure out which tap gives hot water and which one gives cold ( those 'H' and 'C' on the taps seldom indicate things correctly) , I usually end up either shivering after the shower spews a bust of cold water or getting scalded when it spews hot water. And the process goes on for some time, till I find the right position of the taps, when the water from the shower is just warm enough - or safe enough. Once I step out  of the shower, I normally end up wiping the mirror with a tissue, to see my face and check for burns - the exhaust fans are invariably ineffective. 

The rooms. Wonder why all hotel fellows think that everyone who stays in a hotel is on a romantic sojourn. All rooms have dull yellow lights and thick curtains - and that kind of makes the place look sick.Why don't they have bright white lights in hotel rooms? Day times are better - I can open the thick curtains and get some sunlight - but nights are definitely a bother. 

These are however not the major problems. The biggest problem that I face is trying to sleep on the one foot thick spring mattresses. I don't know who designed them and who decided that is mandatory for all hotels to have it. God ! . I admit - they look really tempting, but, as with all other temptations, the pains are far far higher than the gains. I am someone, who is comfortable sleeping on the bed - not sinking into it. Even after so many stays, it takes a long time for me to figure out an appropriate posture - with pillows balancing on all sides, to try and catch some sleep on these mattresses. I am usually unsuccessful in my attempts and am left with two choices - to continue the circus all night to wake up tired  and with body pain , or to pull the blanket on to the floor and lie down. And one can easily guess my choice ;) 

And then the food. Finding something good to eat, for the dwindling species of vegetarians, to which I belong, is a challenge. The breakfast spread is usually the same in most hotels. I have grown up believing that bread is for the sick - and I don't intend changing my beliefs. So bread and other members of the bread family are off.  Dosa and Idli are also ruled out. The hotel wallahs usually make Egg dosa and dosa on the same tawa - so that is off. And I am someone who is keen on banning Idlis , so that is also off. That leaves me with very little choice. As I walk around, I usually see that the bowls with baked beans and tossed potatoes are seldom touched, and so, not wanting to disappoint the chef , I have them, and cornflakes with cold milk. Fresh juices that are served are seldom fresh - and if it is grape juice, it is usually just a step before it gets classified as wine.  

Lunch and dinner are problems too. For most hotels, salad means cabbage and sprouts means green gram. That's all. The side dishes are made with just 3PsO3Cs -  Panner, Potatoes, Peas, Onion , Capsicum, Carrot and Cauliflower - in four combinations - dry / wet , red / yellow - and all of them oily. The Rotis - most variants - are made with maida and hence are out of my list . Rice. Whether it is veg fried rice or veg pulav or veg biryani - it all tastes the same. The first two are paler and the last one is brownish. That's the big difference. The ingredients are the same - basmati rice that is cooked dry (!), with some herbs , slices of carrot, beans and potatoes ( to justify that 'veg' tag). While walking around figuring out what to eat, I consider myself really blessed if I see some palatable curd rice and pickle. Dessert is usually Gulab Jamun / Carrot Halwa - with ice cream - served on a plate , so I can hunt it down into a spoon. The dishes change between lunch and dinner - but the ingredients remain the same.  And so, all these are tolerable for one day. Beyond that, they becomes really unbearable. 

Phew ...I can go on and on , for , the travails continue on a repeat mode - till I get out of the hotel. Getting out ! God ! It is such a relief...Pure bliss - I should say ! I don't know if anyone else feels it this way... But for me, it sure is an escape to freedom. 

Should students (be permitted to) involve in politics - 3

The real concern of those who oppose

If we dig deep, it is clear that the current spate of advises to students and admonishment of student involvement in politics, stems from

a) a sense that the investments in educating such students is not yielding labor for the market. Clearly folks are disappointed.
b) a fear of being questioned. Seldom does anyone like being questioned. 

c) more importantly, the fear and hatred for the left - the Commies and Maoists as they are now referred to. I wonder if many who liberally use these words even know what their philosophies are , or how Marxism is different from Maoism. Most just assume that the former group shouts slogans and organizes strikes, while the latter does not hesitate to use the gun. Without getting into the merits or demerits of the left wing philosophy, we know, that there is little left in the left today. To my mind, they haven't evolved a philosophy for India and will remain a fringe force, unless they are beaten up and made big. 

Students and politics
There are actually no valid reasons to justify an advisory to students on politics. Students beyond 18 are majors. It is for them to decide what they want to do. They are thinking individuals , for whom we may have certain responsibilities, but certainly not rights. They have their dreams and responsibilities. We can equip them with knowledge and skill to choose. But the choice is theirs. 

In fact it is important that students are aware of the world around them - including the political world. It affects them now and will affect them in future as well. They are the future and they will naturally be and have to be concerned about what is being done now - as it will decide what will be done later. Whether some one chooses to take a right wing stance or centerist stance or a left wing stance is her / his choice. 

There are just 7 things that we could do, and they are

1. Inculcate a value system which makes morality and personal integrity as non-negotiable values.

2. Inculcate sensitivity to the people in the world around 

3. Inculcate a sense of respect ( not 'tolerance') for plurality of culture, thought and action. 

4. Inculcate a spirit of questioning - irreverential questioning. 

5. Inculcate courage to take a stance and to call a spade a spade. 

6. Provide all information available so that he / she makes a well thought out, deliberated and educated stance. 

7.And pray to the Almighty, 

Cry as hoarse as we may - students will do what they please. Let them. Let a thousand ideas come forth. Let the ideas clash and evolve. Only then will we have a better tomorrow. 

Should students (be permitted to) involve in politics : 2

Examining the arguments against students involving in politics

1. Politics will spoil students - it will destroy them, make them corrupt
The basic assumption behind the statement that politics will spoil students, is that politics per se is bad. This is an assumption that is on extremely weak grounds. There are certainly bad, corrupt, scheming politicians around. But well, there are bad, corrupt and scheming corporations around too. There are those which plunder national wealth (recall the acute drinking water problem that Cocacola cause in Plachimada, those that cause irreparable damage to the environment (recall Union Carbide, HUL's dumping of mercury in Kodaikanal), bad corporations which sell products that cause harm to people (there are several examples to recall) , bad corporations which evade taxes ( again several examples to recall) , bad banks that mis-sell products to unwitting customers (recall that the regulator has recently intervened in this regard) bad banks that are involved in routing black money out of the country etc (recall the inquiries initiated on some of the foreign and public sector banks). Would we tell students not to work in and for Corporations ? Or are we going to send students to become sadhus in the Himalayas, so that they may remain pure, un-spoilt and un-corrupt.

I don't think the issue is with politics. It is about how students have been brought up as individuals. If they had been brought up as responsible individuals, who would seek and understand issues before forming opinions on them, if they are brought up as individuals who can introspect deeply and argue using facts instead of loud voice and violence and if they can disagree - yet live in peace, if they are brought up with a value system with integrity - nothing will affect them or spoil them. Else, it does not require a stint in politics to ruin them.

2. We subsidize the education with our taxes - not their politics. So they better behave.

The typical 'I have thrown you bones. Wag your tail and don't bark' argument.  Expecting students to be restrained and sticking on the four walls, buried into books, unquestioning and compliant, just because their education is subsidized, comes from a feudal mindset. Repulsive. Students are not slaves. They don't sell their souls to us for funding their education.  Also, what and for how long a student wants to study is his choice. The strata of the society she/ he chooses to serve and how she / he chooses to do so is entirely her / his choice.

And it not that we are pouring money into education. The total budgetary allocation for the entire education sector is about Rs 72 thousand Crores, of the total budgetary expenses of Rs 19.48 lakh crores and that is less than 1% of the GDP. A very poor allocation compared to global standards. Pittance. Compare this with the amount of direct and indirect subsidies that the government gives for corporations by way of incentives, concessions and by way of massive write offs of loans given to corporations - all these attempts to privatize profits and socialize losses. In fact, since these numbers are larger, why don't we look at chopping off the large value items first, before we look at these low value items.

And the tone of such posits is interesting. 'Our tax', 'My tax' they said. Well, if I had a right to decide where my taxes are to be spent, I would want not a penny to be spent on all the subsidies and incentives to corporations. Their contribution by way of employment generation or development is incidental to their process of increasing wealth to their shareholders. After all, organizations should survive and flourish on merit - not on subsidies and incentives. Only then will they be sustainable.

Also, I would also not want monies spent on 182 feet tall statues of iron or 200 feet tall flag masts - for, I think reality is more important than symbolism. (The national flag certainly does not lose its splendor if it is flown in on a shorter mast). I don't have that right to decide on any of these, so do people who now comment on spending on education.

On education, my view is this. Public education and healthcare are investments that the society makes on its citizens and ideally they should be offered free all through. There is a compelling economic rationale for this.We could do well to pick lessons from some of the European and Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Norway, Denmark in this regard. This is however besides the point. 

3. They are in colleges to study - not to participate in politics. If they want let them quit studying and involve in politics. 
Students are in colleges to learn - not just to study. Learning is a wholesome process. And society and polity are very much a part of the environment that students should learn about and deliberate. We live in a country where someone aged 18 can vote. And when we have given her / him this right, on what basis can we say that he should not participate in politics ? And how do we assume that a student who is active in politics is not studying and is not doing well in his academics as well ? 

And this advise to students, asking them to quit studying and involving in politics. Absolutely brilliant. I don't know if the folks who go about making such statements know that there are over 32 lakh students enrolled as members in ABVP. Try telling them this.

I cannot resist quoting the Hon'ble Union Minister for Urban development Mr Venkaiah Naidu who recently advised that 'Kanhaiya Kumar should focus on studies and not get involved in politics'. If only Mr Naidu and his ilk like Mr Arun Jaitley or Mr Gadkari, had followed what they preach now, we would have been saved of their presence in the Government. Mr Naidu conveniently forgot that he started his political career as a leader of the ABVP in 1973-74, after being elected as President of the Students Union of Andhra University Colleges. Mr Jaitley was an ABVP leader who then became the President of the Student's Union of Delhi University in 1974 and later the All India Secretary of the ABVP. Mr Gadkari worked for the ABVP as a student.

If Mr Naidu and his parivar are really serious about students focusing on their studies and not wasting time in politics, they should have disbanded the right wing aligned , largest students union , the ABVP by now and called for other associations to be disbanded. They wouldn't do that.

The real issue hence not about students joining politics - it is about joining 'Left' politics. If it is ABVP, there would have been no issue at all.

4. If they involve in politics, they ruin the hopes that their parents and society have on them

Oh what a genuine sounding concern ! But look deep, you will see that it is not the welfare of students that is the concern here.

Look at the courses offered by most of the Universities - and you will find most of them labelled 'Job oriented' courses. From institutions where ideas are born, nourished, debated and refined, Universities are increasingly becoming training yards for mercenaries for corporate warfare, where students are expected to focus on careers instead of learning and thinking. And the call to privatize education is just for the same reason.

We will need to remember that there is more to life than just earning a living.

Should students (be permitted to) involve in politics : 1

I heard it when I was a student and I hear it again now. 'Should students be involved in politics?'
Thanks to JNU, this question has come up again. The only difference these days the version sounds more like 'Should students be permitted to be involved in politics' 

Caveats

Before I proceed on discussing the issue, let me qualify three things 

1. When I mean a student, I refer to someone, who has touched 18 years of age, for, at 18 they become eligible to vote. 

2. And when I say involve, I do not mean involvement in anti-national activities. 

3. And when I say involve, I also do not mean involving at the cost of their academic pursuits.

And on JNU. Apart from my view that that the entire episode is an attempt to divert public attention from more pressing issues on the economic front, I know very little of what actually happened in JNU. Nevertheless, it is tough to skirt the issue while discussing  about students and politics.

We are told that in JNU
a. Students were involved in seditious activities
b. Students worshiped Mahishasur
c. Students demanded serving beef. 

My view on these three issues are
a. I certainly condemn any anti-national stance. But, whether something seditious actually happened is for the courts to decide. I do not want to jump into conclusions based on doctored videos or data on number of used condoms and chips packets. 

There is no one way to define Nationalism. Nationalism to me is about people - not just land and boundaries. Land and borders are means - not the end of nationalism. Also, there is a sea of difference between being anti-national and being against the policies of the Government of the day - even if they are elected by a massive and brutal majority. Governments and those whose who hold the levers of the government are not Gods and are not above criticism. The legal position is that even judgments of the highest court can be criticized. The verdict of the courts cannot be disobeyed. Judges cannot be criticized. Motives behind the judgement cannot be questioned, but yes - Judgments can be criticized. And it is constitutional right of every citizen to question, criticize, chide, protest and demonstrate (loudly if needed, but non-violently) against actions of the Government that are perceived to be against the interest of the citizen. But, what actually happened in JNU and whether what happened was seditious are facts that we will know only over the course of time. 

b. As a practicing Hindu ( a phrase that I learnt from the Hon'ble HRD Minister) , I am perfectly okay with anyone wanting to worship Mahishasur or Mahabali or even Ravana - or remaining an atheist. The Asur communities revere Mahishasur and consider the Durga puja as a period of mourning. Mahabali is celebrated in Kerala. Ravana is worshipped by a brahmin sub-sect in Madhya Pradesh. Infact, while I would condemn Ravana for usurping Sita. I would in the same breath condemn Rama for a) suspecting the fidelity of his wife b) ditching his pregnant wife just because someone in his kingdom suspected her. I enjoy reading Ravanakaviyam as much as I enjoy Kambaramayanam. That does not make me a lesser 'Hindu' than anyone. And even if it does, one does not care.

Religion is a personal choice and the relationship between an Individual and the Supreme being an unique and personal one. Anyone who had taken an effort to read and understand the Upanishads would understand that this religion is wide and open for people to question, deliberate, discuss , disagree and ponder over. The strength of the 'Hindu' religion is its plurality - something that Abrahamic religions do not have. We have to cherish this plurality. In fact, it is an important duty to free the religion from these half baked belligerent, bigots of the parivar who in the name of protecting it , bring in so much of disrepute. 

c. I strongly support vegetarianism and would want all animals - including cows to be protected. But I know that food is a personal choice.  When, as a nation, we have no qualms about exporting beef, we should no qualms serving it to people who choose it.

So, apart from the fact that the second and third accusations actually sound amusing to me, there is nothing more on the JNU episode. 

Now, coming back to the question - should students be involved in politics, there are broadly four arguments that are advanced by people who oppose student involvement in politics.

1. Politics will spoil students - it will destroy them, make them corrupt. Sly politicians will use them for furthering their causes. 

2. We subsidize the education with our taxes - not their politics. So they better behave.
3. They are in colleges to study - not to participate in politics

4. If they involve in politics, they ruin the hopes that their parents and society have on them.

We will look at each of these in some detail in the next post.

Wow !!! Congress faces funding crisis ...

As I opened the morning papers ...I was delighted to see Business Line reporting that ' With big business tap shut, Cong faces funds crisis'. What a wonderful news !

Nobody pays you when you can't work for them anymore - and certainly not business men. Donations to political parties are investments ...or protection money or both. So, it is natural that the Congress will find no money from big business ...who clearly see that this party will be unproductive for atleast the next five years. But businesses keep on investing ...and logically now, money is flowing somewhere else.

But, think a little more and we immediately realize that if only the congress party had relied on people directly for funds, it would be unlikely that they would be facing such a crisis....small granular contributions don't dry up easily . We are told that the Kerala unit of the party does it....and the Congress has a strong presence and now weild power in the state. But, if they had indeed done it across the country , the Congress would have worked hard to ensure that they serve the people - who would have been their paymasters. In part that explains why politicians in Kerala are -at least outwardly - humble and accessible .

When big business is your paymaster , you do what they bid you to do....but you can throw your weight around and ride fortuners and boleros. You sell the idea that big business and big investments naturally mean development and welfare. To aid you in this proces is the big media (also owned by big business ). And , when it is election time, when it is big money that is supporting you, you can buy votes.

Coming back, we realize and it is obvious there is big business money that has now flown into the saffron party ....and hence it is natural that we will see pro-big business policy action by the government...and naturally all these need not be pro people. One of the first evidences of this is the Land grabbing ordinance...and other such ordinances. Unless the saffron party actually broad bases itself and approaches people directly, we can only see policy for big business and preachings for the people....broad basing will require a humongous effort and change in mindset - which is unlikely.

Over time, I don't expect the saffron party to be any different from the hand that passed on the baton of governance to it, for, as they say ,  எல்லாம் ஒரே குட்டையில் ஊறிய மட்டைகள் (they are all from the same marsh).

Interestingly, this probably explains why the AAP , which has not raised money from big business yet (that two crores is small change when compared to donations for other parties and even they don't seem to be from any big corporate house), is labelled as left of center, the emerging left, extreme left and what not.

Parties know that big money is hot money and as long as they pursue policies that favors big business, and also sell it people as reform and development, they will be able to swim in it. When polices don't come forth or when people don't buy the story ...the model collapses. We are delightfully seeing it happen to the Congress and I hope it happens to the saffron party as well. I hope that this model collapses so many times that parties dump it once and for all. Only then will we have true democracy ...until then we will have to suffer this kleptocracy.

அரங்கத்தில் அம்மா Money திட்டம் !

அழகிரி அங்கென்னா
அரங்கத்தில் அம்மாங்க - நம்மள
அம்மாவும் அய்யாவும்
மாறி மாறி ஆண்டாலும்
கட்சி கொடி கலருலதான்
வித்தியாசம்  இருக்குங்கோ !
கொள்கையெல்லாம் ஒண்ணுங்கோ..
அது ...
"ஆம்புட்ட வரை அள்ளுங்கோ" ...
கணக்கில்லாம அள்ளுனத
கணக்கு பாத்து தாராங்க
ஆளுக்கீராயிரம்
ஆளரவுங்க தாராங்க
ஆளாத கட்சியாரும்
ஐந்நூறு தாரங்க !!
கருக்கலில வாரங்க
கதவைத்  தட்டி தாராங்க !

ஆமா !

யாருங்கடா சொன்னது
PDS சொதப்பலுன்னு ....
இரண்டு பேர அனுப்புங்க
இங்க வந்து பாக்கட்டும் - எம்மா
கச்சிதமா நடக்குது இங்க
அம்மா money திட்டமுன்னு ...

ஆஹா !

எந்த மடையன் சொன்னது
சனநாயகம் நடக்குதுன்னு ?
வந்து இங்க பாக்கட்டும்
நல்லாவே வெளங்கிடும்
ஊரல  செழிப்பா  நடக்கறது
பணநாயக ஆட்சியின்னு ..

AAP win : Hard work, aided and abetted in no small measure by the BJP

Call them naxals, anarchists , the mango people or the zamanaat zapt party or call their leader muffler man or a quitter or whatever, the fact - and yes , it is real hard for a lot of people to swallow is that the man and his rag tag team has won 67 constituencies i.e, 95% of the seats with 54 % popular vote . Now Delhiites are portrayed as nuts, people who don't understand basics, how the national capital is populated by people who want freebies etc and some have even told that they are anti-national !!! Whatever ...a lot of people think that Delhiites usually exhibit a level of confidence that borders on arrogance - and yes they have given the AAP a confident 'Yes' and the BJP an arrogant 'No'.

AAP :......This party quit running the state - or a glorified municipality as some call it -  in 49 days ( although it was on principle), much to the irritation and anger of people who voted it in. People naturally felt cheated. It looked like these fellows are capable of only dharnas - and not of governance. They were reduced to rubble in the parliamentary election and ended up looking like jokers contesting in 400 seats and losing deposit monies in over 90 of them . And though they managed to actually increase their vote share marginally and sent 4 people to the parliament, a lot of us wrote them off. At least I did.

Kejriwal was a butt of jokes...and AAP were labled as AAP tards...its sympathizers labelled as anti nationalists - the logic for which was simple. You wont want to do anything with a scam ridden Congress - and so you have to be with the only alternative the BJP- and being with BJP was being nationalistic and if you are against it, you are anti-national. The media had shifted its focus off to more interesting things ...Modi and the BJP.  And in what seemed as perfect master stroke, Modi pulled Gandhi from the Congress and the broom from AAP and launched the Swacch Bharat Mission. ... For most of us it looked that the AAP was a failed experiment for others it was thankfully a failed experiment. From there to bounce back with such a massive majority ...it no mean act.

To my mind this is a combination of AAP's own effort and the huge effort put in by BJP.

I am personally pleasantly surprised by the way Kejriwal made a comeback. If you had faced failure, you will know that failure can be very painful..and a massive failure combined with huge amount of ridicule can kill people - or their morale. Pulling up from that level must have been really really tough. And going around asking forgiveness and seeking another chance is not something is easy. And motivating and keeping together a bunch of people who came together kicked by an idea to form a fledgling party that  subsequently faced a rout - would have been a stupendous task.

These guys actually went about doing that...they reached out to people, connected with them in a way that no politician has done in the recent past. The volunteer force which was basically a group of rag-tag , disorganized group was slowly built into a structure... This connect with people helped the party to clearly identify priorities, think of solutions and come up with a clear action program as a manifesto. From a party that was identified with a middle-class that was disenchanted with corruption and obsessed with a Jan Lokpal etc ..they moved wider and deeper, linking up with the urban poor - without upsetting the middle class. Their manifesto is well thought out and actionable. They spoke of development with equity in the Mohalla meetings... So what helped the AAP was

1. Kejriwal going out and saying sorry for quitting and seeking another chance
2. The paanch saal Kejriwal slogan ...that was an assurance that they will not quit this time
3. A better organized structure 
4. A longer preparation time (in part granted to them by the BJP)
5. An ability to connect with people across various classes
6. The memory of the 49 days rule when power tariff was lower , water was free and petty corruption disappeared ...Yes this did seem to have mattered ...if at all , this was the only proof of concept that the AAP could talk of. 
7. A clean, and man- next door image. 

But then, the BJP contributed to the victory in no small measure.

1. They stretched the time for election to over 8 months ...giving valuable time for the AAP to reorganize and rework. It was plain stupid to do that. 
2. The 4 M strategy - Modi, Money , Mud and Majoritism just did not work. Modi was not able to connect with the people. The 'Move ahead with Modi' story is no longer exciting enough. The massive contingent of MPs and Ministers campaigning - just showed that the party was getting jittery. The mudslinging and mid night hawala etc failed again as it backfired terribly. It only made Kejriwal stronger... people clearly saw that this as a smear campaign. And I guess nobody was bothered about Majoritism. 
3. Lack of clarity and then a wrong CM candidate . First they ran 'Vote for Modi sarkar campaign' - with Modi as the face and when the first rally failed, they removed Harsha Vardan who was the familiar face and imposed Kiran Bedi... Bedi was a terrible mistake. She managed to rub both the voters and the party folks on the wrong side. She was seen as a turncoat ( and she indeed is. Till yesterday she was saying that she was a responsible person ....blah blah and today, she quickly said that it as she has given her 100% , the party will need to introspect for the defeat)
4. And there was over exposure of Modi , on photos, in posters,  in news papers , over the radio ....just all over ..it was just Modi Modi Modi..... Modi appeared to be almost narcissistic - with name-stripped coats and all that. The party is just refusing to grow up.
5. An all talk and no concrete delivery track record for the last 8 odd months - for the people who mattered. For the man on the street, it was all vague announcements and pronouncements ...nothing else.
6. An aggressive pro-big corporate image that the BJP created - with the Land Grabbing ordinance ...sorry Land Acquisition ordinance , changes to labour laws etc... Well that clearly showed that growth trajectory that BJP was taking was not inclusive. 
7. The BJP did not paint itself in glory with all the ghar wapsi dramas that the sangh parivar enacted ....and psychotic blabber from some the parties MPs....it clearly alienated the minorities...and moderates . And with the Congress giving up even before the election, they moved to the AAP. ...(and AAP did the smart thing of rejecting the Imam's support - else it would have given the BJP a chance to play the majoritism card).
8. And finally, nobody wants a lecture on culture, lifestyle and dressing, on the number of children you have and where to send thrm to etc ...least of all a Delhiite ....and the BJP MPs..not just the Sangh and its gang went about just doing that ...playing moral police. 

When Modi addressed the rally in Delhi, he said 'Jo Desh ka mood hai - wahi Dilli ka mood hai'... In time, the converse will also be true.. Wonder if the party will introspect ( as Bedi wanted it to do) and rework its strategy.

The ordeal of attending wedding receptions

If attending wedding ceremonies is futile - attending wedding receptions is an ordeal - actually a series.

The first problem is finding a gift. I never realized that finding a gift is a problem , till some years back - when my friend confided that he normally re-packed and re-'presented' gifts that he received...."What do you do with 17 wall clocks, 8 pairs of watches , a dozen Milton Casserole hot packs and a half a dozen flower vases?" - he asked. Ever since he made this startling 'disclosure' - it has been my challenge to find a gift that does not get re-packed and re-presented. For a while thereafter, I thought I got over this problem by getting gift vouchers or gift cards...till another friend to whom I had gifted a gift-card for his wedding called me about a year later to say that the card's validity period had expired and wanted know how the validity period could be extended !!!. I then decided to ask the 'inviter' what they wanted . Some have been helpful...but not all. So....the problem still remains...

If after some mental wrestling and walking up and down several stores, you finally manage to find a gift that wont get re-'presented' (that is , if you are really concerned about it) and go to the wedding reception, you encounter the next problem. - actually a question and that is when to reach ?. If you reach early - you have a problem and if you go late - you have a problem.

It took more than a couple of instances for me to realize that punctuality is not a virtue when  it comes to attending receptions. Whenever I had gone to the reception hall on time - I would realize that I was usually the only soul there...people would start trickling in quite some time later. And whenever I checked, I was told that the bride and the groom had gone to the parlour !!?!  Men going to parlours sounded obnoxious and unmanly to me - for,  those were the days when there were no 'Naturals' or 'Green trends' and the term metrosexuality was not yet in vogue (people are now saying  that metrosexuality is giving way for 'spornosexuality'...whatever that means) ... After a while, the couple would walk in - both made-up in the parlour beyond recognition...with the girl usually more un-recognizable of the two. The groom would have his hair looking wet, with a coat of powder on his face and the girl would have her hair (I guess it is mostly wigs) done up with plastic pearls pinned up here and there, hair and wig , all swirled around. The greatest damage would be to the face - with all colours ( matching with her saree) applied above and below her eyes, a garish lip stick, several coats of paint ... oh ! ...terrible. !!. Further, ever since the days of Hum Aapke Hain Koun - or about that time, it is become a norm that grooms in Tamil Nadu should wear richly brocaded sherwanis for wedding receptions and the bride should wear a gaghra choli or a glass and stone embroided saree - even if the reception is in Omalur or Puthanampatti....(call it cultural penetration if you want to) ...I have always wondered if they ever got to wear the sherwani another time.... Anyway - the point is - if you go early - you will have to wait.

And if you go a bit late, apart from the trouble of having to find a parking slot for your car, you will still have to to wait . You will have stand in a queue and wait to pass on the gift. A long winding queue it is. Waiting for the queue to subside is no panacea ...the queue only gets longer. After so many years of attending wedding receptions, I must admit that I haven't yet found out the exact time to enter the reception hall.

In the meanwhile if in the hall, you see some folks you know, you soon realize that you have to be an expert in sign language to be able to communicate with them. Reception halls these days are usually awfully noisy. Forget classical cutcheries - even soft and pleasing music has become a rarity . These days, it is a deadly cacophony of heavy noise - voice and instrument that masquerades as music. People who arrange for the reception usually make it a point to get some super-singer drop outs and the like to come , belt out some recent and no so recent movie numbers - of all kinds - yes - of all kinds - and tear your ear drums. You just can't shout beyond their 'notes' - and so communication within the community in the hall is purely non-verbal....You keep hearing that dun dun dun dun ..and some off-notes ...and soon, all that you hear is a 'koooooiiiinnnnnnn' sound in your ear.

You realize it is time and join the queue. When you finally manage to reach the dais and wait for your turn , over all the din in the place, you slowly start hearing things (probably your system has got used to the noise) ...interesting conversations that are spoken in loud voices. And they are usually of the following kinds : A man in late forties would usually asks the girl ...'Hi , Do you recognize me ?' - and the girl would quickly do some thinking and says ' Yes of course - I do Mama', and the gentleman would quickly correct her ' I am not your Mama - I am your Chittappa'.....( as if it mattered to the girl :) !... . And a little later, a Mami in early sixties would come, squeeze the grooms chin - and much to his discomfiture,  tell the girl ...'this boy was very mischievous as a kid' and would go on recounting some terrible goof up by the poor fellow. After all these people move, you get your turn . You say a big congratulations to the groom - while  he takes a lot of effort and introduces you to the girl ( you can be dead sure that she wont remember a bit of it) ...and they insist that they will want a visible proof of attendance - in the form of a photograph. So, you hold your breath, pull in your now-starting-to-show belly , freeze as a statue for the photographer to do the honours and carefully get down ...(thanks to the videographer's glaring light- you cant see anything for a while) ...

And then comes the next problem ...dining. The dining hall is usually overflowing and you wonder if people had come straight to the dining hall before going up to see the couple. While you wait to see if there is some kind of a queue there too, to your horror you see some people standing behind people who are having their food - waiting for them to get up...OMG !. Now you have decide if you can shun shame, stand till somebody gets up , to hop into the seat or if you should drive to some restaurant nearby for your dinner...And if you decide on the former,  in a jiffy you see a large plantain leaf spread out with some 23 items served on it ( I counted it once)...the mere sight of which fills your stomach...But if you have the fortitude to taste all that stuff , and by chance if you really want a second helping it is really tough ..the Uncle and Aunt who sat next to you would have already left and the hungry ones would have already started to occupy their seats...So , you wind up - wondering if you had a proper meal or not , walk out, pick up a beeda and move out.

இப்படி ஒரு திருமணவரவேற்பு  நிகழ்ச்சிக்கு போகலேன்ன என்ன ?  ...மக்களே !, don't take invitations for wedding receptions too seriously. If you care for the couple, call them up a few days later and convey your wishes. And if they are really your real near and real dear - call them over for lunch or dinner at home - or if you are confident of the quality of cooking at home , you may call them to a good restaurant...You can be sure that you are seeing the couple, your eyes and ears remain undamaged and they will also be a normal and relaxed. 

The futility of attending wedding ceremonies

Marriages are occasions when co-habitation is formalized....And because there are 'risks' associated in the process, divine and social sanction is sought by ceremonies - particularly in the prajapatya system of marriage ( Manusmriti lists 8 types of marriages - and these are brahmana, daiva, arsha, prajapatya, asura, gandharva, rakshasa and pisaka ).

In the 'good' old days, there was a higher emphasis on divine sanction....and probably because, mobility was not great, marriages would happen in houses or in temples. Marriage ceremonies would go on for about a week and in some cases even 10 days. Close relatives from far and near would come stay over and the entire place would be brimming with activity....and somewhere down the line - along with divinity and social sanction ( read 'community' sanction) , 'commerce', also got in. And as times changed (for better or worse - depending on how one wants to look at it), marriage ceremonies moved from houses to 'marriage halls' - chatirams , the number of days shrunk to two - and the usual post-wedding reception has in the last several years become pre-wedding reception. The size of the hall and its address have now become symbols of wealth...weddings are fixed after blocking the hall. Ceremonies have been cut to the bare minimum....and the emphasis has moved more to blatant displays of wealth, political connections and what not.... 

All this is still fine. You can call them socio-economic-religio changes..

In the recent times - well - not exactly recent...ever since the video camera  came in, there is a craze for recording the entire wedding rituals on the video. At one level I have always wondered if anybody would want to watch the video at all.....I mean , why will somebody want to see and re-live the memory of himself getting trapped ? Anyway, when you go to a wedding hall, you will see one or more video-graphers going around blinding your eyes with glaring light, freezing your picture in awkward positions and capturing all movements , from the time you enter to the time you have the feast. You don't even have the freedom of walking around - since there are so many cables running hither and tither that you will need to be really careful. 

And things have become worse of late. 

Well, one doesn't travel long distances just to eat the wedding feast...One goes to the wedding to shower some flowers and 'akshadai' on the boy and to pray that he gets divine help ( he needs a lot of it) for life thereafter. 

And, when you go to the hall, you see a stage on which one can easily count more than a few dozen people - mainly women - the heavier ones in traditional heavy Kanchivarams and bedecked with heavy jewelry, and the not yet heavy ones, with heavy make up ,'fashion' jewelry and flowing sarees, several children of varying ages , and few gray haired or dyed men - all clamoring for space, for a view and of course a lot of attention. Somewhere between all these people, the camera men, the priest and his assistant(s), lamps, pots and a havan, you see the poor groom sweating it out in a silk shirt (that is usually used just once in a lifetime) - with an already tired but beaming face (with no clue of what he is getting into). And the 'final' moment comes, when the boy is to tie the knot (and ironically get tied down)...,when the nadhaswaram reaches a crescendo...and lo and behold  you see nothing but posteriors of all camera men ( photo and video), everybody who thinks she/ he is a camera man and everybody else who has managed to fish out a smart or not so smart phone with a camera. ..Yes ..just all their posteriors ..nothing else... Senseless. You take some effort to go to the wedding - and get to see only people's posteriors. While somebody logs in to their fb account and sees the groom and the bride.  

And so Ladies and Gentlemen ! If the boy/ girl is not your immediate 'இஷ்ட மித்ர பந்து ' attending weddings is a futile exercise ...see the pair's pictures on fb , pray to the Almighty to bless them and be done with it. You would have saved yourself a lot of time , effort and the embarrassment of having to see  so many people's posteriors. 

Payment Banks - Will they make money ?

There has been a huge hype about payment banks. Some in the business media have said that these banks will be a boost to financial inclusion...look at telecom companies offering mobile wallets and white label ATMs they said.

I am very skeptical about this story of financial inclusion ...I don't think it will happen with Jan Dhan scheme ( I hear that 75% of the accounts opened have no balance and no operations ), or with payments banks or what ever... Financial inclusion can happen only with economic inclusion. But somehow, policy makers don't seem to be talking about it....

Lets us assume that these banks would help in financial inclusion, as policy makers would want us to be believe....the question that begs an answer is - will these entities make money and be sustainable as stand alone entities ? 

What these banks can do : 

i) Accept demand deposits ( current and savings bank deposits) upto Rs 1 lakh per customer 

ii) Payments and remittance services through various channels including branches, business correspondents and mobile banking

iii) Issuance of pre-paid instruments.

iv) Function as Business correspondents 

v) Apart from CRR,  all monies have to be held in SLR securities as investments. The capital adequacy ratio has to be 15% , which is not very difficult, considering that the risk weights in their exposure is negligible - but they the overall leverage ratio should not be below 5. The bank should also have a minimum capital of Rs 100 Crores at all times. 

But these banks cannot lend. And that means, they don't make any spread . The most important way that banks make money is hence gone. And that means, they will have to rely entirely on their ability to charge customers for using their payment systems to make money. While that is possible, will they be able to actually generate enough business volumes to remain profitable is a big question....particularly, since all banks currently offer all that the payments bank can offer. 

First , I don't think people are going to just queue up to open accounts in a payments bank ? Why would they ? As these banks cannot lend, their ability to pay interest on savings accounts is going to be limited...so why will somebody shift ? 

Second, the expectation that POS terminals in Kirana will start functioning as ATMs ( the payments bank can offer cash-out at POS terminals) is a wildly optimistic one - at least in the forseeable future. 

Third, I also don't know what additional benefits would be available for an existing telecom companies offering mobile wallets or the white label ATMs by becoming a payments bank. In-fact, RBI has prohibited telecom majors from using their existing channels for the payments business - and  so, even if there were players interested, they would now have a contend with the cost of setting up a new channel for this business....

Fourth, while the payment of subsidies and benefits may move to banks, it is unlikely that ALL cash transactions between individuals will move into banks. In-fact the recent move limit free transactions over the ATM and to charge for it, will only increase the use of cash....I am already hearing of people drawing out a big chunk of their salary as soon as it is credited !

I don't think stand alone payment banks will be sustainable. I will be surprised if commercial entities will evince interest in this - with the current guidelines. If at all there is any entity that may be interested, it can be India Post. But, although there will be a large HR policy rework that will be required, I think India Post should work on a becoming a full fledged bank - not just a payments bank. 

The myth of being a Brahmin by birth : III

After negating the soul, the physical body, birth ( caste), karma and dharma as being causes of Brahmin-hood, the Upanishads explains who is a Brahmin.

तर्हि को वा ब्रह्मणो नाम । 

Who indeed then bears the name ( designation) of Brahmin ? 

यः कश्चिदात्मानमद्वितीयं जातिगुणक्रियाहीनं षडूर्मिषड्भावेत्यादिसर्वदोषरहितं सत्यज्ञानानन्दानन्तस्वरूपं
स्वयं निर्विकल्पमशेषकल्पाधारमशेषभूतान्तर्यामित्वेन 
वर्तमानमन्तर्यहिश्चाकाशवदनुस्यूतमखण्डानन्दस्वभावमप्रमेयं
अनुभवैकवेद्यमपरोक्षतया भासमानं करतळामलकवत्साक्षादपरोक्षीकृत्य
कृतार्थतया कामरागादिदोषरहितः शमदमादिसंपन्नो भाव मात्सर्य
तृष्णा आशा मोहादिरहितो दम्भाहङ्कारदिभिरसंस्पृष्टचेता वर्तत
एवमुक्तलक्षणो यः स एव ब्राह्मणेति शृतिस्मृतीतिहासपुराणाभ्यामभिप्रायः 
अन्यथा हि ब्राह्मणत्वसिद्धिर्नास्त्येव ।
सच्चिदानान्दमात्मानमद्वितीयं ब्रह्म भावयेदित्युपनिषत् ॥
॥ इति वज्रसूच्युपनिषत्समाप्ता ॥
He who succeeds in perceiving directly the self without a second like an amalaka (gooseberry) fruit in the palm of his hand, who is devoid of (the distinction) of caste, gunas ( or trait) and action,
(who is devoid of ) all the faults such as the six imperfections (old age, death, sorrow, delusion, hunger and thirst) and the six states of being ( birth, existence, growth, transformation, waning  and perishing), (who is) of the nature of satya-gnana-anandha-anantha (truth, knowledge, bliss and infinity), who is independent (or self existent) , without determinations ( nir-vikalpa), but the base for infinite determination, (who) exists in all as the indwelling spirit, (who) is within and without of all like the akash (ether),  (who is ) of the nature of indivisible bliss, immeasurable, known only through ones direct experience, (who ) manifests himself directly as truth, (who) has successfully overcome such imperfections as desire and passion, (who is ) filled with the riches of tranquility, (who ) has eliminated from his being such states as envy, greed and infatuation, (who)  lives unaffected by such things as ostentation and egoism - these aforesaid qualities make up a Brahmin.

This is the opinion expressed by all the srutis (Vedas), smritis (religious books), Puranas (ancient lore) and the Ithihasas (historical works). There is no other way to attain Brahmin-hood. Meditate upon Brahman, the inmost Self, who is of the nature of truth, consciousness and bliss and who is without a second. Meditate upon Brahman, the very Self, who is without a second. 

This is the Upanishad.

-------------

There are two main inferences of this Upanishad.

i) The first one is this - that it is not birth or circumstance which decides 'Brahmin-hood'. It is true that here are socio-economic differences between people that arise because of one's birth. Birth and context may hinder somebody from achieving a exalted social or economic status. But the Vedas clearly explain that the attainment of the exalted status of Brahmin-hood from a spiritual perspective is not dependent on any of this. Nobody is a Brahmin by birth ( and by extension , no one is born into a Varna). One becomes a Brahmin and anybody can. To claim 'spiritual' superiority based on birth is the most 'anti -vedic' thing a person can do. It is akin to calling the world (உலகம் / ஜகம் ) false or an illusion and in the same breath ,calling oneself the guru of the world (லோககுரு / ஜகத்குரு) - completely contradictory. 

That there is no difference based on birth was so clearly stated by Poet Tiruvalluvar , who said 

பிறப்பொக்கும்  எல்லா  உயிர்க்கும்  சிறப்பொவ்வா
செய்தொழில்  வேற்றுமை  யான் ( 972) 
All beings are born equal ( as one), diversities of work gives each his special worth. 

ii) The second one is that it is difficult to see how one can easily claim to be a Brahmin. One cannot claim or be certified as a 'Brahmin' in the true sense either by one's parents or by the State's Registration Department. Such a certificate is a mere caste or community certificate - not a certificate of one's Varna. From a strictly spiritual perspective, such a claim or certificate is at best spurious. The only true 'certificate' of brahmin-hood, can obviously be 'issued' by a fully realized soul / or by the Almighty ! So, how does one get to know this ? Whether one is a realized one of not , or one's inner experience of bliss, truth and tranquility can be known only to oneself and the Almighty !. But, a realized  soul experiencing God's grace or a true Brahmin can give only what he has - and will hence naturally be gracious to all beings. So, anybody who discriminates against another person, looks down on others, has greed, ego or hatred can never be a Brahmin that the Vedas extol. And this is so easy to observe. As Saint Poet Tiruvalluvar said 

அந்தணர்  என்போர்  அறவோர் மற் றெவ்வுயிர்க்கும்
செந்தண்மை  பூண்டொழு க லான். (30)
The Anthanar(s) are they who are truly virtuous ; because in their conduct towards all creatures they are clothed in graciousness. 

It is not that I am the first person to pull this Upanishad and present. A great many have possibly read it.  Several great people have time and again quoted / quoted from this Upanishad. And yet the myth of being a Brahmin by birth continues to be perpetuated and believed. 

It can  only be so either because these people who claim or believe to be Brahmins by birth 
i) Are ignorant or in some kind of delusion , in which case we can only pity them or let them continue to live in that state ....அம்மட்டில்  அவர்  மகிழ்க  !
and / or 
ii) Are desirous of using other's ignorance , in which case, we can only arm ourselves with knowledge and handle them.

We will also need to understand the true meaning of becoming a Dvija ( or a twice-born) , the Brahmopadesa , the wearing of the sacred thread or yagnobaveetham etc, about the authority to conduct worship in temples etc...and all these directly from the scriptures...

The myth of being a Brahmin by birth - II

The Vajra Suchika Upanishad : There are minor variations in the texts, but there is no significant difference in the meaning. I have used that the text that has been published the Ramakrishna Mutt. This appears as the 38th in the list of 108 Upanishads.

We will look at the Upanishad. After the customary salutations  to the Preceptor, and wishing peace all around, it begins thus : 

ॐ वज्रसूचीं प्रवक्ष्यामि शास्त्रमज्ञानभेदनम् ।

दूषणं ज्ञानहीनानां भूषणं ज्ञानचक्षुषाम् ॥ १ ॥

Meaning : Om ! I shall expound the Vajra Suchi — the 'diamond needle' doctrine which destroys ignorance, condemns those who are devoid of the knowledge (of Brahman) and exalts those endowed with enlightenment. 

ब्राह्मक्षत्रियवैष्यशूद्रा इति चत्वारो वर्णास्तेषां वर्णानां ब्राह्मण एव प्रधान इति वेदवचनानुरूपं स्मृतिभिरप्युक्तम् ।

Meaning : Brahmin (Brahmana) , Kshatriya , Vaishya and Shudras  — these are the four varnas. That the Brahmin is the chief among these classes is in accord with the Vedic texts and is affirmed by the Smrtis.

तत्र चोद्यमस्ति को वा ब्राह्मणो नाम किं जीवः किं देहः किं जातिः किं ज्ञानं किं कर्म किं धार्मिक इति ॥

Meaning : In this regard, an inquiry is made . Who is this whom we refer by the name Brahmana? Is he the Jiva (soul) ? Is he (so because of ) the physical body? Is he (so based on) his jati ( or caste - i.e., based on one's birth) ? Is he (so because of the possession of) the wisdom? Is he (so because of) the actions he undertakes? Is he (so because of the performance of) the dharma (religious/meritorius rites) ?

Negating that Brahmin-hood is based on the Jiva or the Soul

तत्र प्रथमो जीवो ब्राह्मण इति चेत् तन्न । अतीतानागतानेकदेहानां  जीवस्यैकरूपत्वात्  एकस्यापि कर्मवशादनेकदेहसंभवात् सर्वशरीराणां जीवस्यैकरूपत्वाच्च ।

तस्मात् न जीवो ब्राह्मण इति ॥
अतीतानागतानेकदेहानां जीवस्यैकरूपत्वात् एकस्यापि कर्मवशादनेकदेहसंभवात् सर्वशरीराणां
जीवस्यैकरूपत्वाच्च । तस्मात् न जीवो ब्राह्मण इति ॥

Of these, the first premise that Brahmana is jiva is  not tenable because the  jiva remains the same in the bodies that it entered in previous lives and future lives.Although it is one, based on the impact (fruit) of its actions, the Jiva attains numerous bodies ( in different births). Therefore, a Brahmana is not on account of the Jiva. 

Notes : This argument is based on the following principles / dogmas : 

• That the soul is immortal, immutable and changeless
• That souls obtain/ enter the bodies based on the fruits of their karma - or deeds, and hence there life and rebirth after death. 

These are the key principles of accepted by all religions / schools of thought that accept the Vedas.

Negating that Brahmin-hood is based on the physical body

तर्हि देहो ब्राह्मण इति चेत् तन्न ।
आचाण्डालादिपर्यन्तानां मनुष्याणां पञ्चभौतिकत्वेन देहस्यैकरूपत्वात्
जरामरणधर्माधर्मादिसाम्यदर्शनत् ब्राह्मणः श्वेतवर्णः क्षत्रियो
रक्तवर्णो वैश्यः पीतवर्णः शूद्रः कृष्णवर्णः इति नियमाभावात् ।
पित्रादिशरीरदहने पुत्रादीनां ब्रह्महत्यादिदोषसंभवाच्च ।
तस्मात् न देहो ब्राह्मण इति ॥

Then (coming to the statement) that the body is Brahmana, this also is not acceptable. Right down to the Chandalas -  (the lowest of the human class) , the bodies of all human beings is composed of the self same five elements (the earth, the water, the fire, the air and the ether / space), are in the same form and are subject to the same processes of old age and death, good and evil. One cannot also generalize that the Brahmanas have white (fair) complexion, the Kshatriyas red complexion, the Vaishyas brown complexion and the Sudras dark complexion, (because these colors are not uniform among these classes and there is no such stipulation of colours ). Further when a son cremates the body of his dead 'brahmin' father, he is not afflicted by the Brahma-haththi dosha (the sin of killing a Brahmin). Therefore a Brahmana is not so because of the body.


Notes : 
This clarifies that the word Varna - does not mean Colour. 
The Brahma-haththi dosha ( or Brahmana-hatya dosha) is one of the most dreaded sins listed in the scriptures - listed as one of the pancha- ma- papas ( or five grave sins). 

Negating that Brahmin-hood is based on caste

तर्हि जाति ब्राह्मण इति चेत् तन्न ।
तत्र जात्यन्तरजन्तुष्वनेकजातिसंभवात्  महर्षयो  बहवः  सन्ति ।
ऋष्यशृङ्गो मृग्याः,कौशिकः कुशात्,जाम्बूको जाम्बूकात्,वाल्मीको वाल्मीकात्,व्यासः कैवर्तकन्यकायाम्,शशपृष्ठात् गौतमः, वसिष्ठ उर्वश्याम्,अगस्त्यः कलशे जात इति शृतत्वात् ।
एतेषां जात्या विनाप्यग्रे ज्ञानप्रतिपादिता ऋषयो बहवः सन्ति ।
तस्मात्  न जाति ब्राह्मण इति ॥

Then it is said that a Brahmana is so because of his  Jati (Caste). This is not acceptable because several Maharishis have come from different communities and even from non-humans. 
We have heard that  Rishyasringa was born of a deer, Kaushika of the Kusa grass, Jambuka from a Jackal, Valkimi from an ant hill, Vyasa from a fisher girl, Gautama from the back of a hare, Vashista from the celestial nymph Urvasi, Agastya from an vessel. (Among these) many have attained enlightenment of the highest rank, despite of their lower birth (or even without being born and given proof of their wisdom. Therefore a Brahmana is not so because of his community.


Notes:
This verse nails the issue - clearly differentiating Varna from Jati. Jati - which has 'Ja' as its root syllable is used to indicate birth/ emergence. For instance, Ambuja - is that which is born from water ( Appu), and refers to the Lotus. The word Jati hence refers to the clan / linage from which one is born - and has little to do with his Varna. 

Negating that Brahmin-hood is by spiritual knowledge

तर्हि ज्ञानं ब्राह्मण इति चेत् तन्न ।
क्षत्रियादयोऽपि परमार्थदर्शिनोऽभिज्ञा बहवः सन्ति ।
तस्मात् न ज्ञानं ब्राह्मण इति ॥

The argument that knowledge makes a Brahmana is also not acceptable. Because, amongst Kshatriyas and others, there have been many who have  have seen ( realized) the Supreme Reality and attained wisdom. Therefore knowledge does not determine Brahmin-hood.

Note: 
The implication is that spiritual knowledge is not a preserve of  any one group of people. People who were (originally) from different varnas , have attained realization. King Janaka , Viswamitra ( who is credited to have revealed the famous Gayatri mantra)  were realized sages who were originally Kshatriyas. Rigveda Rishi Bhalandana was a Vaishya. Rishi Matanga was born of Vaishya father and a Sudhra mother. This argument is, in a way, an extension of the previous verse. 

Negating that Brahmin-hood is by his deeds

तर्हि कर्म ब्राह्मण इति चेत् तन्न ।
सर्वेषां प्राणिनां प्रारब्धसञ्चितागामिकर्मसाधर्म्यदर्शनात्कर्माभिप्रेरिताः सन्तो जनाः क्रियाः कुर्वन्तीति ।
तस्मात् न कर्म ब्राह्मण इति ॥

That karma (actions) make a Brahmana is not acceptable because we see the existence of prarabdha sanchita and agamiya karma in all beings. Impelled by their past karma (effects of previous karma) only all the saintly people perform their deeds. Therefore a Brahmana is not so because of (present) karma.

Note : 
The performance of karma ( or rituals) does not form basis of Brahmin-hood. There are three types of karma , Sanchita ( that part of the fruits of action that remains to be experienced by the soul), Prarabdha ( that part of the fruits of action that a soul experiences in the current birth) and Aagamiya ( that part of fruits of action that a soul gain, as it lives its current life). The mere fact that a soul comes with a body evidences that it has both Sanchita and Prarabdha - for a soul needs a body to experience its karma. 

Negating that Brahmin-hood is based (his) dharma

तर्हि धार्मिको ब्राह्मण इति चेत् तन्न ।
क्षत्रियादयो हिरण्यदातारो बहवः सन्ति ।
तस्मात् न धार्मिको ब्राह्मण इति ॥

Then it is also not true that on performance of dharma (religious or meritorious duty / activity) also does not make one a Brahmin. There are many Kshatriyas  and others ( Vaishyas , Shudras ) who have given away gold as charity ( to Brahmins ) . Therefore Brahmin-hood is not on account of dharma.
To sum up hence, Brahmin-hood is not because of the soul or the physical body or the jati (by birth or caste), or wisdom, or karma or dharma. If these do not make one a Brahmin, the logical question that the Upanishad has to answer is ' Who is a Brahmin ?'. In my next post, we will see how the Upanishad defines one.