ആചാരപദ്ധതിയുടെ ആവശ്യം
- Published on April 29, 1910
- By Staff Reporter
- 507 Views
The need for ritual program
- Published on April 29, 1910
- 507 Views
The Smritis* are legal texts governing the people, which are revered as the epitome of scriptures. In these Smritis, the meaning of Veda is defined solely as pure consciousness. It is imperative that the subjects discussed within them do not disadvantage any members of the community nor give rise to extreme opinions. Smriti texts that deviate from this principle will not attain significant recognition in the world. While the Smritis of Manu, Parashara, etc., may have been affected by the passage of time, leading to the inclusion of unpopular and trivial judgments, their noble precepts are still held in high regard by the people. If the Smritis appear to contradict this principle, it is undoubtedly due to the short-sightedness of their authors.
But the ancient Smriti texts are written in a manner that... (*text missing) It is for this reason that the community has become ineligible for the prosperity that should naturally arise from the collective practices of a community.
It may be pointed out that this community is merely neglectful of the first of the two duties: the spiritual and the worldly. While secondary worldly duties and their derivatives should be adhered to, the absence of a proper legal framework reflects the community members' indifference to this issue. If the representatives of the community are content by simply meeting as a group, making grand speeches, and expressing opinions, then there is no reason to consider it anything more than a meaningless pastime. For laws to be effective, the public must be willing to abide by them. In this regard, the community representatives do not have the right to deploy all available measures against those who do not comply with the laws as the government does. It is desirable for laws to be such that the people themselves willingly accept them. It should not come as a surprise if people believe they can sustain themselves by relying on blind tradition, which, even though devoid of meaning, may somehow align with the course of the community over time, rather than following the ambitious reformers who focus solely on the external functions of the community or concentrate on isolated aspects without addressing matters properly, and leaning on ceremonial schemes that are inaugurated and may ultimately prove useless in the near future. We are of the opinion that neither of the afore-mentioned methods will contribute positively to the welfare of the community.
Community histories offer ample evidence that no community has progressed without firmly grounding itself in a sound ritual program. Given this, it is crucial for the Kerala Nair community to create a memorial book that outlines a popular practice, preventing numerous communities from suffering due to this issue. This might have a greater impact than the community representatives' attempts to dismantle, alter, or overturn customs and preach from the pulpit. The responsibility of publication of this Smriti text should be dedicated to an exceptional individual.
(*) text missing"
Notes by the translator:
*Smritis are Hindu jurisprudence written by sages Manu, Parasaran, and the like.
CB-3
Translator
Abdul Gaffoor is a freelance translator and copy editor. He has worked as a copy editor, for a Malayalam literary text archiving project by the Sayahna Foundation. He has an M.A. in English and a Post Graduate Diploma in the Teaching of English. Gaffoor lives in Kodungallur, Kerala.
Copy Editor
Lakshmy Das is an author and social innovation strategist from Kumily, Kerala. She is currently pursuing her PhD in English at Amrita University, Coimbatore. She runs Maanushi Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 2020.