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The Economics of Religion-- Part II

T

TTCUSM

Member
Namaste Everyone,

In my previous post, I talked about the blatant wastage of food that occurs during certain pujas and abhishekams.
This post focuses on the role of priests (Brahmins) in our religion. I came across an interesting quote while looking through the writings of Arrian (a Greek traveler who wrote about India):

The Indians generally are divided into seven castes. Those called the wise men are less in number than the rest, but chiefest in honour and regard. For they are under no necessity to do any bodily labour; nor to contribute from the results of their work to the common store; in fact, no sort of constraint whatever rests upon these wise men, save to offer the sacrifices to the gods on behalf of the people of India.
Click to expand...

This is from Book 8, Chapter 11 of the Indica.
This led to some interesting questions. We are sending these people to ashrams for around 16 years so that they can learn about yajnas that nobody performs anymore.

Is this putting a strain on our economy?
 
S

Satsangi

Active Member
Compare a lonely person driving a gas guzzler and a Priest doing Abhishekam few times year- who is the waste and a strain on the economy?

In my experience which is as recent as this month of Shravana, there are many many Yajnas and rituals conducted in India AND abroad. So, it is a MYTH that o one performs Yajnas anymore.

Regards,
 
Andal

Andal

resident hypnotist
I agree with Santsangi, yajnas are indeed performed quite often. The other thing to consider too is that the brahmin does not have the same position as he once had. Especially abroad, these people (both men and women now) perform religious duties but also have semi religious and secular duties as well. They often maintain mandirs, shrines, and pilgrimage sites. Even in India I have met many brahmins who still perform pujas, yajnas, and other religious duties but have businesses as well.

One can of course argue the dangers of doing things outside of one's dharma but this is the reality today for better or worse.

Aum Hari Aum!
 
S

Satsangi

Active Member
The Brahmins who perform the Yajna can no longer raise a family without doing additional work and this has become a necessity. In the olden days, the society and the king supported the priests and ascetics. Nowadays, the Indian society still to some extent support atleast the ascetics and some priests; but the king(government) has applied the "secular" label on it. In the west, there is no support to the priests or the ascetics- the economics only govern their function. Only if they could "patent"their knowledge- then they would be millionaires!

Regards,
 
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