JATI NIRNAYAM <br /> (A Critique on Jati1) <br />Written in 1914, this work deals with the concept of Jati (Casteism) . Its first verse is in Sanskrit and the remaining five are in Malayalam. The metre in Anustup. <br /> 1 <br /> <br /> Humanity marks out, <br /> Of what species humans are. <br /> Even as bovinity <br /> Does with cows. <br /> Brahminhood* and such <br /> Do not do so in this case. <br /> No one does realise, alas! <br /> This apparent truth. <br /> <br /> 2 <br /> <br /> Of one kind, one faith, one God is man; <br /> Of one womb, of one form <br /> Difference herein is none. <br /> <br /> 3 <br /> <br /> Within a species, does it not, <br /> Offspring truly breed? <br /> The human species, thus seen, <br /> To a single species belongs. <br /> <br /> 4 <br /> <br /> Of the human species <br /> Is a Brahmin* born <br /> As is a Pariah* too. <br /> Where is caste difference, then, <br /> Amongst the human species? <br /> <br /> 5 <br /> <br /> Of a Pariah woman <br /> Was born the great sage <br /> Parasara in bygone days. <br /> And even the sage who <br /> Condensed the Vedic secrets <br /> Into great aphorisms, <br /> Was born of the daughter <br /> Of a fisherman. <br /> <br /> 6 <br /> <br /> Species-wise, does one find, <br /> When considered <br /> Any difference between man and man? <br /> Is it not that <br /> Difference exists apparently <br /> Only individual-wise? <br /> <br /> <br /> *upper caste* <br /> *lower caste*<br /><br />Narayana Guru<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/casteism/
