ब्राह्मणाः भोजनप्रियाः!

When I was trying to think of an equivalent for the word "misconception" in sanskrit, some of the words that came up were
  • अयथार्थः - loosely translated as 'false'
  • विपर्यय - reversed, inverted, opposite hence erroneous knowledge
  • तर्कः - this is very specific to तर्कशास्त्र - hypothetical reasoning/confutation
  • मूढग्राह - this term I came upon at a website. I liked it immediately.
More often than not, misconceptions are based on ideas that have been handed down without the thinking that goes along with it. One such is the title of this post "ब्राह्मणाः भोजनप्रियाः!"

Sri Rama Shastri was very famous for thinking and providing out of the box explanations for some simple stuff. He has given a wonderful twist to this expression.

"ब्राह्मणाः भो! जनप्रियाः"

A brahmin's work, as enumerated by Manu, was यजनं, याजनम्, अध्ययनम्, अध्यापनं, दानं, प्रतिग्रहः, च। Each one of these was designed with the welfare of the whole world in mind. A brahmin performed sacrifices for लोकक्षेम, he helped others to perform sacrifice. He studied in order to teach others. He accepted donation in order give more in charity.

अत एव, भोः जनाः, जनप्रियान् ब्राह्मणान् भोजनप्रिया इति मूढबुद्धिं त्यजन्तु।

5 comments:

sury siva said...

Thank U very much for this enlightened narration.
I was for a long time of the view, that a brahmin well versed, ethical, law abiding cannot be cajoled into doing something wrong, even by mundane temptations. The only temptation will be sumptuous dinner. I thought that is why it is said Brahmana bhojanapriyaha.
You have enlightened by bringing out the meaning , by saying it is indeed bho janapriyaha.
thanks.
subbu rathnam
http://pureaanmeekam.blogspot.com

karunakaran said...

आरम्भ शूराः खलु दाक्षिणात्य़ाः is also interpreted in this way right?It is actually आरम्भे शूराः खलु दाक्षिणात्य़ाः should be...

karunakaran said...

From the beginning itself they are शूराः

Unknown said...

Very nice explanation madam

DKM said...

One can think about it all in another way too. If the upanishadic wisdom that annam is Brahman (because PRaaNa is dependent on it, and Mind is dependent on PRANa, so on and so forth) is correct, and if what Kr^shNa says in the Bhagavad-Geeta -- aham vaiSVAnarO bhootvA pRANinAm deham ASRitah -- is correct, then we need to give great importance to food within the limits imposed by AyuRvEda, common sense, western science, etc. (not eating too much, eating on time, eating a variety of food items, etc.). I have not been sick in any significant way during my long life and have cured minor illnesses by carefully eating what is good in moderate ways and also fasting judiciously. All this convinces me that eating is an activity that needs to be given great importance. Doing that involves no gluttony, and signifies no addiction.

In view of this, the adage BrAhmaNaah bhOjana-pRiyaah can interpreted thus: If you want to be a BrAhmaNa -- an enlightened person who gives equal importance to physical and spiritual wellbeing and wants to remain healthy and happy -- then you have to like what you eat and give great attention to what you eat.

Then the stereotypical meaning loses its negativity.

Also, I have a suspicion that the adage was popularized by members of the monastically inclined groups who have apparently a view of food that it is just fuel that humans and animals need to stay alive. An aesthetically sensitive view that enjoys the earthly life and normal pleasures within limits imposed by common sense and scientific thinking will like food in both a material and a spiritual sense.