State of the Samaja
Channu Kambalyal
President, VSNA
Respected Swamijis, dignitaries and the attendees of the 2016 VSNA Annual Convention from USA, Canada, India and other countries, on behalf of the VSNA, I would like to welcome you all for your esteemed presence on this occasion of the 39th VSNA Convention to learn more about the philosophy of Basava and contemporary Sharanas.
Since Friday evening with the start of the convention activities, we have begun to witness the energy of the Maryland Chapter members and the meticulous planning of the convention led by the Convention Committee Chair – Dr. G. Jagadeesh. VSNA is thankful to the Maryland chapter for their initiative to host the 39th convention. VSNA is proud of Maryland chapter for being a mature chapter that needed no supervision or guidance from the Central team. Thanks to all the senior leadership of this chapter.
As stated in the State of the Samaja during the 2015 convention, VSNA has a unique track record of hosting the convention every single year for the last 39 years, and will continue to do for the generations to come. This is mainly due to the organization’s resilient mission to preserve, protect and propagate Basava Philosophy. I am sure you will all benefit in enhancing your spiritual understanding from this convention with variety of programs such as Anubhava Ghosti and other programs led by spiritual leaders.
Before, I commence my talk about the State of Samaja, I would like to emphasize and reiterate to all our members, that VSNA is based on a resilient mission of philosophy that bars any type of caste system. So, we are not a caste based organization as some would view it, and it is very important that we come out of such thoughts that go against ...
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... to host the conventions. Additionally, many in the past desired to donate to VSNA in the form of will. Those wishing to donate via a Personal Will to keep VSNA as the beneficiary please do get in touch with the President or any of the officers and local chapters presidents. We will provide necessary legal documents to add VSNA as the beneficiary in your Personal Will.
In closing, I am pleased to say that as an organization, we have made some progress, but we still have a long way to go in organizing ourselves as an organization. Let each one of us do our part in the form of Kayaka & Dasoha for the organization to Preserve, Protect and Propagate the Universal Values of Basava Philosophy – the mission of VSNA. Finally, on behalf of you all, I thank the Maryland Chapter for hosting this convention and thank you all for your presence at the convention. Thank You.
There are four main castes and one in which they consider to be the outcastes. The four main castes are the Brahmin, the next is the Kshatriya, the third is the Vaishya, and the fourth is the Shudra. The outcastes are in the group called Dalits. Each caste has a purpose in life, the Brahmin are considered to be the priestly caste in which they are teach the Veda, and are to “sacrifice for others and receive alms” (Institutes of Vishnu 5-10, pg. 44). The Kshatriya is considered the warriors or the ruler caste, they have constant practice in battles, and they are to protect the world from harm. The Vaishya are to be the merchants and the farmers, they tend to the cattle, they, “engage in farming, keeps cows, trades, lends money at interest, and grows seeds” (Institutes of Vishnu 5-10, pg. 44). The Shudra are the manual laborers who according to the Institutes of Vishnu under the Four Castes, are to serve the twice born men who are to sacrifice and to study the Veda, the Shudra also engage in all the different duties of craftsmanship (5-10, pg.44). In case of a crisis, each caste is allowed to follow the occupation of the caste that is below them in rank. The duties in which all four of these castes, whatever gender or stage of life, are to follow and hav...
Crutchfield, Leslie R., and Heather McLeod Grant. Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-impact Nonprofits. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2008. Print.
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The current manifestations of the caste system are now far more generalized across the Indian subcontinent than was the case in former times. Caste as we now recognize has been endangered, shaped and perpetuated by comparatively recent political and social developments. This is evident even i...
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