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  1. Westerners who are not Dvijas and are probably not Hindus have done yeoman service in translating Vedas and other scripture into English.

  2. The prohibition against writing down scripture has universally broken down and everything is available everybody, Hindus (regardless of caste) and Non-Hindus at the click of a button sitting at home, whether bathed and in ritually clean status or not.

Does scripture talk about the ill-effects, if any, from such universal dissemination of scripture?

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  • Do scriptures talk about ill effects? They might. Will there actually be any ill effects? I doubt.
    – user16581
    Commented Feb 11, 2019 at 7:01
  • By scripture, do you mean Vedas or Smritis? I think you mean Vedas, because Smritis can be disseminated to non-Dvijas.
    – Ikshvaku
    Commented Feb 11, 2019 at 16:06
  • if the answer is yes for vedas and no for others, put that in the answer.
    – S K
    Commented Feb 11, 2019 at 16:08

3 Answers 3

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According to Atri Smriti, if a Sudra recites the Vedas, then that brings about the destruction of the whole kingdom.

By following his own religion even a S'udra enjoys the celestial region. Another's religion should be renounced like the most beautiful wife of another person. (18)

The S'udra, who engages in the recitation [of the Gayatri] and the offering of oblations to the Sacred Fire, should be killed by the king ; for by that he becomes the destroyer of the kingdom as the water is of fire. (19)

Acceptance of gifts, giving instructions [in the Vedas] selling an article which should not be sold, and officiating as a priest at a sacrifice the doing of these four, [is described] in the Smritis as outcasting the Kshatriya and the Vaisya. (20)

Although translator added "of the Gayatri" in the brackets but I think it is talking about reciting the Vedas.

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  • "Although translator added 'of the Gayatri'" - who is the translator? I think we should credit the translator or leave a link to the translation. Commented Feb 13, 2019 at 18:15
  • Translator is Manmatha Nath Dutta .. I hd discussed this with u only previously that whether giving online links is mandatory or we can simply post the verses alongwith giving the scriptures's names .. you said it is not mandatory, and gave examples of how Tezz and Pradip G write their answers .. If giving translator's names is mandatory then that is problematic for me because I do not even know who translated the Manu/Parashara Smriti verses I use in my answer @sv.
    – Rickross
    Commented Feb 14, 2019 at 5:59
  • Yes, remember that discussion. Links cannot be provided if you are quoting from a physical book. But if you don't specify the author/translator, it may lead to copyright issues? Commented Feb 14, 2019 at 14:42
  • @sv. Not only whn I quote from hard copies I can not provide online links on many occasions even whn I am using a PDF .. so far I rarely have mentioned who the translator is in my answers
    – Rickross
    Commented Feb 15, 2019 at 17:08
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Will there be ill-effects from universally disseminating scripture to non-Dvijas?

By "scripture" I assume you mean Vedas. If so, it can lead to national disasters, but Smritis can be disseminated to everyone including non-Dvijas.

In the Ramayana, a Shudra was doing Vedic tapasya, which caused the death of a Brahmana's son. So, Rama being the king, had to protect Dharma and punish Adharma, and so he executed the Shudra. The Shudra was re-born as a Brahmana.

However, non-Dvijas are permitted, and encouraged, to do Agamic/Tantric/Smarta tapasya. For example, Sri Vaishnava non-Dvijas chant a particular mantra from the Pancharatra Agamas.

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    Should countries where Hinduism is practiced give capital punishment in today's age to all the undeserving who have learnt scripture, like Rama did? How about websites that give universal access to the Vedas etc.? Should their owners get capital punishment too?
    – S K
    Commented Feb 10, 2019 at 18:28
  • 2
    @SK No, we cannot give capital punishment to anyone since we don't have that authority. Only a Kshatriya king who has received all his sacraments, and learned the Vedas, and installed as king through vedic rites, has the authority to enforce dharma.
    – Ikshvaku
    Commented Feb 10, 2019 at 18:29
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    Since when doing tapasya became Adharma? Tapasya leads to national disasters? You need to back up your sweeping statements with sources.
    – Pinakin
    Commented Feb 11, 2019 at 5:45
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    You are supposed to post the verses here. You are making claims like it can lead to national disasters, you need to back it up. Answers on this site must be backed up with sources.
    – Pinakin
    Commented Feb 11, 2019 at 15:54
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    ". If so, it can lead to national disasters" Can you quote source for this statement? I'm adding banner and will remove it once you add the source.
    – The Destroyer
    Commented Feb 12, 2019 at 13:18
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Scriptures does not necessarily mean the vedas.There is no bar in teaching Ramayana, Mahabharata or the Smrities or Puranas which are also scriptures.

One reason of writing the Puranas is the very fact that "stri-sudra-dwijavandhunaam trayi na srutigochara" ie The Vedas can not be heard by the women, sudras and fallen tri-varnas.

So except Srutis, all are expected to be able to learn other scriptures.

Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnathji points out that these scriptures should be read under supervision of a guru (ie not to be read on own),as that is our tradition.(Ref: M-kar Baba, Sitaramdas Omkarnath, Mahamilan Math, page 2).

Without proper knowledge of Sanskrit and our tradition and culture, teaching or Learning of the above books are like teaching or learning English poetries and dramas without knowing english.

"Their true meanings can not be understood otherwise.(Ibid page 2).

So neither bad nor good effects will be the result.It will just be a wastage of time of all involved.

As Sitaramdas Omkarnathji points out:

Without proper tapasya, one can not understand the real meaning of the Sastras.(Omkarnath Rachanavali, Sitaramdas Omkarnath,Vol.7,page 1).Max Muller and Ramesh Dutta etc who have traslated the Vedas have seen only the skeleton of the Vedas and eaten the bones of the Vedas.(Ibid, page 97-8).

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  • You should cite sources for the "There is no bar in teaching Ramayana, Mahabharata or the Smrities or Puranas which are also scriptures." point. Commented Feb 13, 2019 at 17:05
  • Then you should cite a source for that at least. Commented Feb 13, 2019 at 17:07

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