[Advaita-l] Knowledge, renunciation and varNASrama rules

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

> Satyakama Jabala was ascertained to be Brahmin only by Gautama
> Maharshi. He spoke the truth. Satyakama was not non Brahmin but
> Brahmin only because he spoke the truth. The Chandogya Upanishad says
> a non Brahmin cannot speak the truth like Satyakama. He asked his
> mother which Gotra he belongs. Mother said I don't know who is your
> father. Gotra is always father's Gotra. Satyakama came to Gautama and
> said I don't know my Gotra. mother does not know. Na Vedmi Gotram Na
> Mata Vetti. Such a beautiful truth a non Brahmin cannot speak.
> Gautama said Satyakama cannot be Sudra. He must be Brahmin only. Let
> him be my disciple. I will teach him Vedas.

If a satyakAma were to come to you today, would you, like gautama hAridrumata,
accept him as a student or not? Pardon me for being skeptical, but it seems to me
most likely that you would hold the unknown parentage and the ignorance of the
boy and his mother about the father against him.
 
Regards,
Vidyasankar