Q: intervocalic -k- preserved as intervocalic -g-

[N. Ganesan]

>That non-brahmins were inducted into brahminism and early brahmins
>intermarried with non-brahmins is favored by pro-AI theorists, to justify
>1. the dark complexion of some brahmins and 2. the fair complexion of some
>non-brahmins.

>History supports no such theory. When even the Buddha himself
>was considered by the brahmins only as an equal and sometimes
>even as inferior, I don't see much support for the theory that
>brahmins would've looked favorably upon non-brahmins down south.

  I did not know that you support the hypothesis that Aryans
originated in India. If so, did they spread westward into Iran?
Definitely, intermarriages tookplace, in the MBh. epic - the lady
of the fisherfolks marrying a high varNa man, etc., The swelling of
the  number of  brahmins by intermarriages is explained in many
scholarly  works, Eg., those by Prof. M. Deshpande of UMichigan. The
bhargava and potter relations in Indology archives.

  I vaguely remember you said once that the difference in color amidst
Indians is due to "tropical sun". I think the color difference cannot
be explained this way.

>Read the Manu - is there any justification for such claims like
>inter marraige or induction into brahmanic ranks? Pride of birth
>is an essential feature of brahmanism and one of the main reasons
>for the heriditary nature of the caste system. According to the dharma
>shastras, a brahmana is one who's born of brahmana parents. If the mother
>is of a lower caste, the child acquires the caste of his/her mother.

   I agree with this, but there are exceptions. Along your lines,
how the "varNa" system was created is explained in Brian K. Smith,
Classifying the Universe.

>Also note that the Vadakalai don't intermarry with the Tenkalai.

  I personally know some weddings where vaDa- & then-kalai ayyangars
have married; In the Hindu newspaper marital ads, increasing are
the annoucements that "kalai" difference does not matter.

>>I now quote from Prof.N.Subrahmanian (The Brahmin in the Tamil
>>country,p31).

Mr Chandran:> This is no proof for the authenticity of such claims.

Now in his 80s, Prof. N. Subrahmanyan comes from a reputed
family of Tamil Smarthas who have produced many Sanskrit and
Tamil scholars; he was called Historian of the Tamils
by K. A. Nilakanta Sastri when NS wrote the book, History of Tamil
Nadu. N. Subrahmanyan edited a campu work in Sanskrit
sung on Anandarangam Pillai who kept a daily diary running into
volumes in late 1700s and served as a Dubhashi/interpreter for
the French governor, Dupleuix. From the mother's side, Prof. NS'
uncle is V. K. Suryanarayana Sastri.


>What generally starts out as a suggestion, generally gets blown out
>of proportion. Later the origin is forgotten and finally you have
>people suggesting Dravidian loan words in the Rg Veda!

  Great Indologists have always written that Dravidian loans
exist in RV, esp. in maNDalas 1 & 10.

>As for Ramanujacharya's conversions, even a milleneum later
>the smarthas still remember! And they don't accept Iyengars as
>true brahmins.

  I do not see Aiyangars or Tamils accepting your opinion that
Aiyangars are not brahmins.

>But are the SivAchAryas authenticated as brahmins? And even if they
>are, do they inter marry with non-brahmins?

  Adhisaiva Sivacharyas are true brahmins because they preserved/added
to the entire corpus of Saiva aagamas. Always, saiva aagama
publications are based on the mss. from those Sivachariyar homes.
For their marriage habits, pl. read the 12th century PeriyapuraaNam
of Sundarar.

  There is enough evidence, both from Skt. and Tamil sources,
that brahmins' numbers increased manyfold by intermarrying with
Dravidians in ancient India and later.

Regards,
N. Ganesan


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