Thank you, Nagaraj,

I believe that in many bhakti-related traditions associated with the "scheduled cases" (Kabir, Namdev, etc.) we find notions that resonate closely with Advaita views. It seems that I need to clarify my specific question more precisely: What I am interested in are circumstances in which those outside of the three privileged castes have been more formally considered as adhikāri-s with respect to Vedānta, or where discussions of this possibility are addressed in the literature. Commentaries on the Yogavāsiṣṭha appear to raise the question, but I am otherwise unfamiliar with its treatment in śāstric writings - this is of course an admission of my own ignorance in this area. If there is scholarship that addresses the issue, I would be most grateful for references.

Best,
Matthew

Matthew Kapstein
Directeur d'études, émérite
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris

Associate, The Divinity School
The University of Chicago



From: Nagaraj Paturi <nagarajpaturi@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2022 5:39 AM
To: Matthew Kapstein <mkapstei@uchicago.edu>
Cc: Indology Mailing List <indology@list.indology.info>
Subject: Re: [INDOLOGY] article search
 
During our conference on Advaita at Chinmaya University  in Veliyanad, Cochin, Shri Priyank Kumar Chauhan presented a paper on " Advaita Vedantic Undertones in Haryanvi Raginis " Part of his abstract :  
Ragini is a rich tradition of Haryanvi folk songs that are steeped in the local culture and way of life. They are often centred around local legends and folklore, episodes from the itihasa-purana, and lessons of common morality. Although Advaitavada is not directly encountered in the Haryanvi Raginis, certain core tenets of Advaita like the doctrine of Maya, centrality of jnana, and the idea that there exists a more fundamental absolute truth (paramarthika) behind the mundane truth of the world (vyavaharika), can be gleaned from the Raginis.

abstract .

These two like the Telugu ones are part of the repertoire of a 'folk' 'spiritual' community that includes the scheduled caste individuals as Gurus and S'ishyas.  

On Wed, Oct 26, 2022 at 1:46 PM Nagaraj Paturi <nagarajpaturi@gmail.com> wrote:
Sharing a Telugu video clip  from eastern Andhra Pradesh in which this yogic 'minstrel' (?) is singing a lyric while seeking alms as part of his life style. The lyric mentions Advaita mahaa vaakyas. 

A friend who shot this a few days ago on his mobile phone was asking me for the source of this lyric. 

I told him that it is a song called Krishna Rukminee Samvaadamu, a traditional 'folk song' that got documented during the late nineteenth century when folk song collection and publication activity was picking up.  

There is a huge amount of such lyrics, called tattvams in Telugu in various forms including lullabies, work songs ,  bairaagi songs etc., which contain Hatha Yoga mixed Advaitic ideas , that are associated with Yogi mathas that include Scheduled Caste individuals alongside others as Gurus and Sishyas. 

On Sun, Oct 23, 2022 at 6:50 PM Matthew Kapstein via INDOLOGY <indology@list.indology.info> wrote:
I am now grateful to have the article I sought, but I would still be pleased to receive any further references you may have to the topic:
the teaching and study of Advaita-Vedānta (or any other "orthodox" form of Vedānta) among "scheduled castes" in modern or pre-modern times.

thanks in advance,
Matthew

Matthew Kapstein
Directeur d'études, émérite
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris

Associate, The Divinity School
The University of Chicago



From: INDOLOGY <indology-bounces@list.indology.info> on behalf of Matthew Kapstein via INDOLOGY <indology@list.indology.info>
Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2022 7:29 AM
To: Indology Mailing List <indology@list.indology.info>
Subject: [INDOLOGY] article search
 
Dear friends,

Might one of you have a soft copy of Sengaku Mayeda,
"Śaṅkara and Nārāyana Guru,"

I would also be grateful for any other references you may have to the teaching and study of Advaita-Vedānta (or any other "orthodox" form of Vedānta, for that matter) among "scheduled castes" in modern or pre-modern times.

with thanks as always,
Matthew

Matthew Kapstein
Directeur d'études, émérite
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris

Associate, The Divinity School
The University of Chicago




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--
Nagaraj Paturi
 
Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.


Senior Director, IndicA
BoS, MIT School of Vedic Sciences, Pune, Maharashtra
BoS Kavikulaguru Kalidasa Sanskrit University, Ramtek, Maharashtra
BoS Veda Vijnana Gurukula, Bengaluru.
Member, Advisory Council, Veda Vijnana Shodha Samsthanam, Bengaluru
BoS Rashtram School of Public Leadership
Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Studies in Public Leadership
Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies, 
FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of  Liberal Education, 
Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.
 
 
 


--
Nagaraj Paturi
 
Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.


Senior Director, IndicA
BoS, MIT School of Vedic Sciences, Pune, Maharashtra
BoS Kavikulaguru Kalidasa Sanskrit University, Ramtek, Maharashtra
BoS Veda Vijnana Gurukula, Bengaluru.
Member, Advisory Council, Veda Vijnana Shodha Samsthanam, Bengaluru
BoS Rashtram School of Public Leadership
Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Studies in Public Leadership
Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies, 
FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of  Liberal Education, 
Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.