शिवस्य कुलम्: Sivasya Kulam (De-Coding Caste, Untouchability & The White Man's Burden)

Om Namah Sivaya. Bharata is the Veda Bhumi, Deva Bhümi, Punya Bhümi, Karma Bhümi. Such a glorious land is going through tough times. It was from this land many Rsis, Maharshis, and other great people originated. They selflessly gave a lot to mankind and society. Such people inspire me, and I bow down to all such selfless people.

ఎందరో మహానుభావులు, అందరికి వందనములు

I am a nobody, aspiring only to be a Nitya Vidyarthi. There is so much I don't know and so much to learn. I am more than certain that many lifetimes won't suffice to complete the process of learning. There are many geniuses in Bharata. Perhaps if any one of those learned geniuses undertook what I have attempted in this book, the outcome might have been completely different and perhaps of far better quality. My situation can be compared with the analogy quoted by Kalidasa at the beginning of Raghuvamsa. Kalidasa said,

मन्दः कवियशः प्रार्थी गमिष्याम्यपहास्यताम् ।

प्रांशुलभ्ये फले लोभादुद्वाहुरिय वामनः ।।

An author translated it as 'I'll be ridiculed for being a dullard looking for poetic fame, like a dwarf trying to reach with outstretched arms the fruit of a tall tree!'

I am the dwarf here with only a difference that I am not trying to achieve fame!

History is not what I have studied for a living. My interest in colonial history grew because of Sri Rajiv Malhotra Ji and S. Gurumurthy Garu. I am also an accidental author. This subsequently led me to meet great persons and authors, Dr. Kota Venkata Seetharamayya Garu & Sri Khandavalli Satyadeva Prasad Garu. Sri Satyadeva Prasad Garu answered many of my questions patiently and advised me as and when required. I am very much thankful to both these great persons and of course, I am ever thankful to Rajiv Ji for awakening the Sakti in me.

I believe that it is because of Śiva's blessings that I was able to unravel this puzzle. I am not expecting that this book will solve the puzzle completely. But I am more than certain that this book will set Hindus on the right course on the topic. The course is very important; a small deviation will end up taking one to a completely different destination. It is this course correction that is required in the present research on the subject of caste, untouchability and Hinduism.

The progeny of Bharata must realize that, so far, they heard only one side of the story, a side that paints Hinduism in the worst possible light. In that respect, I would like to use the famous quote of Chinua Achebe here; "Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter." The time has come for the lions to tell their own story. Many scholars and great people have already started this journey. I am trying to follow in their footsteps like a child trying to follow his/her father's steps.

In the ŚrīmadBhagavadgītā, Lord Krsna says that mental weakness or grief is diabolical. ‘क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्तोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप' and then he commands Arjuna to get up and fight. The young generation of Bharata must understand the actual dimensions of Hinduism to get out of the Hrdaya Dourbalyam created by the Western world, which will also make them aware of the missionary narratives. Perhaps with the blessing of Parama Śiva, this book will achieve the required objectives in countering these narratives.

I feel that it is Lord Siva who ordained me to solve this puzzle through prerana. Therefore, I chose neither to take credit nor benefit from this work. Any monetary gains will be used for the encouragement of Vedic studies.