“বিদ্যাসাগর ও বাঙালী সমাজ” লেখক – বিনয় ঘোষ এর বইয়ের পরিশিষ্ট ৩, এর ৫৪২ থেকে ৫৪৫ পৃষ্টায় লেখা আছে। আর যেমন আছে সেরকমই দেওয়ার চেষ্টা করছি, যার ফলে দেখতে পাবেন কিছু বানান অন্যরকম আছে। আর বোঝার সুবিধার্থে কিছু লাইন Bold ও Under line করে দিয়েছি।
অব্রাহ্মণ
হিন্দুদের সংস্কৃত কলেজে পাঠাধিকার সম্বন্ধে বিদ্যাসাগরের চিঠি।
From: The Principal of the Sanscrit Collage.
To
Captain
F. F. C. Hayes, M.A.
Offg.
Secretary, Council of Education
Dated
From Willam 28th March 1851
Sir,
I have
the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Secretary Dr. Mouat’s letter No. 79
dated the 7th January last, requesting me to report on the subject
of any other castes than Brahmanas and Vaidyas, being admitted to the Sanscrit
College and to ascertain and submit to the Council the opinion of the Principal
Professors of the Institution of the question.
2. In reply
beg leave to state that I see no objection to the admission of other castes
than Brahmanas and Vaidyas or in other words, different orders of Shudras, to
the Sanscrit College. But as a
measure of expediency, I would suggest that at present Kayasthas only be
admitted-they form a very respectable portion of the Hindu Community of Bengal. The prohibitions in the Shastras with regard to
the Shudras do not apply in their full extent to the Kayasthas. The most
orthodox Brahmins do not hesitate to give them instructions and even those
Brahmins who perform the part of spiritual guides to Kayasthas are not held in
disrepute, but rather are highly esteemed inspite of the Dictum of Manu, “Let
him not give temporal advice to a Shudra; nor what remains from his table; nor
clarified butter of which part has been offered to Gods, not let him give
spiritual counsel to such a man, nor inform him of the legal expaintion for his
sin”.
3. In the days of Manu, the only duty
prescribed for a Shudra was to serve the three superior orders, nameluy
Brahmans, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas- but practice has now so far superseded
precent that the Kayasthas, though considered to be of the Shudra class- not
only perform almost all the duties of the higher classes. But are virtually the
heads of the Religious Societies in Calcutta and its Suburbs.
4. There is no direct prohibition in the
Shastras against the Shudras studying Sanscrit literature. The only portions of
it, from the perusal of which they are excluded are the sacred writings. But
there are not wanting authorities which allow this privilege. From certain
texts of the Bhagavata Purana clear inferences may be drawn to show that they
are privileged to read the above works i.e. acknowledged to be a divine
Revelation and to be the essence of all the Upanisads, the most sacred portion,
of the Uedas.
ইদং ভগবতাপূর্বং ব্রহ্মণে
নাভিপংকজে।
স্থিতায় ভবভীতায় কারুণ্যাৎ
সম্প্রকাশিতম্।।
B. XII, Ch. XIII, V. IX.
The (the
Bhagavata) was first revealed by Vishnu to Brahma, situated in the Lotus
(growing out) of his Naval and afraid of (being from into) the world.
সর্ববেদান্ত সারঙ্ঘি শ্রীভাগবত মষ্যতে।
B. XII, Ch. XIII, V. XIII.
By
Studying it (the Bhagavata) a Brahmana obtaios wisdom, a Kshatriya territory, a
Vaisya Weasth, a Shudra purification from sin.
5. Very lately a curious occurrences took
place in this part of Bengal which to a certain extent, favours the admission
of the Kayasthas to this Institution. An opulent Kayastha, the late Raja
Rajnarayan Bahadur of Andool attempting
to prove that the Kayasthas are Kashatriyas and therefore not subject to the
restrictions enjoyed against the Shudras, insisted orthodox Pundits to give
this opinion on the subject and a host of them have subscribed in the
affirmative.
6. By the existing rules of the Sanscrit
Colllege Vaidyas are admitted to it, though Raghunandana, whose works are the
classes them with the Shudras. I can therefore conceive no reason, why Kasyasthas,
who occupy from sharing the boon with their brother- Shudras, the Vaidyas.
ইদানীন্তনক্ষত্রিয়াণমপি শূদ্রত্বমাহমনুঃ শনকৈ স্তু
ক্রিয়ালোপাদিমাঃক্ষত্রিয়জাতয়ঃ।
বৃষলত্বং গতা লোকে ব্রাহ্মণাদর্শনেন
চ। এবঞ্চ ক্রিয়ালোপাদ্বৈশ্মানামপি তথা।
এবম শষ্ঠাদীনামপি।।
Shudddi Tattwa, Page 150 Serampore Edn.
Manu has
pronounced that the kayasthas of the present age are become Shudras as “By
degrees from the extinction of ceremonies and omission of the study of the
Vedas, the Kshatriya are become Shudras”. So from the extinction of ceremonies,
the position of the Vaishyas, is the same, and also of the ambasthas, (or
Vaidyas) and the like.
7. It would not be irrelevant to state here that
in the years 1828 and 1829 during the time of Dr. Wilson, some students of the
Hindu College were allowed to study Sanskrit in this Institution, among whom
was a kayastha named Baboo Amritalall Mitter, a near connection of Radhakant
Bahadur, who received instructions from our Pundits in Grammar and Literature,
passed examinations in these branches and obtained prazis.
8. The reason why I recommend the exclusion of
the other orders of Shudras at present, is that they, as a body, are wanting in
respectability and stand lower in the scale of social considerations’ their
admission, therefore, would I fear,
prejudice the interests of the Institution.
9. In
conclusion, I beg leave to submit the poinion of the Princilal Professors of
the College on the subject in original with its English translation from which
it will be seen that they are averse to this innovation.
I have the
honour to be
Sir,
Your most
obedient servant,
ESHWAR CHANDRA SARMA
সংস্কৃত কলেজে সুবর্ণবণিক ছাত্রদের
পাঠাধিকার সম্বন্ধে বিদ্যাসাগরের চিঠি।
From
The
Principal Sanscrit Collage.
To
G.
Gardan Young Esq., Director of Public Instruction
Dated Fort Willam, the
21st Nov. 1855
Sir,
With
reference to the Memorial of Baboo Shamacharan Sen forwarded for report under your endorsement
No. 1289 dated 15 Aug. last, I have the honor to remark that up to year
1851 the admissions to the Sanscrit College, were confined to Hindoos of the
Brahmin and Baidya Cast only. When under order of the late council of Education
the privilege of studying in that institution was extended to the Kayasthas the
most repectable calte among the Sudras. In the year 1854 this privilege was
further extended to all the respectable castes of Hindoos under further orders.
But
these orders I regret cannot apply to the people of the caste to which the
memorialist belongs nor would it in my humble opinion be expendient at present
to admit applicants of that class. It is true that some families of Sonar
Baniya of Calcutta are a popular men but in the scale of castes the class the
class stands very low. Admission from that class will I am sure not onlyshock
the prejudice of the orthodoz Pundits of the Institution but materially injure
to its popularity as well as respectability. Personally I have a always been opposed to the
exclusive system as will appear from my former reports to the late Council on
the subject of admitting applicants of other castes than Brahmans and Baidyas,
I would have been glad to admit the son of the memorialist. The greatest
latitude that expediency would allow has I believe already been under present
circumstances.
The
papers received under your endorsement are herewith returned as required.
I have etc.
ESHWAR CHANDRA
SHARMA
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