SWAMI SRI VEERABRAHMENDRA

A Monograph on Pothuluru Veerabrahmendra Swamy

The Social Crisis

From times immemorial the Hindu society was accustomed to bear with any intruder as long as he did not interfere with the Hindu religious customs and beliefs. When unduly meddled with, the Hindu society tried to retort and teach the intruder a lesson. If the intruder used his brutal force, the society fought tooth and nail with him and in the process of defence, it never cared to sacrifice its basic needs and comforts. Such a situation as this had cropped up during the seventeenth century when the Deccan sultans installed their petty Nawabs in several places like Cuddapah and Kurnool Districts. The Nawabs, with all their militant forces and timely tactics, could not control the situation. The rebellious mob, having made all sincere attempts to overthrow the rule of Nawabs, found them¬selves helpless and succumbed to the situation. At one 6tage the orthodox Hindu Brahmin had become a problem not only to the Nawabs, but also to the native out-casts and the untouchables. The superiority complex of the supposed higher castes were always inclined to illtreat the panchama. But the panchama never stooped to sacrifice his caste and become a Muslim. His position in the society was unstable. The four-fold theory of Hindu castes (Chatur Varna) treated him as a panchama once for all. He did not find a place in the Hindu society. He was always looked down by the supposed superior castes and more so by the Brahmin caste.

On one side the ruling Muslim community was miser¬ably neglecting him. On the other side the Hindu religion was illitreating him, His position became worse than that of a common man in the society.

There was no compromise between the two religions. Although a few tactful Muslim rulers tried to bring about a compromise, the Orthodox Brahmin never yielded, in his view a Muslim was always a ‘Mlechcha’, an ‘Anarya’ and a foreigner. If the former happened to touch the latter, the former had to flay himself alive as an expiatory act and atonement of his religious sanctity. This is what is called a ‘Prayaschittam’. On a number of oceassions the Hindu higher castes had undergone such a severe atone¬ment which ruff led up the religious spirits of the Muslim rulers. Having power in their hand, the Muslim rulers put the Hindus to utmost humiliation and insult.