Thread by @mmpandit

Jai Shanidev.
There is a canard being spread against Hindus in general and Brahmins specifically in the current day scenario in a TV series that “Brahmins don’t allow others to learn Vedas”, etc
Let’s correct this misconception.
#Hinduphobia

20+ years ago, I wanted to learn the Vedas.
After recieving some swapna nimittas, I was put in contact with Phatak guruji, Vedavachaspati of Pune.
I have described him elsewhere. He would walk barefoot everyday kms to various places. Ate food sparingly.

He was an intense person with fixed ideas... and I said that I wanted to learn RgVedic Pavmana Sukta. 500+ Richas and incredibly difficult for a beginner.
He looked at me. Do you wear a janeu? (This question to me 20+ years ago mind you)

I said of course I do.
He asked “Sandhyavandana”?
I replied “Yes. Once a day”
One or two brahmanas interjected and said, “I doubt he knows Sanskrit”!

He gave me a time and place and asked me to come back in a few days.

On the prescribed day, I reached late and noticed that there was a woman they had got to the cowshed at Guruji’s house. She was an oracle (something like what the Dalai lama still uses) but that Cowpen ritual was only done 1-2 times a year.
I was asked to wait and served tea.

Guruji had a few questions he wanted to ask about other matters... anyways.
That question of my learning the Vedas was also answered.
She was sure that I must be taught..
(other facts exist about this which are not necessary to be revealed)..

But.... my point is: even a Brahmin is tested before he is taught by another Brahmin. He didn’t just say that he will teach me.
He got many questions answered before passing on this knowledge. I spent more than a month at least 3 hours a day sitting in asana and learning Pavmana

After that he corrected my book with swaras on Pavmana. Then I was instructed to learn everyday... that process took me 1-3 years. Slowly I grasped the exact fluency of the mantras.

The point of this thread is that who wants to learn 1 Vedic hymn for 4 years?
Show me someone who wants to learn and put in those many hours?
Most people don’t want to learn and many others give up half way.
Being a Brahmin is exceedingly difficult... Niyama separates us!

So... coming to today:
books are available on the internet and everybody can access them. Voice recordings of every Sukta are available BUT the pain involved in learning is so much that hardly anybody will do it.. why would you? It’s too much hard work and no guarantee of success

This is today... whatever happened or didn’t happen in the ancient past is history. Today... anybody can learn whatever they want regardless of ability or capacity... so this bogus narrative of “Brahmins” being villains must stop.

The narrative was fuelled by Bollywood in the last few decades. The Brahmin was portrayed as pot bellied, greedy and evil on screen even as real Brahmins in temples starved and lived in penury.

Access to Vedas brings out many who claim mastery of two Vedas in a month!
Let me point out that they have not learnt anything. But ego rules supreme.