पुराण-पठनाधिकारः

शङ्करः

(From Ādi Śaṅkarācārya’s commentary on Viṣṇusahasranāma)

If ‘तस्माच्छूद्रो यज्ञेऽनवक्लृप्तः’ holds such a wide application, it may even counter the injunction of performance of Brahmayajña (& other Mahāyajñas) for Śūdras.

In this way of interpretation, ‘श्रावयेच्चतुरो वर्णान् कृत्वा ब्राह्मणमग्रतः’ may also be taken to imply that even Kṣatriya & Vaiśya are only to do Śravaṇa (that too by having a Brāhmaṇa sitting in front of them) and not Pāṭha. When the text and the specific verse itself does not specify any such restriction, why add it? Should we believe that the one who spoke the mūla text and verse, missed such an important point? If yes, then this kalpanā could be extended as far as one can argue.

Vipramiśra in his Śrāddhapradīpa clarifies that Ādi Śaṅkarācārya’s statement regarding Śūdras’ adhikāra in śravaṇa of Viṣṇusahasranāma is only regarding Brahmayajña and not regarding other cases like Prāyaścittaprayoga, etc. Hence in those cases, they can recite it.

करपत्र्य्-अभिप्रायः

Source: TW

The Mahābhārata verse ‘श्रावयेच्चतुरो वर्णान्…’ itself seems clear on the subject of letting all 4 varṇas hear Vedas if Brāhmaṇas are made to sit in the front row.

Śrī Karapātrī Svāmī has refuted such an interpretation by citing some verses from Mahābhārata. He finds it to be in contradiction with the verse ‘मन्त्रः शूद्रे न विद्यते’. The complete verse is

‘उक्तस् त्रयाणां वर्णानां
यज्ञस्तस्य च भारत।
स्वाहाकारवषट्कारौ
मन्त्रः शूद्रे न विद्यते॥’.

This verse is connected only with mantras which have ‘svāhā’ & ‘vaṣaṭ’. Also, the context of the verse is performance of pākayajña. Hence, it does not contradict ‘श्रावयेच्चतुरो वर्णान्…’ as being an injunction of hearing of Vedas by all varṇas.

Then he cites ‘न च तां प्राप्तवान् मूढः शूद्रो वेदश्रुतीमिव’.

The complete verse is

‘रुक्मिण्याम् अस्य मूढस्य
प्रार्थनाऽऽसीन् मुमूर्षतः। न च तां प्राप्तवान् मूढः
शूद्रो वेद-श्रुतीम् इव।।’.

This is not a verse of injunction or prohibition, but only an example of Śiśupāla not receiving Rukmiṇī, just as a Śūdra does not receive Vedaśruti. An example can be given of something which is true about most cases, but where exceptions do exist. Also, the word ‘mūḍha’ can be taken as an adjective of ‘śūdra’.+++(4)+++

Then he cites ‘भावं न चास्याहम् अनुप्रदातुमलं द्विजो मन्त्रम् इवाद्विजाय’ from Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. The complete verse is

‘नैवास्ति दोषं मम नूनमत्र
वध्याऽहम् अस्याप्रिय-दर्शनस्य ।
भावं न चास्याहम् अनुप्रदातुम्
अलं द्विजो मन्त्रम् इवाद्विजाय ।।’.

Here also, it is not an injunction or prohibition, but only an example that which Devī Sītā gives.

Regarding ‘ब्राह्मणायैव दातव्यं…’, it would be in contradiction of injunctions which tell initiated Kṣatriyas and Vaiśyas to learn Vedas. Also, there is a variant reading of this ‘ब्राह्मणाय सदा देयं…’. Source: TW

Hence, it seems that the verses which have been cited as contradictory to the direct interpretation of ‘श्रावयेच्चतुरो वर्णान् कृत्वा ब्राह्मणमग्रतः’ as an injunction which allows all varṇas to hear Vedas, do not contradict it.

गोविन्दराजः

Maharṣi Vālmīki : If Śūdras read/recite Rāmāyaṇa, they shall attain superiority/greatness.

Commentator Govindarāja : But Śūdras are only allowed to hear Itihāsa etc. due to ‘śrāvayeccaturo varṇān…’, so only a brief reading is allowed, or ‘read’ here means ‘hear’. Mahaṛsi says:

‘पठन् द्विजो वागृषभत्वमीयात्
स्यात्क्षत्रियो भूमिपतित्वमीयात्। वणिग्जनः पण्यफलत्वमीयात्
जनश्च शूद्रोऽपि महत्त्वमीयात्॥’
(वा० रा० १.१.९७)

The word ‘पठन्’ is easily joined with द्विजः, क्षत्रियः & वणिग्जनः. So what’s the problem in joining it with शूद्रः? Words of someone as tall as Maharṣi Vālmīki, cannot escape the verbal & argumentative gymnastics of scholars. The cases of this verse from VR and that of Mbh’s verse ‘śrāvayeccaturo varṇān..’ (being about Itihāsa, etc. & not Veda), looks like a case of श्रुतत्यागाश्रुतकल्पना.

अप्पय्यः

एतानि च प्रतिबन्धक-निवर्तकानि यथाधिकारं व्यवतिष्ठन्ते । तथा च

“श्रावयेच् चतुरो वर्णान् कृत्वा ब्राह्मणम् अग्रतः”
“शूद्र-सुखम् अवाप्नुयात्”

इत्य् आदि-वचनैर् इतिहास-पुराण-श्रवण-पठन-अधिकारित्वेनानवगतस्य शूद्रस्य
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