Family Quote by Savarkar
““It seems a common weakness among all human societies and communities, in a greater or lesser degree, to attempt to judge the greatness or meanness of an individual, not so much from his manifest virtues or vices as from the race, the community or the family he is born in. That is why as the time passes such inflated anecdotes about their family tradition are propagated and popularized through plays, poems and novels or through folklores. Was Chandragupta a concubine's son? Was he not a Kshatriya ? What matters though! Chandragupta could have said with justifiable pride, "More than any of you, nominal caste-born Kshatriyas, who bowed your heads to the Mlechhas, the Greek emperor and his commanders, I, a 'peerless' Chandragupta, have a greater claim to being a Kshatriya in as much as with my sword I have completely vanquished those very Mlechhas in every battlefield.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Hindutva: The Origins of Indian Nationalism by Savarkar, 1923
Judging individuals by birth rather than deeds perpetuates social hierarchies and undermines merit.
In simple terms: Birth should not define worth.
Key Takeaway
Focus on actions, not ancestry.
Themes
social hierarchy
merit
identity
prejudice
pride
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- political discourse
- education reform
- community building
- personal development
Key Concepts
caste system
social stratification
nationalism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you evaluate people beyond their background?
- What structures reinforce caste-based judgments?
A Different Perspective
Meritocracy is hard to achieve when entrenched biases persist.
