Molten lead should be poured into the ears of a Sudra who listens to the Veda ?

We have often heard this from Anti-Hindu squads(Leftists+Ambedkarites especially) that 👇

"Pour molten lead into the ears of the lower caste Shudras, if he intentionally listens for committing to memorize the Vedas." ~ Gautama Dharma Sutra 12.4)

Most Hindus unable to answer this and unfortunately trapped into this.

Here's the answer:-👇

These are just cherry picked verses to try to make hindus feel guilty. These injunctions fall under the literary category of hyperbole (atishayokti), not meant to be taken literally. For example:- A brahmin who drank alcohol must drink red-hot wine until his body is fully burnt", But no such punishment is prescribed for Shudras. So they're free to enjoy. But Anti-Hindu squads never showed you this things. Let's see from the most famous Brahmanical scripture Manusmriti what it said abou this 👇

Manu Smriti 11.90:- 

"A twice-born person(Dvija), having, through folly, drunk wine, shall drink wine red-hot;

he becomes freed from his guilt, when his body has been completely burnt by it."

Even other Rishis agree with Manu.

Gautama (23.1).—"They shall pour hot wine into the mouth of a Brāhmaṇa who has drunk wine; he will be purified by death."

Baudhāyana (2.1.18, 19, 21).—"If he has drunk Surā he shall scald himself to death with hot wine."

Āpastamba (1.25.3).—"A wine-drinker has to drink exceedingly hot liquor, so that he dies." 

"When a Brahmin kills a Brahmin, has sex with the wife of an elder, steals gold, or drinks liquor, the king should brand the man’s forehead with the mark of a headless corpse, a vagina, a jackal, or a tavern banner, respectively, using a heated iron and banish him from his kingdom.” (Baudhayana Dharmasūtra 1.18.18, Tr. Olivelle, p. 160).

Now, Do you really think that for just simply consuming alcohol all Brahmins were burnt alive ? ABSOLUTELY Not!! That's why I earlier said, These injunctions fall under the literary category of hyperbole (atishayokti), not meant to be taken literally. For more information regarding this Read 👇 https://t.co/KI9fwV6Juk

https://t.co/KI9fwV6Juk

see p. 34-35.

Now comes to the topic where it was Prescribed to Pour molten lead into the ears of the lower caste Shudras, if he intentionally listens for committing to memorize the Vedas.

 This well known daṇḍa (punishment) for a Śūdra who learns Veda, mentioned in Gautama Dharmasūtra is instead taken to be a prāyaścitta as per Govindānanda and Ānandagiri in their sub-commentaries on Brahmasūtraśāṅkarabhāṣya (1.3.38). What impact would this interpretation have? It will completely destroy the age old propaganda against Hinduism and Brahmins. 

Let's see How does other writers of Dharmashastra interpret that verse?

Nandapaṇḍita says that it's about hearing Veda directly via 'darpa'(Arrogance). If one keeps a Brāhmaṇa in the middle, there's no fault. He also seems to extend this beyond Śūdras.

Ref: Commentary on Viṣṇusmṛti, 5.23-25

Even Vedic knowledge wasn't prohibited for women and shudras.

"The Shudras and Women are not entitled to receive Brahmavidya through the Vedas, though it may be taught to them through the smritis, puranas, and so on."

~ Authoritative commentaries on the Upanishads (sacred shruti scriptures) by no less than Adi Shankaracharya himself

#Conclusion:- 1)cherry picking will leads to Nowhere,.....

2) This type of statements comes under literary category of hyperbole (atishayokti), not meant to be taken literally

3) Commentators interpret that verse as a Prayascitta not as a punishment, which simply means it was prescribed for arrogant Shudras to themselves put molten lead into their ears if they intentionally memorize or listen Vedic hymns.

4)If the shudra heard vedic hymns from a brahmana sit in a middle then there's no problem.

5)Vedic knowledge wasn't prohibited for them, they ultimately got that from Itihasa and Puranas

Credit:- @Gourav Dey; @Satyan Sharma