desired activities

[Guest guest]

On 25 Jun 2002, Sita Devi Dasi wrote:

 

> Dear Urmila, I beg your pardon. It still hasn't been established what

> "desired activity" means with regards to it being a subdivision of

> prescribed duty. You have presented it as being something a person wants to

> do that is not sinful, not whimsical, and that is in line with his or her

> psychophysical nature/varna. So, is "desired activity" something that

> clearly falls within one's occupational duty?

 

Yes, and I give some hypothetical examples in a text I wrote today on this

issue. Did you receive that? If not, I'll write something again. A good

example of "desired" activities is this very electronic "conversation."

 

You here explain the lawyer

> woman doing is not engaging in "desired activity". So what is the

> classification for such activity? Whimsical? Emergency? Is she performing

> vikarma?

 

It is someone doing another person's duties, which by mundane standards, might

be vikarma. Or, one could consider it emergency, as Bhagavatam describes

emergency duties as doing the duties of others (even then there's limitations)

or the Mahabharata describes how in emergencies you can do something that

would ordinarily be sinful. Of course, "emergencies" are supposed to be brief

and rare, not daily and lifelong. The results of such work, no matter how you

classify it (and I don't think we should quibbel about how to classify it

except by saying that it's not within either the varnasrama system or the

basis processes of devotion) are often filled with suffering.

 

However, how else to engage someone who is already thirty five years old with

little or no chance of doing the "right" thing? Prabhupada is merciful enough

to engage such activities in Krsna's service...but he cautions in the NOI that

not everyone is strong enough to use everyone's contribution. The scriptural

reference for using such a situation in Krsna's service is where Lord Caitanya

states to "stay in one's position" and be Krsna conscious. So, what would

normally be vikarma or emergency according to varnasrama can be purified by

being offered to Krsna.

 

**However** there is also a warning in the Gita not to do something whimsical

and then offer Krsna the fruits. All should be done in consultation with bona

fide authorities and we should be trying--unfortuately such is not the case

universally--to start a new generation that follows varnasrama. The fact that

someone else is stuck in what should be a rare and brief "emergency" situation

as a twenty-year thing does not make it good nor something that should be

emulated by those capable of doing the right thing.

 

 

 

 

Is there a scriptural reference elaborating on desired activity the

> way it is briefly presented in the Gita?

 

I quoted the text from NOD about desired activity in the nine processes where

SP says we may engage in these "according to our taste." Obviously such

engagement according to our taste and desire is separate from the "ordinary"

activities in the nine processes such as sixteen rounds, etc.

 

 

 

 

>

> Would you please explain, with reference(s) from Srila Prabhupada's

> teachings, how a Vedic woman would have already been situated in the "work"

> or karma of a brahmana or ksatriya before marriage. Please also show how a

> girl's and woman's caste is anything other than her father's or husband's?

 

I have tried my best to explain my understanding of these matters. I have

written Shyamasundara a private message today with more details. He can send

it to the rest of you if he wants. In almost all respects, I agree with the

text(s) he posted today about woman's guna.

 

I hope this meets you in good health and blissful Krsna consciousness.

 

Your servant, Urmila devi dasi

[Guest guest]

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

I have resonded to Sita's messge privately. If there are other receivers who

have concerns, questions, etc. they would like to discuss with me on these

issues, I'd be happy to reply.

 

Your servant, Urmila devi dai