The dangers of being distracted by Manu

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On Fri, 1 Jan 1999, COM: Jatukarnya (das) HKS (Cintamani Intl, Oslo - N) wrote:

 

> [Text 1980002 from COM]

>

> > It my understanding all military forces (ksatriyas) were in hands of a

> > king. And it was a duty of king to protect his vaisyas, so he was

> > appointing his soldiers for that job. And king paid them, not the vaisyas.

> > (Because soldiers should be loyal to the king first of all, not to the

> > vaisyas). And was he doing that for free then? Not exactly. The king has a

> > right to collect taxes from his citizens:

> >

> > 118. A Kshatriya (king) who, in times of distress, takes even the fourth

> > part (of the crops), is free from guilt, if he protects his subjects to

> > the best of his ability.

> > 119. His peculiar duty is conquest, and he must not turn back in danger;

> > having protected the Vaisyas by his weapons, he may cause the legal tax to

> > be collected;

> > 120. (Viz.) from Vaisyas one-eighth as the tax on grain,

> > one-twentieth (on the profits on gold and cattle), which amount at least

> > to one Karshapana; Sudras, artisans, and mechanics (shall)

> > benefit (the king) by (doing) work (for him).

> >

> > What is your opinion about it?

>

> Makes sense to me.

 

 

HKDD comments:

 

Not to me. If Srila Prabhupada didn't give it to us directly, I think it

might be dangerous for us to even touch it. As regards vaisyas, Srila

Prabhupada recommended that they should pay 25% of their produce (not

profits) to the ksatriya.

 

 

The big, gigantic danger with going to Manu is that in practical terms, it

usually means that we are *not* going to Prabhupada. We are not familiar

with his instructions on the same topics. And it is Srila Prabhupada's

instructions and examples which are specifically adjusted for this age.

 

On the other hand, if we go to Prabhupada, he will give us the important

things we need from Manu.

 

And he will give us the other things that are important for preaching in

this age.

 

You can read the whole Manu Samhita, and you won't find anything about

avoiding industrialism and creating self-sufficient villages as an

important element of varnasrama. Those concepts were completely

irrelevant when the Manu Samhita was written. Their was no large-scale

industry, and everyone was already self-sufficient.

 

But these were very important components of Srila Prabhupada's vision of

varnasrama -- and they are going to be very important attractions for our

preaching for Y2K and beyond.

 

If we divert our attention to Manu, there is a good chance we will miss

important preaching opportunities.

 

We might even starve to death.

 

I know people mean well by going directly to Manu, but I think it is a

dangerous idea.

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi