Solution for introduction of Varnasrama within ISKCON

[Guest guest]

A short while ago, during deity greeting, I got a realization that I

want to share with you.

 

The realization was that we don't have examples of renounciation

for grihasthas to strive for. Instead we have examples of opulence,

which can lead grihasthas in the wrong direction, towards material

gain instead of renounciation.

 

Therefore I would like to propose the following suggestion:

 

Every sannyasa in ISKCON should be given the choice to either

become a real sannyasa, a living example of renounciation,

or to become a grihastha and keep his opulences. Whatever

the indiviual decides should not be held against him, but rather

it should be seen that the old kind of ISKCON sannyasa was

a fault in the system, and that this is the rectification path.

Or that it was a necessary transatory system that Srila Prabhupada

made to introduce Krishna Consciousness in the west at all.

 

Those sannyasas who choose the path of renounciation should

give up all opulences they have gotten, and all they will get,

in the future,

with the understanding that they are meant as examples for the

whole society in the way of beeing brahmanas and renounciates.

The grihastha asrama is the asrama which gives a limited

license for engulfing in material things, but the sannayas

asrama should be the rejection of all that. The most important

thing is that the materially attached grihastha must be given

living examples on what the actual goal of life is, and how

a advanced devotee of the Lord should live. The sannyasa

asrama, the asrama of renounciation, should give that

example.

 

If a sannayas gets some opulence as a gift, a new car,

a new laptop computer, some fancy silk dhoti, or whatever,

he should follow the path which brahmanas follow when

they get a big donation of some kind. That is, immediately

give it to some needing person, some poor grihastha.

That way many purposes will be accomplished. First the

sannyasa will stay on the path of renounciation, but also

he will create a bound with the Grihastha, who will be

impressed with the selfless nature of this sannyasa,

and ultimately would like to attain that state himself.

 

Many sannyasas of today are leaders of our society.

They should be given the choice of becoming grihasthas

and stay as big (material) leaders. That they have to go

through the purificatory path of grihastha asrama, to

advance to the sannyasa asrama and ultimately

renounce it all.

 

We have many examples of exhalted personalities,

in our disciplic succession, that was going through the

grihastha asrama, even though they were not on that

platform at all. They only was going through it to

show an example for the common man. Therefore,

even though many sannyasas of today might be on

a more exalted platform, for the sake of society,

to be able to stay as managers, should feel no problem

with doing it from the grihastha platform.

 

The most important point is that the sannyasa

asrama should be an asrama of renounciation,

of a kind that cannot be critiziced by common men

with less understanding.

 

-- your servant Prsnigarbha das