TRAINING FOR KSATRIYAS - 1. Religion

[Guest guest]

TRAINING FOR KSATRIYAS

 

[ I would like to begin a discussion of why Srila Prabhupada's

curriculum for ksatriyas is ideal training for someone who has to carry

out the functions of training and inspiring his citizens so they can be

engaged in the activities which constitute a mutually-supportive Krsna

conscious society. I thought we could use the following as an outline,

and discuss the 9 different components of Srila Prabhupada's curriculum

for ksatriyas. ys, hkdd]

 

##PREFACE##

 

[What is the process for training a ksatriya? Varnasrama dharma.]

 

Science of Self Realization: Chapter Six :Finding Spiritual Solutions

to

Material Problems

 

For many, the American bicentennial was a great occasion for

celebration.

In March 1976, in Mayapur, India, the editors of Back to Godhead

conducted a special interview with Srila Prabhupada, who took a hard

look

at American slogans such as "All men are created equal,In God we

trust," and "One nation under God." [Reporter is Jagannatha Suta dasa.]

 

BTG: But in America people are very much afraid of a central government

because they think that whenever there's a strong government there will

always be tyranny.

 

Srila Prabhupada: If the leaders are properly trained, there cannot be

tyranny.

 

BTG: But one of the premises of the American system of government is

that

if a leader has too much power, he will inevitably become corrupt.

 

Srila Prabhupada: You have to train him in such a way that he cannot

become corrupt!

 

BTG: What is that training process?

 

Srila Prabhupada: That training is the varnasrama-dharma.

 

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##OVERVIEW##

 

[What is a ksatriya's character like? What is his most important means

of protecting his citizens? What is his most important means of

maintaining law and order?]

 

A. Qualities:

 

Bhagavad-gita 18:43

 

Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle,

generosity and leadership are the natural qualities of work for the

ksatriyas.

 

B. A Ksatriya's Main Method of Protecting the Citizens: To Organize

Them According to Varnasrama Structure

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 4: Chapter Twenty-nine, Text 81

:TRANSLATION

 

In the presence of his ministers, the saintly King Pracinabarhi

left orders for his sons to protect the citizens. He then left home and

went off to undergo austerities in a holy place known as Kapilasrama.

 

PURPORT

 

The word praja-sarga is very important in this verse. When the

saintly King Pracinabarhi was induced by the great sage Narada to leave

home and take to the devotional service of the Lord, his sons had not

yet returned from their austerities in the water. However, he did not

wait for their return but simply left messages to the effect that his

sons were to protect the mass of citizens.

 

According to Viraraghava Acarya, such protection means organizing the

citizens into the specific divisions of the four varnas and four

asramas. It was the responsibility of the royal order to see that the

citizens were following the regulative principles of the four varnas

(namely brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra) and the asramas (namely

brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa). It is very difficult

to rule citizens in a kingdom without organizing this varnasrama-dharma.

To rule the mass of citizens in a state and keep them in a complete

progressive order is not possible simply by passing laws every year in a

legislative assembly.

 

The varnasrama-dharma is essential in a good government. One class of

men (the brahmanas) must be intelligent and brahminically qualified,

another class must be trained in administrative work (ksatriya), another

in mercantile business (vaisya) and another simply in labor (sudra).

These four classes of men are already there according to nature, but it

is the government's duty to see that all four of these classes follow

the principles of their varnas methodically.

 

This is called abhiraksana, or protection.

 

 

C. A Ksatriya's Main Method of Maintaining Law and Order: Careful

Training of the Citizens

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 9: Chapter Ten, Text 50

:TRANSLATION

 

Being pleased by the full surrender and submission of Lord Bharata,

Lord Ramacandra then accepted the throne of the state. He cared for the

citizens exactly like a father, and the citizens, being fully engaged in

their occupational duties of varna and asrama, accepted Him as their

father.

 

PURPORT

 

People are very fond of the pattern of Rama-rajya, and even today

politicians sometimes form a party called Rama-rajya, but unfortunately

they have no obedience to Lord Rama. It is sometimes said that people

want the kingdom of God without God. Such an aspiration, however, is

never to be fulfilled. Good government can exist when the relationship

between the citizens and the government is like that exemplified by Lord

Ramacandra and His citizens. Lord Ramacandra ruled His kingdom exactly

as a father takes care of his children, and the citizens, being obliged

to the good government of Lord Ramacandra, accepted the Lord as their

father.

 

Thus the relationship between the citizens and the government should be

exactly like that between father and son. When the sons in a family are

well trained, they are obedient to the father and mother, and when the

father is well qualified, he takes good care of the children. As

indicated here by the words sva-dharma-nirata varnasrama-gunan-vitah,

the people were good citizens because they accepted the institution of

varna and asrama, which arranges society in the varna divisions of

brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra and the asrama divisions of

brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. This is actual human

civilization.

 

People must be trained according to the different varnasrama

occupational duties. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (4.13), catur-varnyam

maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah: the four varnas must be established

according to varying qualities and work. The first principle for good

government is that it must institute this varnasrama system. The purpose

of varnasrama is to enable people to become God conscious.

Varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman visnur aradhyate. The entire

varnasrama scheme is intended to enable people to become Vaisnavas.

Visnur asya devata. When people worship Lord Visnu as the Supreme Lord,

they become Vaisnavas. Thus people should be trained to become Vaisnavas

through the system of varna and asrama, as they were during the reign of

Lord Ramacandra, when everyone was fully trained to follow the

varnasrama principles.

 

Simply enforcing laws and ordinances cannot make the citizens

obedient and lawful. That is impossible. Throughout the entire world

there are so many states, legislative assemblies and parliaments, but

still the citizens are rogues and thieves. Good citizenship, therefore,

cannot be enforced; the citizens must be trained. As there are schools

and colleges to train students to become chemical engineers, lawyers or

specialists in many other departments of knowledge, there must be

schools and colleges to train students to become brahmanas, ksatriyas,

vaisyas, sudras, brahmacaris, grhasthas, vanaprasthas and sannyasis.

This will provide the preliminary condition for good citizenship

(varnasrama-gunan-vitah).

 

*************************

##CURRICULUM##

 

[What kind of training does the ksatriya receive, so that he can create

an inspired and productive society as his offering to the Lord?]

 

In the following quotes Prabhupada indicates that ksatriyas should be

trained in

 

1. RELIGION

 

2. POLITICS

3. SOCIAL ORDER

4. ECONOMICS

 

5. MILITARY ARTS

6. ETHICS AND MORALITY

7. THE SCIENCES

 

8. MANAGEMENT

 

and, above all, 9. DEVOTIONAL SERVICE TO THE LORD.

 

As indicated by the following passages:

 

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Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 3: Chapter Twenty-two, Text 55

:PURPORT

 

Because the scientific division of four varnas and four asramas is now

being extinguished, the entire world is being governed by unwanted men

who have no training in **religion, politics or social order,** and it

is

in a very deplorable condition. In the institution of four varnas and

 

in a very deplorable condition. In the institution of four varnas and

four asramas there are regular training principles for the different

classes of men.

 

********************************

Light of the Bhagavat:

 

In this age of Kali the people want their own government, because the

kings have become corrupt. Formerly it was not like that. The sons of

kings were trained under the guidance of a good brahmana-acarya just as

the Pandavas and the Kauravas were put under the instruction of the

qualified brahmana professor Sri Dronacarya. Princes were rigidly

trained

in **politics, economics, the military arts, ethics and morality, the

sciences, and, above all, devotional service to the Lord.** Only after

such good training were the princes allowed to be enthroned.

 

**************************

Morning Walk Vrindaban, March 12, 1974

 

Nitai: What should the ksatriyas be taught?

 

Prabhupada: Ksatriyas should be taught that **he is manager**. He must

see that everyone is engaged. And if there is any fight, they must come

forward to fight. This is ksatriya's business.

 

********************************************

 

Prabhupada makes the distinction: A brahmana is the spiritual master of

 

society, a ksatriya is the material master of society.

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi