Varnasrama-Dharma Is Not Krishna Consciousness

[Guest guest]

I was wondering if Mother Hare Krishna and others could comment on this

letter.

 

BY PRTHA DEVI DASI

 

EDITORIAL, Feb 10 (VNN) — One should not find it a manifestation of pride to

follow the instructions of the pure devotee, even when such instructions

appear to be different from *some* parts of the scripture which were

selectively picked. However, one must not allow pride to get in the way of

following Prabhupada's instructions even when they do not please their senses,

as some women find much sense gratification in viewing themselves as lowborn.

It is really low self-esteem and therefore they will never hear truth about

this topic because they don't want to, unless they heal.

 

It can also be arrogance, sometimes. One can claim to be the *best worst there

ever was.* The lowest of the low. It makes a person sound so humble, but it is

chest thumping. Also, by doing this one (thinks they) can escape

responsibility to Srila Prabhupada claiming, "I was just a lowborn sudra

woman. I couldn't do what you wanted Prabhupada."

 

Real humility is not found by accepting the body we are in, real humility is

accepting Prabhupada's instruction to transcend it. When people enjoy the body

they're in (men or women), or are attached to it in some way, they argue any

philosophy that advocates getting beyond it. To accept woman as lowborn sudra

is the caste system of varnasrama-dharma.

 

"When He (Lord Chaitanya) met Sri Ramananda Raya on the banks of the Godavari,

the varnashrama-dharma followed by Hindus was mentioned by the Lord. Sri

Ramananda Raya said that by following the principles of varnashrama-dharma and

four orders of human life, everyone could realize transcendence. In the

opinion of the Lord, the system of varnashrama-dharma is superficial only and

it has very little to do with the highest realization of spiritual values."

Srimad Bhagavatam, Introduction.

 

"The system of varnashrama-dharma is more or less based on moral principles.

 

There is very little realization of the Transcendence as such, and Lord Sri

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu rejected it as superficial and asked Ramananda Raya to go

further into the matter." Srimad Bhagavatam, Introduction.

 

"the institution of varnashrama-dharma is used by selfish men to pose an

artificial predominance over the weaker section." Srimad Bhagavatam 1:2:13

 

"Sri Sukadeva Goswami was a Vaisnava from the beginning, therefore there was

no need for him to undergo all the processes of the varnasrama-dharma

institution. Ultimately the aim of varnasrama-dharma is to turn a *crude* man

into a pure devotee of the Lord, or a Vaisnava. Anyone, therefore, who becomes

a Vaisnava accepted by the first class Vaisnava, or Uttama-adhikari Vaisnava,

is already considered a brahmana, regardless of his birth or past deeds."

Srimad Bhagavatam 1:2:2

 

According to this verse, one who has surrendered to the pure devotee uttama-

adhikari is no longer to be viewed as sudra. This verse does not give women an

easy-out, as they must become brahmana too. Not rubber-stamped by marriage,

the caste varnashrama-dharma system, but through Srila Prabhupada, the uttama-

adhikari.

 

"But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, 'This is external. Say something better.' So

in this way Ramananda Raya was putting some better proposal than varnashrama-

dharma." Srimad Bhagavatam Lecture, 1972.

 

"The system of caste, or varnashrama-dharma, is no longer regular even amongst

so-called followers of the system. Nor is it now possible to reestablish the

institutional function in the present context of social, political and

economic revolution. Without any reference to the particular custom of a

country, one can be accepted to the Vaisnava cult, and there is no hindrance

in the transcendental process. So by the order of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu,

the cult of Srimad Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita can be preached all over the

world reclaiming all persons willing to accept the transcendental cult. Such

cultural propaganda by the devotees will certainly be accepted by persons who

are reasonable and inquisitive without any particular bias for the custom of

the country. The Vaisnava never accepts another Vaisnava on the basis of

birthright, just as he never thinks of the Deity of the Lord in a temple as an

idol. And to remove all doubts in this connection, Srila Sukadeva Goswami has

invoked the blessings of the Lord, who is all-powerful (prabhavisnave namaha).

 

As the all-powerful Lord accepts the humble service of His devotee in

devotional service of the arcana, His form as the worshipable Deity in the

temple, similarly the body of a pure Vaisnava changes when he gives himself up

to the service of the Lord and is trained by a qualified Vaisnava. The

injunction of the Vaisnava regulation in this connection runs as follows:

arcye visnau silar-dhir gurusu nara-matir vaisnave jati-buddhi sri-vaisnor

namni sabda-samanya-buddhi, etc. 'One should not consider the Deity of the

Lord as worshipable in the temple to be an idol, nor should one consider the

authorized spiritual master as an ordinary man. Nor should one consider a pure

Vaisnava to belong to a particular caste, etc.' " Srimad Bhagavatam 2:4:18

 

First, just for the record, cult in this sense means culture. Secondly,

according to Srimad Bhagavatam, anyone who has taken spiritual initiation is

not to be viewed according to birthright, or as lowborn sudra. It is an

offense. Thirdly, while one may argue that we are not pure devotees, the only

way to become pure is by discontinuing the caste system of varnasrama-dharma

and following the transcendental instructions of Srila Prabhupada, our uttama-

adhikari.

 

* Srila Prabhupada said about Yamuna devi dasi in the early 70s that she had

reached the stage of bhava.

 

* "So far as your question regarding women, I have always accepted the service

of women *without any discrimination,* so I have no objection if Yamuna devi

contributes her ideas on this construction project. Nothing should be done

without group consultation." Letter to Guru Dasa, 1972

 

* "I am very glad to know that you are engaged as pujari there. Try to learn

this art of arcana very nicely... I wish that all our girl devotees be expert

in the matter of arcana." Letter to Kancanbala, 1970.

 

Your Servant,

Prtha devi dasi