Varna determination and who trains

[Guest guest]

On 25 May 1999, Mahanidhi das wrote:

 

If I didn't know better I would think you were having a nervous breakdown,

Prabhu. I really have a very hard time understanding your texts. I am not sure

at all if you really want me to respond. If not, please advise. I am sincerely

not trying to impose my beliefs on you or anyone and therefore I cannot

understand your hysteria and outright antagonism on every breath I take. You

tend to give me more creedence than I deserve by your tirades against my

comments.

 

 

I am not sure this is what you are talking about, but I believe, my opinion,

my concoction whatever you want to call it, Prabhu is that there are different

"gurus" for different jobs. Not that they have all got to be uttama-adhikari

pure devotees. If I implied it or even said it I take it back now. If you

believed me then, believe me now.

 

Brahmanas and sannyasis are supposed to be the gurus of the general

population. This is a general statement, not meant to be some major dictuum by

Sri Janesvara dasa.

 

A guru to me means, teacher. A varna guru teaches varnas. A spiritual teacher,

or spiritual master teaches spirit stuff. There are different qualifications

necessary for each, in my opinion.

 

 

 

> > "Srila Prabhupada: We are getting so many sannyasis. They should teach.

> > The teaching should be done by the sannyasis."

>

>

> Oh... I see now. With "guru" you meant "sannyas".

> (actually, you never said it, you are right)

 

 

I am not sure what you mean to hit me with here, but maybe this will help:

These sannyasis were not "gurus" at the time of the conversation? I really do

not know if that will help me with you, but I tried!

 

 

 

>

> "The teaching should be done by sannyasis" is supposed to

> read "gurus got the order to divide themselves into the

> varnas"??? Santa Maria Virgina!

 

 

I do not follow.

 

 

 

 

 

> One sentence only, taken out of somewhere, without any reference

> to anything, is just enough for you to "prove" how ISCKON gurus

> disregarded the order from Prabhupada to divide themselves into

> the varnas to teach the people "the proper subjects".

 

 

They were sannyasis at the time, not "gurus" by your definition. They had not

assumed the title of official ISKCON diksa guru at the time. Does this help?

 

And they have not done what Srila PRabhupada asked them to do in March '74.

Are you saying they have? Do you know the content of the conversation? Have I

interpretated it wrong all these years?

 

 

 

The rest of your text is too confusing to comment on. Hope I cleared something

up.

[Guest guest]

On 25 May 1999, Hare Krsna dasi wrote:

 

 

> It is really stupendous to me how you have this tendency to brush away

complete

> sections of what other people write in their posts.

 

 

 

I know you have somehow branded me a heretic or something or it just bugs you

that someone disagrees with you, and therefore almost anything I say is

"stupendous". I do not mean to be and any inadvertant bullyish comments of

mine I will apologize for. I used to be given much wider space before I became

the heretic.

 

 

>

> Again, here is my example, wherein Srila Prabhupada indicates that it is not

> only

> the brahmanas who can provide varna training.

>

 

 

I must be really thick or something because I do not read what you are saying

in the quote. Please pull out the specific lines referencing what you are

saying. I can be convinced I have a wrong impression or idea, believe me. My

children teach me new things everyday. I am just trying to understand it.

 

I am no authority on VAD. I am sure I don't need to tell you that. But I have

an intense interest in it and will scrutinize every scrap of interpretation I

read. Someday I will get it through my thick skull after testing the patience

of people like you.