Ksi-go-raksya = the stomach of varnasrama

[Guest guest]

"COM: Trayimaya (das) HKS (Aarhus - DK)" wrote:

 

> [Text 2346031 from COM]

>

> Okay, you nice people say that this conference is okay for gardeners and

> that´s nice I have no problem with that really, but under the heading of

> varnasram one could put EVERYTHING. All the conferences on COM could fit in

> here.

> Why is there a cowconference, a womansconference, a childrenconference, a

> pujariconference, a Prabhupadadiscipleconference, a granddiscipleconference

> etc.?

 

According to Abhirama prabhu, who was Srila Prabhupada's personal nurse in the

summer of 1977, the following statement by Srila Prabhupada is the "bija

mantra" of varnasrama:

 

"I will go to Gita-nagari. I will sit down. And, I will teach you how to live

off the land."

 

So, yes, we will admit that in fact, varnasrama includes everything -- women,

children, deity worship, taxation, laws, etc. But, *still* gardening and

farming occupy a very central part of varnasrama, especially the way that Srila

Prabhupada wanted to teach it. Prabhupada's intention was to teach varnasrama

by focussing on self-sufficiency. Self-sufficiency means living off the land.

Living off the land means *krsi-go-raksya* [bg 18.45] or farming and cow

protection. So these topics are right at the heart of varnasrama. How do we

live off the land in a way that will be the most pleasing to Krsna.

 

A very important part of that, as Balabhadra points out, is that as much as

possible we create everything from scratch and offer it to Krsna. Commercial

vendors speak of "value added" in a product. For example, you could sell a

candy bar for $.50 or -- if it was a candy bar that used organically harvested

nuts from the rainforest in Brazil, you sell it for $1.00 -- twice as much,

because people want to support the preservation of the rainforest in Brazil.

 

So similarly, we could have a concept of "Krsna consciousness added." In

other words, I could go to the supermarket and buy a tomato, and chop it up and

offer it to Krsna with devotion. That would be a Krsna conscious thing to do.

 

But, what if I bought a tomato plant from the nursery and planted it in my

garden and carefully raised it. That would have "Krsna consciousness added" --

which is why Srila Prabhupada told the devotees in France that anything raised

in a garden is worth a hundred times more than if it is purchased in the

market.

 

What if I planted a tomato seed inside and raised it and transplanted it and

carefully raised it in the garden and then offered it to Krsna -- that would

have even more "Krsna consciousness added."

 

Now, what if I were taking care of one of Krsna's cows, and I composted her

manure to fertilize the plant I raised from seed....etc. That has even more

"Krsna consciousness added."

 

What if I engaged one of Krsna's oxen to plow up a garden, and then fertilized

it with composted manure and raised a tomato plant whose seeds I had been

saving successively for the last 3 years. That would have even more "Krsna

consciousness added."

 

And there are different ways to participate in this process of adding Krsna

consciousness. What if I were a blacksmith, and I built a harrow that the

farmer could plow his field to raise tomatoes for Krsna. That would also be

"Krsna consciousness added."

 

What if I were a ksatriya, and I were devising different plans to secure good

training and land for my citizens so they could grow tomatoes to offer to

Krsna. That would also be "Krsna consciousness added."

 

What if I were a brahmana, and I figured out how to call special attention to

all the offerings of my village's farmers at a Janmastami or Govardhana puja

celebration. This would also be "Krsna consciousness added."

 

So, farming and gardening is right near the heart of varnasrama, because for

one thing, it means offering Krsna things from His land. For another thing, it

is a means that many different sectors of society can connect with in trying to

make a society which exists cooperatively and helps each other to do everything

for the pleasure of Krsna (visnur aradhyate).

 

So, we're not just putting you on when we say the varnasrama conference is an

appropriate place to discuss gardening. We're not just trying to be polite and

include you. No, this is something very important to us, and a very valuable

topic where we can exchange information for the development of varnasrama.

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi

[Guest guest]

"Advaita Acarya, My spiritual master, should never accept charity from

rich men or kings, because if a spiritual master accepts money or grains

from such materialists his mind becomes polluted.

<br>PURPORT

<br>It is very risky to accept money or food from materialistic persons,

for such acceptance pollutes the mind of the charity's recipient. According

to the Vedic system, one should give charity to sannyasis and brahmanas

because one who thus gives charity becomes free from sinful activities.

Formerly, therefore, brahmanas would not accept charity from a person unless

he were very pious. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave this instruction for

all spiritual masters. Materialistic persons who are not inclined to give

up their sinful activities like illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and

meat-eating sometimes want to become our disciples, but, unlike professional

spiritual masters who accept disciples regardless of their condition, Vaisnavas

do not accept such cheap disciples. One must at least agree to abide by

the rules and regulations for a disciple before a Vaisnava acarya can accept

him. In fact, a Vaisnava should not even accept charity or food from persons

who do not follow the rules and regulations of the Vaisnava principles.

<p>>>> Ref. VedaBase => Adi 12.50